Ryan Preece celebrates victory in the SK Modified feature Sunday at Thompson Speedway (Photo: Shawn Courchesne/RaceDayCT)
THOMPSON – The positives for Ryan Preece were many following Sunday’s SK Modified feature at Thompson Speedway.
His car came home in one piece, he started the season in victory lane, he walked away without a broken leg. Preece outdid the competition Sunday at Thompson Speedway and then avoided the disaster of a celebration gone wrong.
Preece, of Berlin, drove away from Keith Rocco over the closing circuits to win the 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature Sunday at the Icebreaker at Thompson Speedway.
After a seemingly flawless race though, Preece’s signature victory lane celebration brought a moment of levity – and luckily no injuries – as he slipped and fell while standing on the car’s NERF bar in victory lane while saluting fans.
“My legs were shaking,” Preece said. “I was really driving it hard there those last five laps and my legs were a little shaky I guess. They didn’t want to hold me up.
“Knock on wood, I’ve been pretty lucky. I guess that would have been interesting if I broke my ankle. But no one would have known anyways, I probably still would have run the [Whelen Modified Tour race].”
Rocco, of Wallingford, was second. Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, Pa. was third.
Preece went by Ted Christopher for the lead on lap four and never trailed again.
“Towards August last year we really found our stride,” Preece said. “We got the car to work a little better and it’s carried over to this year. I’m not saying that we’re going to go out and win every race, but I feel like we definitely have a car that can contend. Definitely the competition is getting a lot harder up here.”
He gonna win 6races