Ryan Preece celebrates victory in the SK Modified feature at the Sunoco World Series Sunday at Thompson Speedway
THOMPSON – Late was operative word for Ryan Preece this weekend at Thompson Speedway.
Late night traveling, late arriving to the line and late dramatics to get a win.
Preece used a last lap pass of Rowan Pennink to win the 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature at the Sunoco World Series at Thompson Speedway Sunday.
It was the fourth victory of the season for Preece, of Berlin.
Pennink, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa. was second and Ronnie Williams of Tolland third. Keith Rocco won the championship with a fifth place finish.
After racing with the XFINITY Series at Kansas Speedway Saturday Preece arrived back in Charlotte late Saturday night and then took an early morning flight to Hartford.
Before the start of the feature he had to go to pit road.
“We almost didn’t make it out there,” Preece said. “That was interesting. I pulled out and it wouldn’t go into high gear. It was like stuck. I don’t know what happened. We jacked the car out and it got out.”
Preece started at the rear of the 24-car field and diced his way quickly up to the front runners. By lap eight he was running third behind Williams with Pennink leading.
Preece went by Williams for second on lap nine then began hounding Pennink’s back bumper.
On the final lap Preece got under Pennink in turn one, with Pennink going up the track in turn two. Preece came off turn two with the lead. Pennink gave him a hard shot in turn three, but it wasn’t enough to pry him from the lead.
“I was kind of riding there behind Rowan between lap 10 and 20, just kind of watching his car to see when it would start freeing up,” Preece said. “Right when his car started to free up I think I beat on it a little too early and I freed myself up. There was about four to go and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get him on the outside so I just started working the bottom. We kept getting closer and closer. With about one lap to go – if there was 10 more laps or five more laps you can keep on edging it up – but him and I both send it in there. We rubbed a little bit, I didn’t make him wreck or anything. We raced to the end so. It was a good race.”
Preece won the final three events of the year.
“We definitely hit something there in August with the car and I think it definitely showed,” Preece said. “Even today we definitely weren’t at our best, but we were just good enough.”
That was a hack job as there was heavy contact to move Pennick on the last lap. He couldn’t pass him like a man for 20 laps so he drove through him for the win. Ryan is a great driver but he did not deserve this one and should have finished second. This crap is not real racing as the same last lap antics led to undeserved wins in the MRS and ACT races also. Too many spoiled kids who think they are entitled to win by any means that never learned racing sportsmanship.
Since the repave a while back most of the racing at Thompson is nothing more than a game of chicken. Who can out slide job who the best. One of the reasons I rarely go there anymore.
Not a Preese fan,but Richie O I’m sure you have been in that situation many times and you would have settled for first loser
Can Preece pass anyone without hitting them in the door. Maybe he should drive like that down south he might win a race if he cleans the competition out down there. But hey the track lets it happen. He is no gentleman that’s for sure….I have to give him props though for all the girls he has been getting down south. Congrats on that
So for the 29 laps when he went high to the outside and the 16 moved up to block, then starts crossing him over off and is getting pinched off into the corners. Sorry, but if there’s someone out there that will actually try to set you up and pass you out there, that’s the 31. Pretty sure he passed everyone on the outside on the way from the back except when the 16 was driving through the mirror. Maybe the 4 laps on the inside working him over on the bottom wasn’t enough either? Probably could have got rid of him 4 laps before that. Also, the 16 didn’t crowd him getting into 1? But wait, it’s the last lap…..
Preece has a girl
Why do you make such.commemts
Preece lightning
Ryan is a class act and would dominate any field in ct
Having ryan race against thompson guys is a joke
Ryan is like tom brady playing in the cfl
Ryan you the man
Haters might want to “go to the videotape”….