Preece Takes Advantage Of Opportunity
Earns First NASCAR Track Title At Stafford
Daytona Beach, FL — The 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season was a test of mettle for driver Ryan Preece. He made the grade with a championship winning year.
After four full-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour seasons, Preece, 21, of Berlin, Conn., parted with his tour team last December. He began a brief job search that resulted in two full-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified rides. He also wound up with 10 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts with four different teams.
With all those opportunities, Preece was determined to rack up the results. He won his first NASCAR track championship in the SK Modified division at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, and was runner-up to 1010 national champion Keith Rocco in the Sunoco Modified division point race at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
His Stafford championship winning record in 18 starts is five wins, 14 top-fives and 17 top-10s.
2011_nwaas_feature_callout_boxHis overall weekly racing record that adds the full season record at Thompson and a single start at Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl includes eight wins, 28 top-fives and 30 top-10s in 32 starts. He placed second in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Connecticut standings behind Rocco and seventh in the national standings. His 10 tour starts produced two poles, four top-fives and five top-10s.
“We definitely had a good season. I was with good teams and we had fun. When you’re that competitive that much, it makes it a lot more fun,” Preece said. “Winning our first track championship at Stafford is really neat. That’s where I watched Modifieds race for the first time as a kid.”
Today, Preece knows exactly where he’ll be racing with NASCAR in 2012, and he’s pumped up about it.
“We’re focused on winning track championships and making a run at the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title next year,” Preece said. He finished second in tour points in 2009.
He’ll continue to drive full schedules for owners Albert and Cathy Moniz at Thompson on Thursdays and owners Bob Hitchcock and Kelly Iverson on Fridays at Stafford. After winning the pole and having a competitive “audition” performance for Eric Sanderson’s Flamingo Motorsports at Thompson’s World Series event in October, Preece won that team’s full-time ride in 2012.
“It’s all about being surrounded by the right people, and using that opportunity to create an advantage,” Preece said.
“Some of the guys won’t let me forget about how I tore up some race cars when I was starting out in Modifieds. I quickly realized that no matter how good you might be as a driver, you’re not going to get the good rides by tearing up equipment. That’s probably the biggest thing I’ve learned over the years. And I’ve learned so much about what a car needs to get more out of it. Being successful takes more than being able to drive a car.”
Preece credits longtime mentors Mike Herman Jr., Ken Bouchard and Jerry McCarsky for his development as a driver, along with his parents Jeff and Jodie who supported and invested in launching his career. In addition, crew chief Mike Paquette led the charge for both SK teams at Thompson and Stafford. Preece is already tuned in with his newest tour crew chief Stan “Sly” Szaban.
Preece’s SK Modifieds are based on Chassis Dynamics chassis and powered by Pettit Racing Engines. Sponsors include American Lamp Recycling, Sullivan and Sons, J.G. Poulin Drywall, Hitchcock Pool Water and Chassis Dynamics.
His new tour ride is based on a Troyer chassis and powered by Tony’s Racing Engines with Bob Bruneau. Sponsors include Diversified Metals, R.B. Enterprises and Sanderson & McLeod.
Product sponsors include Racing Electronics, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, Design 500 and Whelen.
NASCAR Division I track, state and province champions, NASCAR Finalist Division leaders, and special award winners earn invitations to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet. The event is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 9 at the Charlotte Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Sources: Paul Schaefer/NASCAR WA-AS PR