Ryan Preece Looking for Repeat of Sizzler Success from One Year Ago in Whelen Modified Tour & SK Modified® Divisions
Stafford Springs, CT — One year ago, a victory in the SK Modified® feature event during CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend sent Ryan Preece on a path that would lead him to his first career championship. Preece hopes to repeat his winning ways of one year ago in this year’s CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler Weekend, not only in the SK Modified® division, but in the Whelen Modified Tour behind the wheel of the #16 Diversified Metals Ford.
Preece took over the controls of the #16 car for the final race of the 2011 season, scoring the pole position and leading 36 laps before a late race spin left him 26th in the finishing order. Preece kicked off his 2012 season in grand style by winning the pole again and leading 86 laps before a crash relegated him to a 16th place finish. In 2 starts thusfar with the #16 team, Preece has 2 pole positions and he has led 122 of 327 laps, but those results haven’t translated into good finishes as Preece has an average finish of 21.0 in those two events. Despite his misfortunes, Preece is excited about his prospects for this year’s CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler, where he hopes to better his career best finish of third in the Sizzler.
“We’ve had a few seconds and thirds at Stafford, so hopefully a win will be coming our way very soon,” said Preece. “Ever since I started racing on the Whelen Modified Tour, I always wanted to drive the #16 car, so getting into this car has been a dream come true for me. The team is very established, the crew is great, and we’ve jelled together really well and we have a lot of fun together. We have great support from Diversified Metals, Flamingo Motorsports, Sanderson/MacLeod, American Lamp Recycling, and R+B Enterprises, and we everything we need to win the Sizzler, we just have to be in the right position at the end of the race. If we are leading towards the end of the race, we’ll be in a good spot, and if we’re second, we know we have to make a pass on the high side and get the job done.”
While Preece does have one career victory at Stafford, a win in the CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler would be extra special to Preece as he would join his grandfather Bob Judkins as Spring Sizzler champions.
“Winning the Sizzler would really mean a lot to me,” said Preece. “My grandfather has won the race and I remember winning the August race at Stafford and how that felt, I can only imagine what a great feeling it would be for me if we could win the Sizzler this year.”
In addition to trying to win the Sizzler, Preece will begin defense of his Stafford SK Modified ® track championship by trying to repeat his Sizzler victory of one year ago in the 40-lap SK Modified® division with his #40 J.G. Poulin Drywall sponsored machine.
“We’re in really good shape with the SK,” said Preece. “The car is just as good as it was last year, and we have everything that we need to win races with CD Chassis and Pettit engines and our great sponsors Hitchcock Pool Water, J.G. Poulin Drywall, Sullivan and Sons, and American Lamp Recycling. We were able to win the SK race at the Sizzler last year and we hope we can win it again. We almost did the double at the World Series and it would be pretty cool if we could win both races at Stafford. The cars are so close now that it’s hard to win on both the Tour and in the SK’s, but we’re going to have a lot of fun trying to win both races. I’m very fortunate to be associated with the teams I’m with right now and I’m looking forward to Stafford with both the 16 and 40 cars.”
The 2012 CARQUEST TECH-NET Spring Sizzler gets underway Friday, April 27 with a practice session for Stafford’s weekly divisions. The practice session will be open to the public at no charge. Action continues on Saturday, April 28 with Coors Light Pole Qualifying for the Whelen Modified Tour cars, along with heat and consolation races for Stafford’s weekly divisions. Saturday will wrap up with feature events for the SK Light, Limited Late Model, and DARE Stock divisions. The Sizzler continues on Sunday, April 29 with the CARQUEST Belts & Hose Pit Party followed by Stafford’s SK Modifieds® and Late Models joining the Whelen Modified Tour in feature action.
Tickets for the “Greatest Race in the History of Spring” are on sale now at the Speedway Box Office. Tickets are priced at $38.50 for adult general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved seating will be priced at $42.00 for all ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax. As always, Stafford Motor Speedway offers free parking with overnight parking available.
For more information on the 41st Annual CARQUEST TECH-NET Spring Sizzler®, or to order tickets, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR