Ryan Preece – ROVA DRIVE

Martinsville Whelen Modified Finale

October 27, 2023October 27, 2023 Missed Gear

It was eighth or better, for the most part. The finale race of the Whelen Modified Tour at Martinsville Speedway was focused for Ron Silk as his points coming in gave him a bit of a cushion. He managed to avoid catastrophe with a contact and spin about a third of the way through. His sixth pace run at the checkers kept his season points lead and the championship. It was his second (first in 2011) Whelen Modified championship.

Ryan Preece started on the front row beside pole winner Tyler Rypkema and kept his car either in front or in reach of it for the better part of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200. A total of ten cautions including three red flags shook the field up some but Preece managed his pace and his car well and drove it in for the win. Preece is no stranger to the modifieds but his Cup season with Stewart-Haas kept him busy so this was his first start in the Whelens for the year.

Photo Gallery – Thursday, October 26, 2023
Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 – NASCAR Whelen Modfied Tour – Martinsville Speedway

Race Day Showcase

Preece Earned It But Larson Took It At Martinsville

April 17, 2023April 18, 2023 Missed Gear

Speeding. Maybe a bit of misunderstanding on where the lines are but at the end of the day… Speeding. That is essentially what pulled the plug on Ryan Preece at Martinsvlle Speedway.

There was a possibility of rain on NOCO 400 Sunday. The weather had already played a role in Friday racing with the Craftsman Series as delays eventually led to a rain shortened Long John Silver’s 200.

The Xfinity Series, Call811.com Before You Dig 250, went off with mostly clear skies on Saturday. It was also Saturday that set Ryan Preece on a race leading start. Preece had won the Busch Light Pole Award. That may have been a blessing and a curse. It gave him pit choice but that also contributed to his race day mistake.

Ryan started up front and stayed there for the stage 1 win. Stage 2 started well enough as Preece still pulled the train. A touch and spin with Eric Jones and Harrison Burton put the caution on and opened the pits. This stop put the brakes on hard for the #41. He had the last spot on pit road and his exit for position led to the speeding penalty. The exit and speed points caught him as he jumped the gun on those points.

The Haas #41 Ford was fast up front in clean air but back in the pack at Martinsville it was tough going for moving forward. He ultimately finished 15th. A good start and show for the Preece team and, perhaps, a big lesson learned.

The setting now had another Stewart-Haas driver, veteran Kevin Harvick, in position to run for the stage 2 win. Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Aric Almirola, Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin were also in the mix but it was Harvick at the 2nd green/white flag.

The final stage was led out by Stewart-Haas as Harvick and Briscoe shared the front row. Denny Hamlin charged into it with 140 or so to go and managed to get by both of them to have his turn out front.

The charge for Hamlin was short lived as competition and incident cautions shook the field to allow Kyle Larson to take control in the later laps. Joey Logano had also pushed his way forward to challenge but could not get close enough for the pass. At the final lap it was Kyle Larson taking his first Martinsville win and his second win of the season. *Both are at Virginia tracks! Richmond and now, Martinsville.

The day finished very well for Larson. Team mate Chase Elliott stepped back into the #9 for the first time since his snowboard accident. Six weeks out and Martinsville maybe wasn’t the best for a return. The rhythm of racing here isn’t easy on the legs. However, Elliott did salvage a top 10 after starting deep in the pack.

PHOTO GALLERY – NOCO 400 – Martinsville Speedway, April 16, 2023

Race Day Showcase

SMART Modifieds at Franklin County

May 10, 2021May 11, 2021 Missed Gear

The folks behind Moonshine Capital Promotions have been busy at Franklin County Speedway. Circumstances allowed some profile events slide into the Callaway hills in 2020 and pushed some momentum into 2021.

The SMART Modified Tour ran the little 3/8 mile oval on Saturday, May 8. This little place has survived controversy and, at times, a bit of ridicule. However, history is being put in the mirrors with successful and popular events being hosted. Following the Modified race returns and the popular CARS Tour in 2020, The SMART Tour came in with a lot of promise.

Fan response seems to show real support for the efforts at Franklin County. Modifieds on small tracks ia always a fun watch. The SMART Tour also has NASCAR Hall of Fame and Cup Champion, Bobby Labonte, as a series regular. Current NASCAR Cup driver, (JTG Racing #37) Ryan Preece is also on for most, if not all, including Franklin County.

Popular regulars from Eastern and Southern Modifieds are also on the tour to make a great show on their short track schedule. For added fun, Franklin County ran Stock-4, Mini Stocks and an “Any Car” race.

The main event, the Kenny Minter Classic presented by Hannabass & Rowe Collision Center and Smart Chevrolet, went off as expected. There were lead changes, some spins, some hits and broken attrition. In other words… Good racing “Modified” style!

Brian Lofton and Burt Myers were on the front row at the start, followed by Bobby Labonte and Jason Myers with Chuck Hossfeld and Ryan Prece in row 3. Six more rows of drivers ready to challenge for 110 laps were also throttled up for the green.

As the Minter Classic approached the last 20 laps the intensity began taking its toll. The #2 with Preece and the #07 with Dennis Holden spun or touched or clashed or did something in, or around turn 3 (we were in turns 1 and 2… so not sure… but…) and both were brought to the pits with front wheels missing or badly bent into grotesque artwork.

The last 10 laps had two…? Three…? Restarts… To cover, let’s just say “multiple”…

Labonte, Burt Myers and James Civali were racing hard up front and pushed or touched which resulted in Labonte going from contention to several cars back. Myers and Civali also battled on the restarts which allowed John Smith in the #24 to take the lead on the final lap and across the checkers.

Top Five: John Smith, James Civali, Jason Myers, Frank Fleming, Chris Fleming

Labonte finished 7th, Burt Myers in 8th and Ryan Preece finished 12th with a broken car that was actually a loaner from Joey Coulter. (We can only imagine that phone call… “Joey… It’s Ryan… Uh… You’re car is broken… I’m off to Darlington… Love ya – Thanks!!”

*Ryan Preece is actually a pleasant fellow and likely left a lovely note with the broken #2 in the hauler with a signed blank check…

The first Stock4 race of the evening was taken by Chris Amos. The Mini Stock race was won by Robert Strmiska. The second Stock4 race, following the Modified main, was also won by Chris Amos (We think. We were having a hot dog and fries…) The “Any Car” race was run away with by what appeared to be a 5th gen Camaro that had a front end collision on it’s record…

End of the day…? Franklin County Speedway and Moonshine Capital are raising the bar on the events at this little track back in the hills of Callaway, VA.

Also on a positive note… Thank you for bringing the infield restrooms at least to the point of being rebuilt by the 1990’s fixtures from the Habitat ReStore to replace the trough that had been there since 1968…

Race Day Showcase

Moonshine Momentum

May 6, 2021May 6, 2021 Missed Gear

The hills of Franklin County are roaring out for fast laps and big name racing at the Hannabass & Rowe Collision Center – Kenny Minter Classic 110. But first… A little background…

Things seem to be a little brighter for a place that had fallen back and was laps down. Newer facilities were keeping up with changes but Franklin County Speedway was barely holding on. Folks in the area know the stories and some might even know the real story. The facility had made a hole and seemed ready to fall into it… (That’s one of the stories…)

There was a fellow who could see beyond what was there and remembered times of what used to be. Crowds, racing and a bit of a reputation were a part of the history. Langley Austin took it all in with a plan to put things in motion. Like a driver with a banged up race car in the garage, he began to fix, paint, hammer and build. He needed a little time, a little luck and more than a little money…

As it turned out, luck gave him some time. 2020 came in with some events in the works and was quickly put back off track. Covid-19 came in and shut things down everywhere. This, however, gave Austin some time to do some basic work around that track that took more muscle than money. Without events to plan and work around, he was able to make a good push on fixing some things instead of just throwing duct tape on it. He put the time to good use and was even able to get some events on.

Some of those events had some real impact. Late Model drivers were drawn in as larger tracks with larger footprints were dark. He brought Modified drivers in from around the region with good racing and publicity. The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour ran there in 2020. All of it was done with CV19 restrictions in place and limited capacity. As luck would have it, the small track was making some waves with events that, realistically, would not have been there at all if not for the circumstances of a pandemic.

Langley Austin is no stranger to racing. His RACE22 website is a regional racing staple of track news around the southeast region and beyond. He knows Franklin County Speedway as well as anyone having grown up in the area, attending races as a kid and later working there. Austin has the gears in motion with Moonshine Capital Promotions taking the momentum of what was 2020 and pushing it forward. He’s not alone in his efforts. His wife, Kimberly, is just as involved as he is. It’s possible she is the real brain power in the deal and he is there for the lifting…

Luck and time. A bit of cash flow in the mix has made for some more improvements and basic fixes. All of which leads to this weekend and the SMART Modified Tour.

The SMART Tour is bringing NASCAR Hall Of Fame driver Bobby Labonte. Current NASCAR Cup driver Ryan Preece is racing. Well known Modified drivers like Burt and Jason Myers, Jeremy Gerstner, Brian Lofton and more will be on track. Matt Hirschman and rookie Caleb Heady have won this season. Ryan Preece raced and won at South Boston last month. Local champion Dennis Holden is getting behind the wheel.

Getting Franklin County on the SMART schedule is a big deal. Langley Austin has been busy turning the luck and hard work of some profile events in 2020 into some real traction for the 2021 season.

If it’s been a while since you’ve made the trip to Franklin County Speedway, this is a good weekend for it. You might be a little surprised by some of the changes. You will see some NASCAR stars and some good racing.

NOTE!! There are still mandates in place. Face masks are still a thing. Distancing in the stands is still a thing. Respect of everyone and staying safe is always a thing. Race with care!

Tag: Ryan Preece

Martinsville Whelen Modified Finale

Preece Earned It But Larson Took It At Martinsville

SMART Modifieds at Franklin County

Moonshine Momentum