CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former JTG Daugherty driver Ryan Preece will move to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2022 NASCAR season, the team announced Thursday morning.
Preece will be a reserve driver for SHR, filling in behind the wheel across NASCAR’s three national series if one of SHR’s full-time drivers is out due to COVID-19 protocols or other unforeseen circumstances. Preece is also guaranteed to race in 12 events across Cup, Xfinity and Trucks as a Ford Performance Driver and will perform simulator work.
“This is a unique setup, but I feel like it provides me with the best opportunity to win races and contribute to a championship-caliber team while expanding my racing experience,” Preece said in a statement.
Preece, 31, has more than 170 starts across NASCAR’s three national series and raced in all Cup points races with JTG for the last three seasons. He previously drove the No. 37 Chevrolet, which ran last year without a full-time Cup charter, and Preece was left without a ride when the team determined it would field just one full-time car for the 2022 season.
Now, he’s moving to the Ford camp as Cup teams prepare for the Next Gen debut in February.
“Ryan is a versatile wheelman with a racer’s mentality who fits extremely well within our culture at Stewart-Haas Racing,” SHR vice president of competition Greg Zipadelli said in a statement. “Between the amount of testing and development work we’re doing with the NextGen car this year, his added insights and time in the simulator will make us better by allowing us to learn faster.”
“Plus, we’re still dealing with COVID. As much as we all want it to be over, it’s not,” Zipadelli’s statement continued. “We needed a more robust plan in the event COVID sidelines one of our drivers. We have that now with Ryan.”
Preece’s two Cup Series starts with SHR will come at Dover (May 1) and Charlotte for the Coke 600 (May 29). His three Xfinity Series races will be at Richmond (April 2), Charlotte (May 28) and Nashville (June 25). He’ll run seven Truck Series races for David Gilliland Racing at Las Vegas (March 4) , Atlanta (March 19), Darlington (May 6), Texas (May 20), Nashville (June 24), Pocono (Jul. 23) and Kansas (Sept. 9).
Preece raced for DGR in two Truck events last season, winning for the team in his series debut at Nashville.
“I’m a racer, and Stewart-Haas Racing is a team built by racers. They measure success by wins,” Preece’s statement said. “Whether I’m in the simulator, in one of their cars, or in a Ford Mustang or Ford F-150 for another team, I’m here to help SHR and Ford win.”
