“We all have our own separate paths, right?” Preece said. “I think it was certainly nice to see guys like Ross, guys like Josh, Chase, all from (our) unorthodox way of getting here to get those opportunities and then succeed because, each one of us we didn’t go through a set path, like you’re trying to go through middle school, high school, college. We kind of bounced around and did our own thing, and it worked out. You know, as race car drivers our job is to go and perform and we did.”
Preece repeated that “timing’s everything.”
“There are a lot of drivers who I look up to, that to this day the timing didn’t work out for them and they kick ass at your local series or your regional series or whatever it may be. They’re real bad ass. And so it’s just sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t and I keep trying to make things happen for me. And this is that year.”
Joining Preece on his Cup Series career reboot is crew chief Chad Johnston.
Johnston, a previous SHR employee, was last seen in the Cup Series in 2020 working with Kyle Larson and then Matt Kenseth at Chip Ganassi Racing before they parted ways after the August race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
He spent the last two years in the Truck Series with David Gilliland Racing. There he helped lead Preece to his 2021 Truck Series win at Nashville, which was Preece’s first start in the series.
What made Preece want to bring Johnston along for the ride?
It came down to ease of communication.
“I like to understand how things work,” Preece said. “I’m not saying that just driving a race car isn’t bad ass, because it is. But I like understanding it. That’s who I am, so I can have those kind of conversations with him. And he can help me break things down better for him so we can continue to be better. It’s just as far as communications it’s just easy. It’s effortless. I don’t know if you’re married or you have a girlfriend, but the reason they’re your girlfriend, or you’re married, you can have those discussions and this is my work relationship with him.”
Over the last few years, Preece has had notable people in his corner.
While Stewart championed him for the No. 41 ride, Preece also had one of his new teammates guiding him along the way.
Preece is represented by Kevin Harvick Inc.
His relationship with Harvick started in the aftermath of his Preece’s Bristol victory in 2018.
“He was the first one that found me and gave me a fist bump before I went up to victory lane,” Preece said. “From there, I just said I needed help. I only had 14 races with JGR at the time, which those came in late November and it was like, ‘How am I gonna make a career out of this?’ I don’t really have sponsorships attached to me. I bring a steering wheel and that’s it. So that’s how the relationship started. It’s continued to develop over time.”
Last month, Preece tagged along when Harvick tested a late model.
“That was fun to kind of be there and hang out,” Preece said. “I’m usually the quiet person who just kind of looks and listens and takes everything in. Him as a race car driver; he’s definitely very good with his craft and really how he approaches things within the team. There’s a lot to learn from him.”
As Preece sets out on his best attempt at a full-time Cup Series effort, he’ll ride shotgun to Harvick’s final season of NASCAR competition.
Preece is looking forward to having “hard conversations” and asking “those hard questions” that come with the job.
“I feel like I’m not done,” Preece said. “I feel that your racers that follow racing know me, they know who I am and what I’m capable of. I think it’s your fans that maybe (are) not following racing outside of Cup Sundays, I feel like they might have a different opinion. But at the end of the day, this opportunity is more about me proving … I can do it.”
This story appeared in the Feb. 8, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
