"I want to drive out of that tunnel on my own": Ryan Preece eagerly anticipates racing at Daytona after alarming 2023 crash

Stewart Haas Racing driver Ryan Preece returns to the Daytona International Speedway for the first time since his harrowing crash at the 2.5-mile oval in the regular season finale last season.

Preece and his SHR teammate Chase Briscoe were both part of the spine-chilling accident in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 last year. In the final laps of the event, Preece's #41 Ford got out of shape and was tagged by his teammate, as both cars slid from the asphalt to the infield grass.

Ryan Preece's car went airborne and kept barrel rolling, flipping over 10 times before coming to a halt. The 33-year-old didn't sustain any injuries from the incident, as he climbed out of his car with his effort. He was taken out in an ambulance to Halifax Health Center for medical observations.

Returning to the 2.5-mile oval, the gritty Berlin, Connecticut native is determined to drive out of the tunnel on his own this time around.

“At the same time, I want to be able to drive out of that tunnel on my own at the end of the day. I chose this profession for a reason, So if I’m afraid to drive a race car and get the max potential I can, then I should probably retire and just quit,” he was quoted by AP news.

Returning to the spot of his previous wreck, Ryan Preece hailed NASCAR's work on improving driver safety.

“I think that was probably about as vicious of a wreck as you can get, and to see the car really hold up to those conditions, it makes you feel better as a race car driver. But obviously in our sport, we continue to evolve and continue to try and make things better, so it was also nice to see some things that we could continue to work on,” he added.

Following Preece's crash, NASCAR officials and the track promoters decided to repave the infield area on the backstretch with asphalt to prevent such accidents.

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Ryan Preece elaborates on team mindset heading into the 2024 season

Stewart Haas Racing went winless last season and bid farewell to veteran drivers Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola. The revamped driver lineup at Tony Stewart's team consists of rookie Josh Berry and Noah Gragson in his sophomore season.

Amidst SHR's continued downfall, Ryan Preece believes the drivers have to step up and take responsibility in the upcoming season.

"We as drivers need to step up as leaders. I think it's an important time at Stewart-Haas Racing to show leadership," he told Fox Sports.

Preece noted that, following internal changes within the organization during the off-season, there has been a noticeable shift in the mindset among team members.

"This year I feel like it's a change in everybody's demeanor. We all hated the fact that we didn't win last year. I feel like there's been a lot of internal changes and certainly all for the good," he added.

Ryan Preece is eager to start his 2024 campaign on a strong note in the Daytona 500 scheduled for February 18, 2:30 PM ET.