No Matter The Team, Ryan Preece Is An ‘Old School’ Type Of Racer

Throughout his NASCAR career, Ryan Preece has been one of the ultimate journeymen.

It has been a rollercoaster journey for the 31-year-old, beginning with a couple starts with Tommy Baldwin Jr. in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at his home track of New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2013. Shortly after, he was signed on by small team owner Johnny Davis and JD Motorsports for his first full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series ride. He was subsequently discovered by Joe Gibbs Racing and netted two wins with the team in NASCAR’s second-tier series after two part-time years.

By this time, almost everyone in the racing world knew the Northeasterner’s name. 

Preece was finally promoted to the NASCAR Cup Series by JTG Daugherty Racing in 2019, where he earned nine top 10s and two top fives over the course of three seasons. He now sits at reserve driver status for Stewart-Haas Racing, on standby to fill in for any of the Cup Series team’s four cars while maintaining his driving status by racing for various teams across NASCAR’s three series.

Add a Rick Ware Racing start here, a BJ McLeod Motorsports start there and cap it off with some competitive runs with David Gilliland Racing, where he’s earned two wins in two seasons, and you have a recipe for making one of the most valuable journeymen in the sport today … and he does it with almost no sponsorship backing.

Preece also maintains a connection to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, where he earned one championship and four runner-up points finishes over the course of seven full-time seasons from 2008-15. 

While he may not be racing full time in his modified anymore, he still competes in the background and even earned three wins in the series in 2021, continuing a part of his racing path that’s been with him since his journey began. 

But how exactly did that long journey begin? And with opportunities closing for the young driver heading into the sunset of the 2022 season, where will it take him next in the sport’s top level?

Frontstretch caught up with him at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 27 to find out more. 

Dalton Hopkins, Frontstretch: You’ve been a bit of a journeyman this year. How has that been, racing part time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, part time in the Xfinity Series and a couple Cup Series starts as well?

Ryan Preece: Oh yeah. Different from previous seasons, I mean, as far as my national career has gone. You get a few opportunities with manufacturer-based teams,…