Ryan Preece (Photo: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR)
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour team owner Ed Partridge confirmed Monday to RaceDayCT that reigning Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece is one of three individuals that is a candidate to take over driving duties with his team for the 2015 season.
Patridge announced Friday that he and driver Ron Silk will part ways following the Whelen Modified Tour season ending event on Sunday at Thompson Speedway.
Partridge said Monday that Preece, Jimmy Blewett and a dirt driver that he does not want name are the three leading candidates to drive for his team next year.
Partridge said he doesn’t expect to finalize any deal for the ride until sometime after Sunday’s Whelen Modified Tour season finale.
Of the dirt driver Partridge would only say: “He’s a guy that wins a lot of races.”
“Those are the guys,” Patridge said. “But we have to wait and see what Ryan does.”
Preece, of Berlin, currently drives for Flamingo Motorsports on the Whelen Modified Tour. Preece replaced seven-time series champion Mike Stefanik in the Flamingo Motorsports ride prior to the start of the 2012 season. He finished second in the standings with the team in his first season and then won the series championship last year driving for the Eric Sanderson owned organization.
Going into the season finale at Thompson Preece is sixth in the Modified Tour standings this year with one victory, five top-five’s and nine top-10’s in 12 events this year.
“We’re kind of waiting to see what Ryan does,” Partidge said. “He needs to talk to his guys and see which way he’s going to go. He hasn’t said yet that he’s definitely leaving. He was trying to get some things to happen there and I think he’s still talking to them to see if those things can happen.”
Reached Monday, Preece said he did not want to speak about the situation.
Blewett, of Howell, N.J., made 63 starts for Partridge from 2005 to 2009 on the Whelen Modified Tour. All five of Blewett’s series victories came driving for Partridge’s team. Blewett last ran full-time with the series in 2012 for his family owned racing team. He made six starts for the team in 2013, but turned his focus more toward his burgeoning career racing in dirt events.
Of the possibility of returning to a seat for Partridge full-time on the Modified Tour, Blewett said Friday: “If he asked me I would do it for sure.”
“I’m interested in Jimmy,” Partridge said. “Jimmy has a lot on his plate with his dirt racing now. I don’t know how that would work out.”
Silk drove for Partridge full-time since the start of the 2010 racing season. The team won its first Whelen Modified Tour championship with Silk driving in 2011. Silk will make his final start with the team in the season finale at Thompson.
Showtiiiimmmmeeee….
Dirt driver? There is a very talented driver who won a $25,000 to win race yesterday who started to dabble into asphalt this year who I would likely say is the unnamed dirt driver… SF might be his initials…
Stewart friesen would be a great choice. Awesome driver and not scared to take risks. Put on a show in syrucuse 200 yesterday. maybe Eric Rudolph .
I hope it is Friesen that kid can drive
No one has more wins than Brett “the jet” Hearn . He said he has a lot of wins. Don’t see him leaving dirt though.
LOVE TO SEE MIKE STEFANIC COME OUT OF RETIREMENT AND BE CHOSEN FOR THIS RIDE
Sounds like stewy may be the unnamed driver
Why not? One more weapon on the Tour can’t hurt?