By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
Ryan Preece will leave the Irish Hills of Michigan International Speedway with some much-needed momentum after earning his first Top-10 finish since Talladega in the spring.
Preece has had so-so results since that third-place finish twelve races ago.
His best finish prior to Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400 is two back-to-back finishes of 21st coming at Kentucky and New Hampshire.
After finishing out the practice’s sessions for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 28th, 15th and 27th, Preece qualified his No. 47 Kroger Chevrolet for JTG-Daugherty Racing to a 29th starting spot on the grid.
Preece would ultimately start the 200-lap event in the 25th position due to some cars having to move to the rear of the field for the start of the race.
Preece would run a clean race in his Chevrolet and after finishing Stage 1 in the 22nd position, he would work his way into the Top-20 running order and be scored in the 17th position at the halfway mark on lap 100.
At the conclusion of Stage 2, the 28-year old was scored in the 14th position behind his teammate Chris Buescher.
Preece would continually work his way to the front of the field, avoiding any on track incidents that brought on six cautions through out the day.
With one lap to go some of the leaders had to pit for fuel but Preece who was running 11th at the time was good to go to the end.
The Connecticut native would cross the finish in the 7th position for his third Top-10 finish of the season thus far.
“Honestly we just had a good car. We ran with Kyle the entire time there those last 30 or so laps. It was hard to get by people for me, just a little bit too much drag so whenever he’d get by me, I’d just let him go and pull me by the next guy and then we’d race him”, said Preece.
“All in all, it was a good day for Kroger, JTG and everyone on the 47 team. We needed that, we needed that run.”
The series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway next Saturday evening for the Bass Pro Shops NHRA Night race with Preece coming off a 25th place finish in the spring race which is his only previous MENCS start at the half-mile oval.