RYAN PREECE
Kansas Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing
Event Overview
● Event: AdventHealth 400 (Round 12 of 36)
● Time / Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 7
● Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps / Miles: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV / Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Notes of Interest
● The No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Ford Mustang will sport Haas Tooling’s new Winner’s Circle logo as part of its red, white and black paint scheme for Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. HaasTooling.com, the online tooling division of the U.S. machine tool builder Haas Automation, Inc., introduces the Haas Tooling Winner’s Circle, a membership program that offers customers free next-day delivery, discounted pricing on all products, and a lower threshold for free shipping. HaasTooling.com already offers industry-leading pricing and fast delivery on an expansive selection of cutting tools, toolholders, and workholding products. Now, Haas Tooling Winner’s Circle members will get the added benefits of free shipping on all orders over $49, free next-day delivery anywhere in the contiguous United States (on most orders), and 5% off every tooling purchase. For even greater savings, the 5% discount may be combined with other promotions, and a single membership may be used by an entire company.
● HaasTooling.com, back again in 2023 on the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Ford Musting, is the cutting tool division of Haas Automation led by SHR co-owner Gene Haas. HaasTooling.com was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.
● Following the “Yellow Brick Road” to Kansas Speedway for this weekend’s AdventHealth 400, Ryan Preece will be making his seventh career NASCAR Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile oval. Preece made his first start at the track in 2019 and his most recent start in 2021 for JTG-Daugherty Racing. He has a best finish of 12th in the October 2019 race there. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Preece has two Kansas starts – one in October 2016 and the other in October 2018. In the latter event, he started seventh in and finished 21st in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing entry. Preece has made one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the track, which came last season for David Gilliland Racing. He started seventh and finished third.
● Last weekend’s race at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway took Preece to his Northeast stomping grounds, where he has a substantial following thanks to his Connecticut roots. He was seventh-fastest in Saturday practice, the lone on-track session before the race as qualifying was canceled due to rain. Preece started 30th for Monday’s rain-delayed race based on NASCAR’s performance metrics formula, and from there he fought hard for a 17th-place finish aided by the team’s stout work making chassis adjustments during each pit stop.
● Preece has been showing improvement and consistency each weekend this season and appears to be coming into his own. He had a career weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway three weekends ago, winning his first Cup Series pole and leading a career-high 135 laps.
● Eleven races into this season, Preece is 28th in the driver standings with 169 points.
● Preece kicked off the 2023 season with a strong showing in the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, leading a race-high 43 laps but ultimately finishing seventh after a fuel pump issue. Through 11 points-paying events, he has a best finish of 12th at Phoenix Raceway in March.
● RaceChoice.com, a proud partner of Preece, has launched a special racing experience giveaway for fans. The winner will receive airfare and a two-night stay during Coke Zero 400 weekend at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. RaceChoice.com will also give the winners two pit passes for the race, set for Saturday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. ET, preceded by a meet-and-greet with Preece, driver of the No. 41 SHR Ford Mustang. Visit https://racechoice.com/2023-daytona-giveaway/ for more information.
Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:
You’re 11 races into the season and this will be your third trip to an intermediate-style track. What are your expectations heading into this weekend’s race at Kansas?
“For us, we’re working on finding that balance, which I think we have. Hopefully – which I believe we will after looking at the weather forecast – we’ll be able to qualify and that will be a really big thing for us. Track position. Track position seems to be the big thing. If you have it, it could be a good day, so that’s what we’re looking forward to. If we can get that track position, I really think we will put ourselves in a good spot come race time.”
What are the biggest challenges when racing at Kansas Speedway?
“Usually, Kansas is a track where you fight loose. The wind can be totally different going into one corner versus the other, so you’ve got to have a good balance between the two. And, once again, track position. That’s going to be the big thing.”
How’s your mindset now that you’re 11 races into the season?
“For me and for this team, right now we’re focused on consistency. We need to consistently practice well, qualify well, and run well during the race. That means I’ve got to be on it, we’ve got to be on it with strategy and on pit road. All of it is coming together and, even though all of the results don’t show it, we’re getting there. This team is working really hard on putting it all together and capitalizing on that. If we’re able to be consistent all the way through, those better results will keep coming.”
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster
Primary Team Members
Driver: Ryan Preece
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut
Crew Chief: Chad Johnston
Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana
Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia
Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina
Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia
Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina
Over-The-Wall Members
Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia
Rear Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida
Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas
Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia
Road Crew Members
Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania
Underneath & Interior Mechanic: Clint Leatherwood
Hometown: Rockmart, Georgia
Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut
Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgway
Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia
Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife
Hometown: Orange County, California
Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California
Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer
Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania
