RACE: O’Reilly Auto Parts 300
TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway
START: 6th
FINISH: 31st
LAPS: 139/200
Preece’s day would come to a close on lap 139 after being involved in a wreck.
Ryan Preece Finishes 31st at Texas Motor Speedway
The O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 took place at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday November 3rd at 4:30 pm EST. Ryan Preece qualified his No. 18 Rheem Toyota in the sixth position. Preece was set up to have a good long run car that could benefit him towards the back half of the race.
There was a quick caution on lap one that caught a few of the leaders spinning out exiting turn two. Preece was able to come away without damage, moving up to fourth on the ensuing restart.
Caution flew again on lap 14 with Preece recorded in the ninth position. On restarts, the outside line had a hard time gathering momentum with the lack of grip in their groove. Preece was shuffled back on the restart after starting on the outside. The race would resume on lap 18.
Stage one came to a close on lap 45 with Preece crossing the stripe from eighth. Preece would tell his team that he fought a really loose racecar, that progressed looser as the run went on. Eric Phillips, crew chief, would give the Rheem Camry four sticker tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Preece would start the second stage from 10th.
The lone caution of the second stage flew on lap 80 with Preece in 10th. Pit strategy came in to play for some teams, leading them to pit before the stage end. Phillips told Preece to stay out in order to earn more stage points towards the Owner’s Championship.
The second stage would come to a close on lap 90 with Preece taking the green/checkered flag from third position. The team would give Preece four sticker tires, fuel and adjustments to air pressure and track bar. After the field cycled from the previous caution, Preece would restart from 16th to begin the final stage.
A caution that came out on lap 126 led the field to pit again under the yellow flag. Preece was able to move his Rheem machine up to ninth over the 30 lap run. The crew would give Preece four sticker tires and fuel before putting him back on track. Preece would restart 10th with 70 laps remaining.
Caution would fly a few laps after the green with Preece up to sixth. The crew told Preece to save fuel because he would be about six to eight laps short if the race stayed green the rest of the way.
Preece’s day would come to a close on lap 139 after being involved in a wreck. The team would assess the damage from the pit and rule that the No. 18 Rheem Toyota was done. Preece would bring home a 31st place finish in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300.
What happened in the accident?
“I think the 19 just got loose and we were the guy on the outside. It’s unfortunate because we’re teammates and it just happened. We all make mistakes sometimes and it’s just unfortunate for us because we probably could have ended up with a decent day to help us with the owner’s points. Just going to have to crawl out of a hole at Phoenix.”
