Ryan Preece achieved his first NASCAR Cup Series win by taking the checkered flag at the Clash event held at Bowman Gray Stadium. The Ryan Preece NASCAR Cup win is also a historic moment for Ford, marking another milestone for both the driver and the manufacturer in a non-points exhibition race on the short track.
Preece became the eighth different Ford driver to win the Clash, following in the tracks of Bill Elliott, Geoffrey Bodine, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski. This triumph signals Ford’s 11th overall victory in the long-standing Clash event, adding another chapter to its motorsports legacy.
Historic First for Co-Owner Jack Roush Since 1999
The win also marked an important return to victory lane for Jack Roush, the longtime NASCAR team co-owner. It is Roush’s first win in the Clash since Mark Martin’s memorable performance in 1999. Preece’s victory carries significance for the entire Roush Yates Engines group and the Ford Racing contingent, highlighting the power and preparation that goes into racing at the highest level.
Emotional Victory Lane Reflections from Ryan Preece
After his win in the No. 60 Kroger/Coca-Cola Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Preece gave a heartfelt interview about what the moment meant for him and his team.
“Man, they all hit me. I feel bad for Roush Yates Engines right now because that thing is bouncing off the chip pretty hard. I’ve got to thank Ford, Ford Racing and everybody there with all the support they give us. As far as emotions go, when you work as hard as I have, I hate talking about it because I hate getting emotional about it, but it’s not just the Clash – winning means everything to me. I’ve put a lot into it.”
– Ryan Preece, Driver
Preece spoke about his connection to short-track racing, drawing a line between his earliest racing years and this big career milestone.
“I’m a quarter-mile killer. When it comes to this style of racing it’s what I grew up doing. I used to drive for a guy, Eddie Partridge, and he owned Riverhead Raceway, and I was racing for Bill Park and it’s an absolute grind. The moment to get here, it’s a lead up to the year and it’s not a points race, but winning means everything. Man, I’m just speechless.”
– Ryan Preece, Driver
Asked how he managed to secure the win, Preece detailed the challenges and the strategies involved in navigating the race to its thrilling conclusion.
“Just having lanes go my way. I think the short track side of understanding how to not get bullied, but understand you don’t want to piss somebody off. There’s a balance. I definitely didn’t want a caution. I was kind of pacing myself those last 10 laps because I didn’t want to run them down and put ourselves in that position to have to put myself in a bad position. I usually give a good interview, but this is just amazing.”
– Ryan Preece, Driver
Ford’s Team Performance at the Clash
Behind Preece, other Ford drivers put in strong performances. Ryan Blaney charged from the back to the front of the field multiple times, ultimately crossing the line in third place. Chris Buescher finished eighth, while Joey Logano, Josh Berry, and Austin Cindric completed the top Ford team results in 11th, 12th, and 21st, respectively. The overall showing added depth to Ford’s presence in the event, with drivers showcasing adaptability and drive on the tricky short track surface.
Blaney Reflects on Dynamic Race Conditions
Ryan Blaney’s third-place finish did not come easy. He recounted a night marked by rapidly changing track conditions and tire strategies, outlining the challenges drivers faced during an event that featured a mix of both wet and dry conditions.
“A pretty wild day. From the race, we were really, really good in the dry. I thought we were the best car by a mile the first half, driving from 16th to fourth and I was really looking forward to getting the second half going and then it started raining. A wintry mix I guess you could call it, and then the rain tires went on and when we fired off in the rain I went straight backwards. I wasn’t good. My car wasn’t handling good, and then as it started to dry out my car came back. Even on the wet tires, my car came back a little bit and we were able to pick a couple good lanes and creep through there and ended up third. Overall, a back and forth night, but I’m proud of the effort and proud of a really fast car in the dry, and then just sticking with it in the wet. It dried up a little bit for us to be able to go back forward.”
– Ryan Blaney, Driver
He further analyzed the difficulty of adapting to the unpredictable conditions as the rain interrupted an already tense night of competition.
“It’s odd. Honestly, I was pretty nervous because our car was so good in the dry. When you just throw wets on it you can’t really adjust anything. I’m like, ‘Uh oh, I don’t know if we’re gonna be very good,’ because what my car did really good in the dry is not what you really want in the wet, so I was nervous about that. But, I was just looking forward to it to stop raining and hopefully get somewhat of a dry lane going on and it eventually did. My car came back a little bit. It still handles way different on wet tires, but it’s pretty fun as a driver. When it first got raining it was really top dominant. The bottom was so slippery and you saw a bunch of guys that couldn’t really pass anybody, but once the dry lane started and kind of started working down you could have a little more options, so that makes it fun as a driver. An ever-changing racetrack is neat and trying to look at the track lap to lap like, ‘Alright, did it get a little bit drier higher up or lower?’ That’s what is fun for a driver. We don’t do it that often, so it’s neat when we can do it.”
– Ryan Blaney, Driver
Significance of the Ryan Preece NASCAR Cup Win
The Ryan Preece NASCAR Cup win at Bowman Gray serves as a breakthrough for both Preece and Ford. It highlights the intense preparation and adaptability required of top-tier NASCAR teams and drivers, particularly on a quarter-mile track known for close-quarter racing. The win is also a moment of pride for Jack Roush and the Ford Racing team, proving their continued competitiveness.
As the NASCAR season progresses, this marked victory boosts Preece’s profile for future events. The confidence and momentum gained from a dramatic Clash win on a historic short track could set the tone for the rest of his season, while also shining a spotlight on Ford’s continued ambition in stock car racing. With Preece, Blaney, and other drivers in the fold, Ford’s lineup remains one to watch as new challenges and opportunities arise throughout the NASCAR Cup Series year.
