What Goes Through a NASCAR Driver's Mind When His Car Goes Airborne
In 11 races at the 2.5-mile track, Preece has crashed in six of them.
This year's Daytona 500 produced Preece's latest unscheduled flight.
Ryan Preece knows there's a chance one can flip in a race car, that it's been a part of motorsports for decades, but this time as his RFK Racing Ford lifted off from a wheelie and took flight in the Daytona 500 his mind darted to his 18-month-old daughter.
'The way the car took off … is why I immediately thought of my daughter,' Preece said. 'I know my wife and her rely on me to provide. I didn't want to get hurt because I can't miss a week. If I miss a week, you aren't making money as a race car driver. That's the reality of it.'
Rebecca Marie was sleeping at the time, unaware of the danger facing her father. It's a conversation he'll have with her later in her life. His wife, Heather, had turned off the television since their daughter was sleeping. She preferred to listen to her husband's spotter. Preece said she told him that she heard the spotter say, 'They're wrecking. We're in it. You're flipping.' Heather scrambled to find a photo or video of the crash even though she knew her husband was okay because she was listening to the radio.
Daytona International Speedway hasn't been kind to Preece. In 11 races at the 2.5-mile track, Preece has crashed in six of them. In August 2023, he barrel-rolled at least four times in mid-air. Before the car stopped on its wheels in that crash, it flipped, and barrel rolled at least a dozen times.
At the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway in April 2023, Preece torpedoed Kyle Larson's car with such force that it ripped open a portion of Larson's passenger door and the visor on Preece's full-face helmet flew up.
'I joked with my wife that I'm like a cat with nine lives right now,' Preece said. 'You don't want to use all nine up.
'My wife raced, so she understands. That's how I met her. I actually raced against her. She understands there's risks and she jokes with me all the time you don't have to do this, but I love doing this. This is what I do for a living. This is how I provide for my family. I've grown up doing this all my life.'
Four times a year, NASCAR drivers face the dangers of Daytona and Talladega. In the last three races at those tracks, Preece has crashed in two of them and been sidelined by the damaged vehicle policy in the third. He says he's 'numb' to the wrecks. However, how does he deal psychologically with racing at those tracks?
'I think we're all crazy to be honest with you,' Preece said. 'We're all a little crazy, and that's because we've done this all our lives. We're programmed to not worry about the outcome, not worry about what could happen. We're just worried about trying to win. That's the only thing we're focused on. So, for me, it's not a problem. As a race car driver, you need to be tough.'
Click here to see Preece's crash from the 2025 Daytona 500.
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