Ryan Preece‘s race at Circuit of the Americas came to an early end due to a wreck that destroyed the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang. He responded with strong words for hack NASCAR drivers.
Preece first let his feelings be known over the radio with a rant about the other drivers competing at the road course. He then provided further thoughts on the matter after exiting the infield care center at the Texas road course. His message was simple — “What a bunch of Hacks.”
Trouble for Ryan Blaney and Ryan Preece brings out the caution for another NASCAR overtime restart.
The incident occurred during an overtime restart. Preece lined up on the fourth row as he attempted to cap off a solid run at the Texas road course. However, he got loose on the outside of Michael McDowell and Alex Bowman. Contact from Ty Gibbs then spun him into the side of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., which destroyed the front end of the No. 41.
Preece attempted to get back on the track after his team made the repairs that they could. However, he ended his day in the garage as the No. 41 Ford Mustang continued to pour smoke. He ultimately finished 32nd as one of nine drivers that couldn’t complete the race.
Preece added some context to his tweet during a discussion with Frontstretch. He told the outlet that a lot of drivers just “pay their way” to the Cup Series and that they don’t have respect for the cars. They just wreck each other. He finished by saying that “someone needs an a**-kicking.”
.@TeamTrackhouse teammates exchange words post-race at @NASCARatCOTA.
Preece is not the only driver that showed displeasure after exiting the road course race. There was an argument between Trackhouse Racing teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez, as well as contact between their cars on the way back to pit road.
Respect has been a talking point throughout recent seasons, and it has continued into 2023. Kyle Busch, in particular, has been vocal about the lack of respect in the NASCAR garage. He pointed to specific situations involving other drivers. He also said that NASCAR should lead conversations with members of the garage and set their expectations for how drivers should handle conflicts.
The Early Portions of the Race Drew Praise
GettyRyan Preece races at Circuit of the Americas.
The Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas could be legitimately viewed as two separate events. There was regulation, which featured strong performances from several drivers. There were also multiple overtime periods, which only included aggressive moves and disrespect.
Two drivers stood out during the regulation period — William Byron and Tyler Reddick. These Cup Series regulars combined to lead 69 of the 75 laps, and they delivered one of the best battles of the year while showing respect.
Byron, who entered the weekend with two wins, started on the pole with Reddick next to him. They proceeded to battle for the lead throughout the race while giving each other enough room to make moves.
They didn’t door-slam each other or use their bumpers when given the opportunity. Instead, they just focused on entry points while drawing praise from members of the industry and fans alike.
Once overtime began, the drivers threw respect out the window. They began divebombing each other to gain position, which led to cars spinning out or getting destroyed on several corners. Reddick went on to win the race while Byron finished fifth, but numerous other drivers were caught up in the carnage.
Preece’s Season Has Included Multiple DNFs
The Connecticut native entered the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season with a big opportunity. He took over the No. 41 from Cole Custer, who moved back to the Xfinity Series, and he returned to a full-time schedule.
This season was largely viewed as Preece’s best opportunity to win races and prove that he can contend for wins in the Cup Series, and he kicked off the year by showing speed during the Daytona 500. Though he ended the season-opening race 36th due to a crash.
Preece has been unable to complete half of the first six Cup Series races in 2023. The Daytona 500 was his first DNF and then he was caught up in a nine-car incident the following week at Auto Club Speedway.
The trip to Circuit of the Americas was Preece’s third DNF of the year, and it continued the trend of incidents outside of his control disrupting an otherwise solid day. The result is that he remains buried in the points standings with 20 races remaining in the regular season.
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Ryan Preece Has Strong Words for ‘Hack’ Drivers