“That’s where NASCAR was pretty much born”: Ryan Preece salutes Bowman Gray Stadium’s legacy ahead of his Madhouse battle

As NASCAR prepares for its upcoming race at Bowman Gray Stadium, Ryan Preece shared his thoughts on the historic quarter-mile racetrack in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. According to him, NASCAR was “pretty much born” there.

The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Bowman Gray dates back to 1958. However, reports suggest that NASCAR held its races there as early as 1949, back when the track was unpaved. Preece said that being able to add one’s name to the list of winners at such a historic racetrack NASCAR is, therefore, pretty special.

“Winning in general you want to do, right,” Preece said (via Short Track Scene). “But, Bowman Gray and the history that’s behind it, you look back at some of the names and adding your name to that list of the Cup Series going and winning at Bowman Gray, that’s where NASCAR was pretty much born, so it would be pretty special to go and do that, and what better way than to kick it off here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.”

2025 will mark the return of the Cup Series to Bowman Gray for the first time since 1971. Scheduled for February 2, the 200-lap race will stream live on FOX. Fans can watch the broadcast from 8 pm ET onwards or listen to radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

After spending two full seasons with the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing, Preece will drive the No. 60 Ford Mustang for RFK Racing, a three-car team owned by Brad Keselowski. He will be paired with crew chief Derrick Finley for his debut season with the North Carolina-based outfit.

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“It went quicker than it came”- Ryan Preece describes his offseason amid impending NASCAR duties

In Picture: Ryan Preece signs autographs for NASCAR fans on the red carpet before the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on November 10, 2024 - Source: Getty

It’s a known fact that competing in NASCAR’s top-tier racing series is a year-long grind. Therefore, the offseason is all the rest that the drivers can squeeze out. But for Ryan Preece, this offseason seems to be getting over sooner than expected.

“I definitely feel like the offseason, as many of you guys have kind of felt, it's gone,” Preece told The Speedway Digest. “It went quicker than it came, so, for me, as soon as we landed from Phoenix I was at RFK that next day and really, outside of the week that my wife and my daughter and I went to Connecticut to visit family and friends, it's been there. So, there's a lot to really soak up and really take in, just the whole process and really still learning all of that.”

However, Preece is excited about his upcoming stint with his new team. Kroger, known to have sponsored JTG Daugherty Raving since 2010, will join RFK Racing as its newest partner in 2025, and Preece couldn’t have been happier about it.

“I'm excited about it and, obviously, having all of the different partners and seeing how they service all of those different partners as well as having the opportunity to be back with Kroger and all the different brands that Kroger brings… I'm definitely grateful for this opportunity and definitely looking forward to the Cook Out Clash this weekend,” he added.

Ryan Preece closed 2024 26th in points, picking one top-5 and five top-10s along the way. In 2025, he will be joined by teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski, who, just like himself, will be backed by Kroger.