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“Mine Happened to Be a Little Bit Harder”- NASCAR Star Reflects on Two-Race Make-or-Break Audition in Advice to Young Drivers

To gamble everything on a tiny window of opportunity in NASCAR; who knows better about that than Ryan Preece? Before establishing himself as a Cup driver, Preece put roughly $80,000 of his own money into getting two O’Reilly Auto Parts…

By Aaradhya Singh · Essentially Sports

Published: Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 4:30 PM

Key Things to Know

Ryan Preece advised young drivers that taking high-stakes career gambles only works if they are ready to win.
Preece invested about $80,000 of his own money for two Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity starts in 2017.
During that two-race audition, Preece finished second at New Hampshire and secured a victory at Iowa Speedway.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Ryan Preece has reflected on his high-stakes 2017 career audition with Joe Gibbs Racing, offering advice to aspiring drivers about seizing rare opportunities. Speaking in The Athletic's 12 Questions interview, Preece explained that risking personal funds on elite equipment only makes sense if a driver is experienced enough to convert the opportunity immediately.

In 2017, Preece funded two Xfinity starts with Joe Gibbs Racing, finishing second at New Hampshire and winning at Iowa. While he acknowledged his high-pressure path was harder than modern development programs, he stressed that young racers must ensure they are truly prepared to execute in competitive machinery.

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