Ryan Preece In Ole Blue For Thompson, Martinsville Whelen Modified Tour Events To Close Out Season 

The Boelher Racing Enterprises No. 3 car (Photo: NASCAR) and Ryan Preece (Photo: Jim DuPont/RaceDayCT)

Boehler Racing Enterprises kicked off the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season with Ryan Preece behind the wheel for the team at New Smryna Speedway in February. 

And the organization will end the Whelen Modified Tour season with Preece back behind the wheel of the team’s iconic Ole Blue No. 3 car. 

Team owner Mike Boehler confirmed to RaceDayCT Saturday that Preece will run for the team in the Phoenix Communications 150 at the Sunoco World Series at Thompson Speedway on Oct. 9. Preece will also run for the team in the Whelen Modified Tour season ending event on Oct. 27 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. 

Donny Lia was originally expected to run at Thompson and Martinsville for the team. 

“Donny has some other commitments so he can’t make it,” Boehler said. “The guys had talked to [Preece] and he had mentioned he wasn’t running anymore [Whelen Modified Tour] races, so now he’s going to finish up the season for us. We started with him, we might as well end with him. We’re going to give it hell out there.” 

Preece, who ran regularly for Boehler Racing Enterprises on the Whelen Modified Tour from 2008 to 2010, finished 10th driving for the team in the New Smyrna Visitors Bureau 200 at New Smryna (Fla.) Speedway on Feb. 12. 

Preece, the 2013 Whelen Modified Tour champion, has made three starts in total this year with the series. He ran the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his family owned team on July 16, finishing sixth. He also ran for Tinio Motorsports in the Phoenix Communications 150 on Aug. 18 at Thompson Speedway, finishing sixth. 

Preece was running in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway and was not immediately available for comment. 

Preece is one four different drivers to run Ole Blue on the Whelen Modified Tour through the first 14 events of the 2022 season. Lia has run six events for the team, Jake Johnson has run six events and Timmy Solomito ran one event. 

Andrew Molleur and Austin Beers have also made starts for Boehler Racing Enterprises in the No. 3 car in 2022 with Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series. 

“It’s been one of those seasons,” Boehler said. “Obviously we didn’t plan on having six different drivers, but it just worked out that way. [Tommy Baldwin Jr.] is doing that too. Maybe me and him came up with something where you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to go racing.” 

The organization will be fielding cars for two events at the Sunoco World Series. In addition to Preece running the Whelen Modified Tour event for the team, Johnson will race for the team in the Modified Racing Series event on Oct. 7. 

Beers will run for the team in the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series Haunted Hundred at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway on Oct. 22. 

Comments

  1. it will be interesting to see how this concept of using different drivers for different events turns out next year.. looks to me like Baldwin is picking drivers based upon their knowledge of the track their racing on.. Boehler started with 2 drivers in mind (a pro and a rookie) and that appears not to have worked out so well.. from an owners point of view,, i can see where it
    makes “cents” to select drivers based upon track knowledge,, not sure where that leaves drivers,, i guess if you have no other why to display your talents then everything is good,, but would not think that generates much long term loyalty,, if the driver pool dries up where does that leave the owners?? then again whats the possibility that that will happen???

  2. Suitcase Jake says

    AIJ, I think what he is saying is…. The Drivers who bring money along with sponsors are getting in these rides…Baldwin has been providing cars in the south & north for many different drivers… Lenny Boehler was known for changing drivers on a regular basis..usually a year or so then another driver would slide in…Lenny Boehler started BRE Racing in 1957. 6 NASCAR National Modified Championships, three in a row with Bugsy Stevens as his driver in 1967-68-69, Wayne Anderson in 1994 and with Tony Hirshman in 1995 and 1996. Fourteen track championships including seven at the Thompson Speedway, three at the Stafford Motor Speedway, three at the Seekonk Speedway and one at the Norwood Arena.

  3. hi Jake,, thanks for your input,, no doubt that BRE’s innovations have contributed greatly to the sport.. with all rules\regulations governing the hardware,,, i still wonder if bringing in drivers for specific races is a next innovation..

  4. Suitcase Jake says

    I Agree , You may see guys running certain tracks based on past performances… Coby at Riverhead… Blewett at Wall… Santos at NHIS….
    Christopher at Stafford … Johnson at Seekonk etc etc… Like baseball throwing out the starting Pitcher … bring in multiple pitchers to get the win ..

  5. MRS Friday night expected entries. Unofficial provided by William Doucette on the MRS web site.

    Woody Pitkat
    Kirk Alexander
    Matt Swanson
    Jacob Perry
    Mike Collins
    Max Zachem
    Chris Pasteryak
    Donnie Lashua
    Anthony Bello
    Kevin Iannarelli
    Andy Shaw
    Ryan Doucette
    Andrew Charron
    Mike Christopher jr
    Matt Kimball
    Ronnie Williams
    Todd Owen
    RJ Marcotte
    Sammy Rameau
    Tommy Barrett
    Eric Goodale
    Brett Messervey
    Anthony Nocella

    Lets face it the MRS takes a lot of abuse for being past it’s prime, now struggling to come up with good events. I’m not in the camp that believes they have nothing to offer mainly for two reasons. First they provide the northern tier tour mods events they can do well in. Second this race. That’s a great field of cars by any standard.
    Give the Act/Pass group all the credit. Sure all the rest is good but with regard to tour mods this is shaping up a little like New Smyrna with some teams competing in three races in three successive days.

  6. Fast Eddie says

    Doug, definitely agree. The mrs is a good option for some of the low budget teams to compete and do well. Despite struggling with car counts at some events, there are events like star and thompson that have decent-sized fields and good racing. Their events that I saw with small fields still were very competitive amongst those that were there.

  7. Suitcase Jake says

    is this a Pick’em ? if so I will go with…….
    Christoper-Pitkat-Goodale-Zachem-Williams-Nocella

  8. Fast Eddie says

    If it’s a pick’em I’ll go with:
    Woody (88) Nocella (92) Mikey Jr (7ny) Pasteryak (5/75) Swanson (89?) Goodale (58)

  9. Didn’t intend this to be a Pick 6. Entry list is too iffy.
    Only race I intended to do a Pick 6 on this weekend was the NWMT since their entry list is rock solid…mostly.

  10. Interesting with regards to Preece.
    He started this year in the 15 in the colosseum In a Ware entry. Memory escapes me, but he did another cup run in a Ware entry as well correct? Point is, the cars he ran in cup this year were Ware cars, due to Ware having a Haas affiliation.
    Now I’m sure I’m reading to much into this, but Cody Ware is sitting out this weekend in the Rovel due to lingering injuries from a crash 2 weeks ago at Texas.
    JJ Yeley just announced for filling in this weekend in the 51.
    Preece with a more active modified schedule as of late.
    I’m sure its me connecting dots that are not there, but I find that odd…..

  11. Suitcase Jake says

    I am guessing he would rather strap in with a chance to Win…. But if it was one of the Haas top cars I am sure he would be in those seats…

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