Ryan Preece Named BDI Racing’s Driver for Snowball Derby
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Young Gun to Pilot #51 Chevy at Five Flags Speedway
Concord, NC — Eighteen-year-old NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standout Ryan Preece has been tabbed today by BDI Racing Team Owner and SPEED broadcaster Bob Dillner as the driver of the #51 BDI Racing / Beef ‘O’ Brady’s of Pensacola, FL, Chevrolet in the 41st Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway from December 3rd through the 7th.
Preece, a winner on the 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, will make his first foray into the competitive Southeastern Super Late Model scene in one of the most prestigious short track events in the country, the Snowball Derby at the historic Pensacola half-mile.
“When I was first approached with this opportunity, I knew it was a good team,” said Preece. “I always saw that the team was always in the top-five every time they went to the track. I knew it was a stout car, and now I have a chance to drive it in one of the most prestigious races of the year. I know Bob has the best equipment out there and the team has an association with Chevrolet, so it’s going to be a great engine and car combination. It’s a great opportunity for me, and I think we can have a good run at the Snowball Derby.”
For BDI Racing team owner Bob Dillner, the opportunity to unite two personalities with deep Modified racing roots will hopefully be a winning combination.
“I grew up with Modified racing as a kid and part of my heart still belongs there,” said Dillner. “Ryan is the grandson of Bob Judkins, who owned a Modified I watched as a kid in the Northeast. I’ve been reading about Ryan for a couple years and after Mike Herman introduced us in New Hampshire, I knew he had the personality to go along with his driving prowess. We’re excited for Ryan to drive the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s #51 Chevy at the biggest Super Late Model race of the year. The Snowball Derby is very important to me, and we all know anything can happen during that weekend, but we are going to give it our best. I know we have the talent behind the wheel and with the team.”
While the open-wheeler Preece has never competed at the tricky Five Flags Speedway before, he has been doing his homework on the track and the historic Snowball Derby. Of course he has done that when not doing his homework as a high-schooler in Connecticut.
“I had heard of the race before, but I had never really looked into it until lately and now I’m getting really excited about going down there,” added Preece. “It looks like it’s going to be fun. It’s a 300-lap race, but I’ve done one of those before and I won it (the Whelen 300 at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway in September), so hopefully if we just keep the wheels on it, we’ll be good. And I guess we have to keep the fenders on it, too, which is kind of weird to say (being that he normally drives Modifieds and Midget cars).
“I’ve been reading up on this race and it’s like the fendered version of the North-South Shootout for us Modified guys. It’s awesome to be a part of it, and I’m very fortunate to be able to race in the Snowball Derby weekend. I was just checking out the long list of drivers that have won the race. Hopefully if things fall into place and luck goes my way, maybe I’ll be able to add my name to that list. But, that’s if everything goes my way and it’s asking for the best, but I know we can do it because I know that car and team is phenomenal.”
Preece will have his work cut out for him as a Modified pilot in the most competitive Super Late Model race in the country. He is just one of more than 70 all-star entries for the event. Preece was impressive in a stock car test recently, at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut, in a NASCAR Camping World East car.
In addition to Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Chevrolet, Racing Electronics, MAC Tools and Hertz Rental Car, the Ryan Preece/BDI Racing effort is also supported by Mizzy Construction, DFG Electric, Meade Tattoo and JM Mechanical Insulation.
Preece will make his first on-track appearance in the BDI Racing Beef ‘O’ Brady’s #51 Chevy Impala SS in practice sessions for the 41st Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway on Thursday, December 4th. Qualifying for the Snowball Derby will be on Friday, December 5th, with the green flag for the 41st-Annual 300-lap event dropping on Sunday, December 7th. The Beef ‘O’ Brady’s #51 will be at the restaurant’s location in Pensacola, FL, on West Nine Mile Road on Tuesday, December 2nd, during the evening hours. Fans are invited to join BDI Racing for the best food in the Panhandle during the Derby week at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s.
MHR, Inc. and its President, Mike Herman, inked the agreement between BDI Racing and Ryan Preece for the Snowball Derby. MHR is a motorsports consulting firm which specializes in driver development. Services include driver spotting and coaching, as well as career planning.
Based in Concord, North Carolina, BDI Racing is a full-service short track development team that offers a “total package” approach to building strong racers both on the track and off. BDI Racing has a full fleet of cars from Quarter Midgets, Bandoleros, Legends Cars, Pro Challenge Series cars and Super Late Models. Several house drivers including Meghan Dillner, Chad Finchum and Josh Williams make up the core of the BDI Racing development program, but opportunities are available in all facets of BDI Racing’s organization for the entire 2009 season.
Marketing opportunities for the BDI Racing team and its driver development program are currently available for events 2009, as well. For more information on how partnering with BDI Racing can provide a multitude of benefits for companies of all sizes, contact the team at (704) 788-2134 ext: 7.
Watch for the entire BDI Racing team all season long as they chase down victories and championships on the country’s short tracks. For more information on BDI Racing, please contact Matt Kentfield at (704) 788-2134 ext: 5 and visit www.bdiracing.net.
Sources: Matt Kentfield/BDI Racing PR