As a part of an extended, unique interview with RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece, Motorsport.com needed to get his ideas on the ever-present menace of airborne accidents in NASCAR. Sadly, he has some first-hand expertise with that, particularly with the present technology of automobile.
Preece barrel-rolled in a terrifying accident at Daytona in 2023 in a violent airborne crash that lasted eight seconds. Regardless of struggling some bloodshot eyes, he was in a position to stroll away from the wreckage. NASCAR and Daytona reacted shortly, eradicating grass from the backstretch on the famed speedway as they believed it performed a job within the severity of the incident.
Sadly, it occurred to Preece as soon as once more late within the 2025 Daytona 500. Whereas working in the course of the pack, he was unable to keep away from a spinning Christopher Bell, who instantly crossed his path. The affect despatched Preece’s automobile upwards, performing a weird wheelie down the backstretch earlier than going fully over on the entrance of Flip 3.
Watch: Preece “fortunate to stroll away” from second terrifying airborne crash at Daytona
We determined to not ask Preece about what it is prefer to go up and over as it is a query he is sadly needed to reply lots up to now. “If I had a greenback for each time I have been requested that, I may retire,” he smiled.
We have been extra considering listening to his ideas about what NASCAR may or ought to be doing to assist counter such incidents. Whereas the sanctioning physique applied some modifications throughout the 2024 season, no additional updates have been made between February’s Daytona 500 and this weekend’s race at Talladega the place Preece’s No. 60 Ford will probably be carrying Celsius colours for the primary time this yr. NASCAR has indicated {that a} new anti-lift flap on the A-post may very well be coming for the summer time race at Daytona.
What is the resolution?
“I’m not too positive,” stated Preece when requested about what may very well be performed. “I’m not within the wind tunnel, I’m not an aeronautical engineer, I am not someone who research CFD (Computational fluid dynamics) for these kinds of conditions, however I’ve lived via it twice.
“I’m positive with time, we’re going to discover a resolution that everyone is pleased with. I don’t essentially know what that resolution is. I simply hope that it’s before later. As an individual, as a racer, as somebody that respects the opposite drivers I’m racing in opposition to in addition to the automobile house owners, I don’t need to see anyone get harm or something of that nature.”
Ryan Preece, RFK Racing Ford
Picture by: James Gilbert / Getty Photographs
Preece continued, saying, “I perceive the dangers. All of us perceive the dangers. When you make a foul choice, there’s repercussions, however there’s additionally — if you’re in these forms of conditions the place you’re virtually helpless, even based mostly off of a choice that you simply did not essentially make, you don’t need to see that. Racing is harmful and I really feel like quite a lot of followers say that and it is easy to say, however I believe all of us have to do not forget that there’s an individual inside that race automobile so that you don’t need to see them get harm due to a state of affairs someone else made.”
You may learn the remainder of Motorsport.com’s unique interview HERE the place Preece discusses his robust begin with RFK, moments of doubt in his profession, expectations for Talladega, and his distinctive mindset as he chases his first profession NASCAR Cup Collection victory.
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