RACE: Drive for the Cure 200
TRACK: Charlotte Motor Speedway
START: 10th
FINISH: 4th
LAPS: 55/55
Preece was the largest mover over the last stage, working his way through the field, gaining a lot of his positions on restarts.
Ryan Preece Storms Back to Capture Fourth Place Finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Drive for the Cure 200 took place at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday September 29th at 3:00pm EST. Drivers were subject to a new track this week in the Charlotte Roval. Ryan Preece was able to adapt quickly, learning all 17 corners of the new layout. Preece would qualify his Rheem machine in the 10th position.
The race started out with a clean first stage, bringing out the green/checkered on lap 15. Preece would cross the stripe from sixth position with positive feedback for the No. 18 Rheem team. Preece would tell the team that it was a lot harder to get the brakes to kick in towards the end of the run, but he would be assured that it wouldn’t be a lingering issue. Preece would come off pit road from the fifth position but with lap cars staying out, he would be forced to restart from the 10th position.
The second stage would end on lap 30 with Preece once again working his way through the field, ending in fourth. Eric Phillips, crew chief, would tell Preece that a lot of cars came to pit before the stage end to gain track position after the stage but that it was pertinent that he stays out to gain stage points to use towards the owner’s championship. Preece would come to pit under caution for sticker tires, fuel and for all the tape on the nose to be removed. The water temperature was too high during the second stage so they removed all tape to try and cool off the car. Preece would restart the last stage from 22nd on lap 34.
Caution flew in turn two as the field took the green with Preece already gaining two positions. Preece was able to avoid the wreck and when the field netted out, he would restart from 15th with 18 laps to go in the race.
Lap 41 would bring out a full-course caution for debris on the backstretch. Preece took slight damage from the debris but was told that the damage wouldn’t influence him for the race. Preece was able to work his way up to the eighth position for the ensuing restart with 11 to go.
Preece would pick away at the field and would ultimately bring home a fourth place finish for the No. 18 Rheem Toyota team. Preece was the largest mover over the last stage, working his way through the field, gaining a lot of his positions on restarts. The team will look to build on the top-five finish as they head to Dover next week.
