(Press release from Stewart-Haas Racing)
World’s Largest Equipment Rental Company an Official Partner of SHR
United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI) has joined Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) as an official partner, with the largest equipment rental company in the world serving as a primary sponsor of the NASCAR team’s reserve driver, Ryan Preece, for select races in 2022.
In addition to performing yearlong simulator work for SHR, Preece is running a mix of races across each of NASCAR’s top-three national touring series – Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck. United Rentals will make its debut with Preece this Friday in the Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where the 31-year-old from Berlin, Connecticut, will drive the No. 17 United Rentals Ford F-150 for David Gilliland Racing in the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200.
United Rentals will return as the primary sponsor of Preece and the No. 17 Ford F-150 at two more Truck Series races – March 19 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and May 6 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. United Rentals will also sponsor Preece in one Cup Series race and one Xfinity Series race in 2022, with details regarding those two races to be announced at a later date.
“Motorsports is all about getting the job done quickly and efficiently without sacrificing safety or performance. That’s what we do every day at United Rentals. We help companies big and small grow through collaboration and teamwork, and our partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing and Ryan Preece allows us to demonstrate the power of working united on the racetrack while simultaneously engaging with our customers and employees,” said Dale Asplund, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, United Rentals.
Preece made two Truck Series starts last year, winning in his series debut June 18 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. He is a two-time Xfinity Series victor, winning in July 2017 at Iowa Speedway in Newton and in April 2018 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Preece spent the last three seasons (2019-2021) competing fulltime in Cup.
“I’ve always been hands-on in preparing my racecars, and that has meant being hands on when it comes to getting the resources I need to go racing. I feel like I’ve done every job on the racecar and in the shop, so that means I know my way around a lot of the equipment United Rentals provides,” said Preece, a dedicated Ford Performance driver in each series in which he competes. “Scissor lifts, forklifts, generators, air compressors – I’ve rented them and run them. This partnership with United Rentals is as authentic as they come, and I’m proud to represent them.”
Preece is especially known for his exploits on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. He won the series championship in 2013 and has amassed 25 victories, three of which came last year – July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, Aug. 6 at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, and Sept. 10 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
“Ryan joined Stewart-Haas Racing at the beginning of the year and his value to our organization is already being felt,” said Brett Frood, President, SHR. “He epitomizes the old-school racing mentality that is at the core of our organization’s DNA. The opportunity to race for a trophy at Las Vegas will only enhance the intangibles he has been providing to our teams. United Rentals will be proud to have such an incredible competitor and brand ambassador.”
This is GREAT NEWS…. Ryan will have a chance to Win races and the deal with SHR is the perfect place to rebuild his career….United Rentals is a perfect fit for NASCAR….Hopefully He can capitalize on this opportunity & it will lead to a Full Time ride
next year when Aric Almirola retires at the end of the year ….Ryan can step right into the
# 10 Ford Cup Car … Best of LUCK from all of US in the North East !!! It will be eye opening for the rest of the Country to see what you can do in top notch Equipment….!!
Good Stuff.
Jake, certainly terrific news for us Preece fans for sure!
But for me, I want to set expectations for myself with regards to Ryan. All these other guys on the circuit are gaining seat time in next gen cars, which we all agree are different and take time for both driver and teams to get up to speed. Ill agree Preece good, fast learner, but my concern is that most will have a step up on him when he gets into a real new gen car ( not simulator) under actual race conditions. Most of the guys he will be competing with, will already have seat and track time. So, i am tempering my expectations for now. No, not negative, no, not wishing ill will in any way whatsoever. Just setting my expectations to a realistic level for him, in my untrained eyes as a fan. Will he get to speed if given enough races? Sure! But I think Ryan has a tall order with a lot of eyes on him as far as when he steps into the next gen car against these guys, from the get go. Its not JTG (although Stenthouse had great showings in 500 and Fontana). See what I mean? Little things. Boatloads of pressure for him. And yeah, I know, same for all. I wish he had more scheduled cup starts for this year because of that. However, that said, he will hold more than his own in good pieces in truck and Xfinity for sure! That said, Im thrilled, and he is fortunate for sure, to have these opportunities with Haas. All good in the end. Hoping he races with what he has, not trying to do too much due to pressure. He makes watching these series way more interesting for me for sure! Just wish the tv coverages would focus on the whole fields. Those guys gotta do better that constantly following the top 10. Frustrating imo. But I’m with him for sure.
This season will either make or break Ryan’s career as a cup driver. I’m leaning on the side of make. It’s great to see united rentals sponsorship, which makes me believe that 2023 may possibly be Ryan’s return to the cup series as a full time driver for SHR. Best of luck to him this Friday.
Best of luck to Ryan in the 17 truck at Vegas this week.
Great opportunity for Mr. Preece, Stewart-Haas, Ford and United Rentals. He ran well at LA. Perhaps a couple of good runs will get him back in an open cup car where he can work that strong Ford group.
Oh yeah, he doesn’t get to the front taking guys out either. Around here you take a guy out you go to the back. Do it again you’re parked; maybe for a couple of races. All the best, Ryan!
A little different take here. Like that of a dad or more accurately a gramps.
I want him to continue to make a living as a professional race car driver at a high level with a measure of stability and prospects with a further horizon then the next season. All the stuff about winning races every time he straps in, popping down to modifieds or playing with his super late model is fine. With a wife now and perhaps children at some point you need to transition from that plucky up and comer to an established veteran with a roll carved out in the bigs.
URI is a 23 billion dollar company, providing equipment solutions to industrial and construction companies and the fit appears to be ideal. From the outside it seemed like Preece did a good job with Kroger, a regional company and the importance of that can’t be understated. URI, a multi national company, will want a complete focus on getting them the exposure they seek. Leading the field of trucks for sure but being a star at promoting their business which is a completely different animal being industrial and commercial as opposed to retail.
At 31 this is a critical time. It appears with SHR he may be right where he needs to be. The CUP ride and success the ultimate goal I suppose but for now be a great asset to SHR and become the indispensable man in whatever roll they give him.