(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
Ryan Preece Racing has announced a $500 bonus for Sunday’s SK Modified® feature at the NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final. The bonus will be split with $250 going to the winner and $250 to the hard charger of the race, the driver advancing the most positions over the course of the feature. With the bonus, Sunday’s 40-lap SK Modified® feature will pay $2,075 to win, with a total posted purse of $10,060.
“I’m excited to have the ability to post this bonus for Stafford’s SK Modified® teams,” explained Preece. “I attribute much of the opportunities I have today to my time spent on the Stafford half-mile running against guys like Ted Christopher, Keith Rocco, and Woody Pitkat. The SK Modified® division is one of the toughest weekly divisions in the country and is home to some of the best short track talent around.”
Preece is no stranger to Stafford Victory Lane, notching 35 career victories including back to back Spring Sizzler® wins and a $12,000 pay day in the NAPA Auto Parts SK 5K, the richest SK Modified race of the season. Most recently Preece grabbed the win in the June 2019 Stafford Open Modified 80 in Ryan Preece fashion, pitting late and blasting through the field with just 25 laps to go.
“I wanted to post a hard charger award because the challenge at Stafford is starting deep in the field,” continued Preece, driver of the #47 JTG Racing Cup Car. “With Stafford’s handicapping system and big car counts the top drivers always end up starting outside the top-10.”
Preece is currently in his rookie season in the Monster Energy Cup Series driving the #47 car for JTG Daugherty racing. Ryan has scored 3 top 10’s in his rookie campaign including a career best 3rd place run at Talladega in April.
“We want to thank Ryan for posting this bonus,” explained Stafford General Manager Mark Arute. “Ryan’s passion for short track racing is unrivaled and he is a great representative of modified racing at the cup level. All of us at Stafford are proud to have a past SK Modified® champion competing at the highest level of our sport and we look forward to whenever he gets a chance to come back to half-mile to compete.”
Tickets for this weekends NAPA Fall Final Weekend, September 28 & 29, are priced at $40.00 for adult general admission, $10.00 for children ages 6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Reserved seat tickets are $45.00 for all ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission Tax. Stafford Motor Speedway offers plenty of free parking along with overnight parking available for self contained Recreational Vehicles. Discount tickets are available through participating NAPA stores.
For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.
I’m not a Preece fan never have been but what a classy move by Nascar driver who hasn’t forgot his roots. Well done Ryan !
Thanks to Ryan for posting these bonuses. Racing is expensive and every dollar helps.
I don’t know what’s going on. A video is floating around asking Preece’s reaction to Adam Stern’s comment about his job being in jeopardy. Then a tweet saying he’s expected to return to JTG. In the middle of a very insecure time for drivers he’s committing money to a local race. Classy move.
Seeing Preece in the 6 this season at a Stafford Open and win was my season highlight for sure.
Great job Ryan. You never forgot where you came from!
It is great to see these guys support local auto racing. I know Harvick did a sponsorship with Stafford for a few seasons now. The few Cup race activities I watched in which Preece was interviewed he mentioned Stafford and Thompson Speedway. Great to see the support. Thank you Ryan.
Glad to see everyone is staying on track about what Ryan is doing for the SK’s at Stafford this weekend, well at least most are!
Hey doug. You and i have had the preece talk before. So before i go any further , you know im a preece fan. And secondly, this is a very classy move, by a guy not forgetting his roots. Whats not to like.
So, i did not see the video you speak of. But i have to admit, if there are rumors of his job being in jeopardy, well, i guess im not a bit surprised.
You asked me what i thought would be a successful, realistic year for preece at the beginning of the season. I told you 15th in points, which i thought was possible. I still believe the guy can drive the wheels off a car. He proved it in the sanderson 16, partridge 6, and the gibbs bought (or rented, however you wish to phrase it) xfinity rides. The guy can flat out drive. In good equipment.
When he signed with jtg, i thought crap, another jd motorsports. Why did he sign with them. Then i thought, well, ok, it gets him to the big stage every weekend, and, who knows? Maybe he can be the guy to take jtg to next level. Boy, i guess i was overly optimistic or, i really dont know crap about this racing game. (More probably the latter).
I am truly puzzled by buscher’s much better results than preece’s this year. And in no way am i taking anything away from chris’s talent. He’s a good driver. I just thought at the very least, those 2 guys in the same stable, would be neck and neck. Jeez, is Preece in the jtg r&d car? I dont know. Chris for the most part shows much better up front running, in the way he runs in jtg stuff, than preece (though final results may not always reflect that)
I liked almendinger. Doug, you are a stat guy, so im curious. How does preece’s season in the 47 stack up to almendinger’s season last year in the 47 ?
Here is my opinion, (not asked for on this topic.) Preece in 2nd tier equipment. Doing the best he can. Safe for next year, as chris signed with rfr, which makes him the jtg veteran. After that? Unless preece hits the lottery, and can buy his way into gibbs or hendrick, its over at cup level, sorry to say. No fault of Ryan. And too bad. Cause i think we could really see something special, if he had the equipment.
Doug, as we spoke at beginning of season about this topic, im interested to know, did Ryan do as good as you expected? I’m disappointed, but i knew going in, he was driving jtg stuff. Not gibbs stuff.
Sorry to all those reading this who were not interested in the topic. My apologies.
The raw numbers for the 47 in 2018 show Allmendinger with no wins, one top 5, 5 top 10’s, 15 top 20”s and 6 DNF’s in 36 races finishing 27th in points. Preece this year in 28 races has no wins, 1 top 5, 3 top 10’s, 7 top 20’s and 6 DNF;s and is currently 27th in points.
Buescher this year has no wins, no top 5’s, 4 top 10’s, 21 top 20’s, 2 DNF’s. and is 20th in points in 28 races.
On June 4th at the Stafford Open I saw Preece in the 6 take on tires then systematically pic his way to the front as he seemed to be running out of laps. As I sat in turn 4 I got the exact same feeling I did with Evans way back that also produced goose bumps. A car and driver on the ragged edge yet under control clearly better then anyone else in the field on this particular night and destined to win. What kind of guy does that? He’s a Cup driver. Working in his garage late into the night, putting a car together for a local race and showing up with no fanfare I can’t be objective about the guy.
I’ve provided the numbers so everyone can draw their own conclusions. Me pointing to the highlights like the podium at Talledaga that had to be special for the team owners Buescher and Allmendinger never got would have no value being a Ryan fan. In my view that alone qualifies him for another year in the car. That and the Daytona 500 race. Great finishes on big stages.Buescher is moving up so maybe now he moves into the better car if there is a better car.
What I did learn is that Buescher never had that one unlikely top 5 finish but he does finish in the top 20 a lot and 2 DNF’s is a really low number that shows he preserves equipment. No doubt a big factor in his promotion.
I looked back and most of RaceDayCt nation was optimistic but realistic about what kind of team Preece was hooking up with. Nonetheless not improving on Allmendinger’s points results is a disappointment.
OK I’ll say it. I think you Bob are one of the best contributors here. Critical but not petty or mean spirited and you nailed one reality that was like a punch in the face.
“Unless preece hits the lottery, and can buy his way into gibbs or hendrick, its over at cup level,”
I did not want to read that but it’s true. Keeping his second tier job now is the best case scenario and moving up seems to be totally out of the question. On the other hand Gibbs does know what he can do in good equipment, it is silly season as the Buescher move proved and hope springs eternal for we Preece fans.
Thanks doug. Great feedback, as i am a fan of Preece as well. But i do have to mention, and unfortunately so, one more thing working against Ryan. Compared to those coming up, he is getting old. Sure, he ain’t old to me, but it’s gotta happen quick for him, if it is to happen. And i hope it does. Anyway, as for Sunday, I see Coby having the drive to “not be denied”. Will be fun.