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Bob PockrassNASCAR
CONCORD, N.C. — Ryan Preece will replace AJ Allmendinger at JTG Daugherty Racing in 2019, the team announced.
Preece, who turns 28 next month, has two Xfinity Series wins with eight top-5s in his last 13 races for Joe Gibbs Racing. He raced full time in the Xfinity Series in 2016 for JD Motorsports before opting to run just a handful of races for Joe Gibbs Racing while also competing in the NASCAR modified division the last two years.
The decision to compete in only select NASCAR national series races proved worthwhile as he won last year at Iowa and this year at Bristol. Those victories sparked interest in him on the Cup side, and he landed a multiyear deal to replace Allmendinger, who is 24th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.
“It’s been many years of fighting for opportunities to compete and win races at NASCAR’s highest level, and it is nice to officially say that JTG Daugherty Racing is my new home for 2019,” Preece said in a news release.
“I look forward to not only racing, but working with the team as well to build speed and create a name for myself here.”
Preece has 25 victories and 86 top-5 finishes in 171 career modified starts. He also made five NASCAR Cup Series starts in 2015 for team owner Jay Robinson with a best of 32nd in his debut at New Hampshire.
“We really believe in him and think he’s a great addition to the team,” team co-owner Tad Geschickter said.
Preece will be a teammate of current JTG Daugherty driver Chris Buescher, whom Geschickter confirmed would return to the team next season.
The team also will switch from ECR Engines to Hendrick Motorsports engines. JTG Daugherty already had a technical alliance with Hendrick, which provides the team with the center section of the cars (JTG builds its own front and rear clips) as well as simulator time.
Preece said this was the right fit, that something he read in a book by Joe Gibbs convinced him that this opportunity and offer was the right one and not look at any other rides.
“Whenever he forced something to happen, it never panned out,” Preece said. “I can relate to that. In my career, whenever I tried to force something to happen, it just doesn’t happen. … I went to the [JTG] shop and I checked it all out and, man, I was impressed.
“This is something that has a lot of potential. When all the right pieces of the puzzle get put together, we’re going to be contenders eventually week in and week out. To be honest, I leave it up to fate. This is the road I’m supposed to go down.”