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07/26/2013 |
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RYAN PREECE
LOOKS TO MAINTAIN STRONG WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR SEASON IN 23RD
ANNUAL CARQUEST 150 |
 When
the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to Stafford
Motor Speedway for its third of four visits during
the 2013 season, NWMT points leader Ryan Preece will
be looking to continue his amazing season with
another strong finish. In the first 6 races this
season, Preece has tallied 3 victories and has yet
to finish worse than fourth. Preece was the most
recent NWMT winner at Stafford, winning the TSI
Harley-Davidson 125 presented by G-Oil in May with a
spin and win drive that served as a launching point
for his #16 Flamingo Motorsports team's run of 3
consecutive victories.
"I would say the 125-lapper in May was a springboard
for us," said Preece. "Stafford was the key track
where we figured out what I needed to win races, run
up front, and pass cars. Ever since then, at
Riverhead we came back up through the field after
halfway, and at Waterford it was racing hard. We
didn't dominate the race like Doug [Coby] did and we
only led 2 laps but they were the two laps that
mattered the most. I've never won 3 races in row and
I've never won more than 2 races in a season. Right
now it's definitely been phenomenal and we're
leading the points right now. We haven't had a
finish outside the top-4 yet this season so
obviously you can't be upset with that at all."
After finishing fourth in the CARQUEST Tech-Net
Spring Sizzler in April, Preece qualified second for
the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 and looked to have a
strong car. But a spin before the field could
complete the first lap dropped Preece to the rear of
the field. Unfazed by the misfortune, Preece drove
his way back through the field and took the lead
from Ronnie Silk on lap-107. Once Preece had the
lead, he led the final 19 laps to win the race ahead
of Silk, Rowan Pennink, Donny Lia, and Bobby Santos,
III. Preece and the #16 team will be coming back
with the same setup that helped them pass the entire
field on their way to CARQUEST Victory Lane.
"We were good when we were up front for the first
lap and when I was coming up through the pack we
knew we needed to snug the car up a little and
usually we need to free the car up a little," said
Preece. "I could go outside or inside, I could do
pretty much anything I wanted to do. When you have a
car like that, it makes my job easier. All I have to
do is drive forward and not screw up. We'll take
what we ran last race and use it for this next race.
I definitely think we're going to be strong at
Stafford. We were fast in the 125-lapper and I feel
with a pit stop race we're going to be fast again so
I'm looking forward to the race. We have good cars
and Sly and Jerry are putting great cars together
every week. The Bob Bruneau motors are holding
together and create great horsepower, Flamingo
Motorsports, East West Marine, everybody who puts
this whole deal together, R+B Enterprises, Bob the
Builder, Diversified Metals, everybody involved with
the team are giving me everything I need to win
races and win championships. The JRI shocks have
helped our program and we're looking forward to the
next few races and trying to win. It's felt like a
month since I was last in that Tour car and I'm
ready to get going again."
Preece's strong race efforts currently have him
leading the NWMT points standings by 44 points over
Rowan Pennink. The CARQUEST 150 will kick off the
second half of the NWMT season and Preece is focused
on continuing to finish up front and win races as he
has done thus far in the first half.
"This is going to be the second half of the season
where you see who gets on a roll," said Preece.
"We're going to try to be that person and keep
things going the way they have been. I'm thinking
about trying to win races, trying to race clean, and
keep on knocking off top-5 finishes because that's
what will win the championship. When you're leading
the championship it's hard to not points race, but
at the same time I'm not someone that is going to be
running third and settle for fifth. If I'm in third
and we have a car to win, I'm going to try to win."
Tickets for the 23rd Annual CARQUEST 150 are
available and on sale now at the Speedway Box
Office. Tickets are priced at $33.00 for adult
general admission tickets, $5.00 for children ages
6-14, and children ages 5 and under are admitted
free of charge when accompanied by an adult.
Reserved seating will be priced at $35.00 for all
ages. All ticket prices include 10% CT Admission
Tax.
For more information on the 23rd Annual CARQUEST
150, or to order tickets, contact the Stafford Motor
Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on
the web at
www.staffordspeedway.com.. |
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Source: Scott Running / Stafford Motor Speedway
Posted: July
26, 2013 |
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