{"id":1996,"date":"2017-07-29T19:51:08","date_gmt":"2017-07-29T23:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=1996"},"modified":"2017-10-02T23:22:43","modified_gmt":"2017-10-03T03:22:43","slug":"ryan-preece-earns-first-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2017\/07\/29\/ryan-preece-earns-first-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan Preece’s move to JGR pays off, earns first career Xfinity win at Iowa"},"content":{"rendered":"

A year ago, Ryan Preece<\/strong> was behind the wheel of the No. 01 JD Motorsports Xfinity Series ride averaging a 23rd<\/sup> place start and finish.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, after his second race in the Joe Gibbs Racing<\/strong> (JGR) No. 20, Preece can call himself a NASCAR Xfinity Series<\/strong> winner.<\/p>\n

Ryan Preece’s move to JGR pays off, earns first career Xfinity win at Iowa<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201c[Last season with JD Motorsports, I] never really got anybody talking,\u201d Preece said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t happy. I\u2019m not a racer to just be out there. I\u2019m a racer to compete right here, to get those trophies and be remembered from the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 26-year old lead 144 laps en-route to his first victory in one of the top three NASCAR series, as he tries to be remembered, and it\u2019s all thanks to his move to JGR.<\/p>\n

Preece got a text Kevin Manion<\/strong> telling him that Daniel Suarez<\/strong> \u2013 who was previously in the No. 20 \u2013 was moving up to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series<\/strong> to take the place of a retired Carl Edwards<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Manion told him to call Steve De Souza<\/strong> \u2013 the Vice President of Xfinity Series development racing at JGR.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew what I felt I had to do to get attention and to make noise,\u201d Preece said. \u201cThese two races were the shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

He left a voicemail.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe could have listened to that voicemail and said ah, \u2018you know what he probably doesn\u2019t have money,\u2019 or stuff like that,\u201d Preece said. \u201cWell, he didn\u2019t. He called me back and told me what we needed to do to make it happen. I worked hard on my end to do everything I needed to do to get in the car and secure sponsorship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thanks to his hard work, the 26-year old lead 144 laps in route to his first victory in one of the top three NASCAR series.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just really fortunate to have people that are willing to help me. We had local companies\u2026 that were willing to spend a lot of money to be in this race car.<\/p>\n

Preece beat out his teammate Kyle Benjamin<\/strong> and a coming-out-of retirement Brian Scott<\/strong> for the podium.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great opportunity,\u201d Scott said. \u201cIt was fun to be pretty relaxed and not worry about points.\u201d<\/p>\n

The series returns to action next Saturday as they take to New York and try to conquer Watkins Glen.<\/p>\n

U.S. Cellular 250 Top 20<\/strong>
\n1. Ryan Preece
\n2. Kyle Benjamin
\n3. Brian Scott
\n4. Brennan Poole
\n5. Cole Custer
\n6. J.J. Yeley
\n7. Daniel Hemric
\n8. Blake Koch
\n9. William Byron
\n10. Brandon Jones
\n11. Brett Moffitt
\n12. Elliott Sadler
\n13. Brendan Gaughan
\n14. Ryan Sieg
\n15. Harrison Rhodes
\n16. Ty Majeski
\n17. Dakoda Armstrong
\n18. Ross Chastain
\n19. Matt Tifft
\n20. Justin Allgaier<\/p>\n

Standings<\/h2>\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
NASCAR Xfinity Series Unofficial Playoff Standings<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Position<\/strong><\/td>\nDriver<\/strong><\/td>\nWins<\/strong><\/td>\nPoints<\/strong><\/td>\nCut<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\nWilliam Byron<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n653<\/td>\nx<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nJustin Allgaier<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n564<\/td>\nx<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nRyan Reed<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n424<\/td>\nx<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nElliott Sadler<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n707<\/td>\n364<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nBrennan Poole<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n518<\/td>\n175<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nDaniel Hemric<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n488<\/td>\n145<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nCole Custer<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n474<\/td>\n131<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nMatt Tift<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n436<\/td>\n93<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nDakoda Armstrong<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n388<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nBlake Koch<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n374<\/td>\n31<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nMichael Annett<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n371<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nBrendan Gaughan<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n353<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
–<\/td>\nPlayoff Cutoff<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nJ.J. Yeley<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n339<\/td>\n-14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nRyan Sieg<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n337<\/td>\n-16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nJ.J. Yeley<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n321<\/td>\n-32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nRoss Chastain<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n317<\/td>\n-36<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n