Happy Returns: Ryan Preece Ready For Double Duty Modified Action June 5 At Thompson Speedway

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On July 16, 2003 former NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series star Tony Stewart made a visit to Thompson Speedway and wowed the crowd on hand by winning that night’s SK Modified feature. 

Watching a star at the highest level of NASCAR competing against the local stars of short track racing left quite an impression on then 12-year old Ryan Preece. 

On June 5 at Thompson Speedway Preece, of Berlin, is hoping he can have that same effect on youngsters and fans at Thompson. 

Preece, a rookie on the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series for JTG Daugherty Racing, will return to his roots in double-duty fashion on June 5 at Thompson. 

The former SK Modified champion at Thompson and Whelen Modified Tour champion will compete in both divisions at Thompson on June 5. 

Preece will drive for the Ed and Connie Partridge owned TS Haulers team in the Whelen Modified Tour Thompson 125. He will also start in the 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified event for team owners Albert and Cathy Moniz. 

Preece competed regularly for eight years in the SK Modified division at Thompson for the Moniz family, winning a pair of track championships (2012, 2014) and grabbing 30 feature wins. 

Preece is one who believes that top level NASCAR competitors competing in short track events can help the sport from top to bottom. 

“You need race tracks that are willing to work with those drivers so to speak,” Preece said. “That can be an issue where people want to work and support short track racing, but it can be difficult to do that sometimes when things are made difficult. But it’s very important. 

“Me growing up, I specifically remember Tony Stewart going to Thompson Speedway and running a Sunoco Modified and doing a match race and doing all that cool stuff with the local drivers. I remember those things and those are the things that really impacted me. 

“You want to draw more people to an event, that’s a good way of doing it. I think at the end of the day it just comes down to everybody working with each other to make things happen.” 

Preece, the 2013 Whelen Modified Tour champion, has competed for the Partridge owned team since 2015 with 11 of his 22 career series victories coming with the team. 

Preece is also scheduled to run with the Whelen Modified Tour for the Partridge family in the Eastern Propane & Oil 100 on July 20 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.