Getty Ryan Preece prepares for a race at Road America on July 4.
The driver of the No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet Camaro has confirmed that he will not return to the NASCAR team for the 2022 Cup Series season. Ryan Preece, who is currently in his third full-time season, is looking for his next opportunity.
The 30-year-old driver appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday, Sept. 1, to discuss the major changes taking place at JTG Daugherty Racing, as well as what his future holds. He explained that his goal is to race in 2022, regardless of the series, and that he will continue to pursue this goal after JTG Daugherty moves to a one-car team.
“I don’t just race the Cup Series,” Preece said during the appearance. “Anyone who knows me knows that I am working effortlessly, constantly, no matter what it is. Racing modifieds, I’m currently going to be building a Super Late Model to go run the Snowball [Derby in Florida].
“I want to be a racer. I want to be one of the best racers. As far as offers right now, it’s nothing. No, not really. I’m just waiting for that next opportunity to go out and win races. It’s not just me talking either. I’ve proved it over and over again. Hopefully, that moment comes sooner rather than later.”
2JTG Daugherty Announced Major Changes for 2022
During a conference call previewing the playoffs, Brad Daugherty said the current plan is for JTG Daugherty Racing to field one car next season.
JTG Daugherty Racing surprised many on Tuesday, Aug. 31, by revealing a major change for the 2022 Cup Series season. The team confirmed that it would only run one car instead of two as in past seasons, moving ahead with only the chartered No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro.
Team co-owner Brad Daugherty explained to media members that having two cars took away some of the focus and made the organization less competitive on a weekly basis. He did not want to have “two bad cars” when he could pursue top-15 finishes with one.
Another co-owner, Tad Geschickter, provided further information during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. He explained that leasing a charter costs more than what teams can earn with the prize purse. He added that the costs of purchasing a charter have risen considerably and that the team could not run two cars while building a third.
Preece Should Have Options in NASCAR
While he may not land a seat in the Cup Series, Preece could potentially suit up in Xfinity or Trucks considering that multiple teams could have spots open up. He has limited starts in both series but has previously reached Victory Lane a total of three times.
Preece made 59 starts in the Xfinity Series over six seasons from 2013-2019, running only one full-time campaign with JD Motorsports. He finished top 10 once during this season before taking on a part-time role with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017 and 2018. Preece started a combined 19 races over two seasons, winning twice and adding 11 top-fives.
The pending free agent has not suited up in the Xfinity Series since partnering with JR Motorsports for four races in 2019, but he finally made his Truck Series debut in 2021. Preece joined David Gilliland Racing for a race at Nashville Superspeedway, winning his first-ever outing in the series. He then returned to the team at Pocono and finished ninth.
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