Ryan Preece Reflects On Terrifying NASCAR Crash At Daytona 500 – ‘Dead Silent’

The Terrifying Crash: Ryan Preece’s Harrowing Experience at the Daytona 500

Ryan Preece, a NASCAR driver, recently shared his chilling account of a terrifying crash during the Daytona 500, an incident that has sparked widespread concern about vehicle safety in the sport. Preece’s car became airborne after what appeared to be a wheelie, flipping multiple times before coming to a stop. The dramatic wreck has led to calls for NASCAR to review and improve safety measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.

Preece’s harrowing experience began when his car was involved in a multi-driver collision. Christopher Bell, another driver, was tagged by Cole Custer, causing Bell’s car to graze the outside wall and slow down. Bell’s car then collided with Preece’s vehicle on the right side, pushing Preece’s car into Erik Jones’ vehicle. The impact sent Preece’s car airborne, flipping it repeatedly before it finally came to rest. The incident was so violent that it drew comparisons to scenes from the movie Talladega Nights, a comedy that famously parodies the intense nature of NASCAR racing. Preece himself later compared the crash to the film, saying, “Yeah, it was kind of like Talladega Nights. Actually, right there in that moment, I’m like, eyes closed, and it gets dead silent. And I knew for how long it was dead silent, I’m like in my head, I think I’m like 10 feet, 15 feet in the air, and I’m launching it past the grandstand or past the fence. In that moment, I’m like, ‘We’ve got a problem.’”

Preece’s crash was not just a thrilling but also a deeply unsettling moment for fans and drivers alike. The silence he described during the crash was particularly eerie, a stark contrast to the usual roar of engines and cheers of the crowd. Preece even tried to brake mid-air, a futile effort that left him thinking, “Here’s my ticket, I want off the ride. I don’t want to get on here.” He jokingly added, “Apparently, I needed to watch more Monster Jam and lay on the throttle.”

The crash also had a profound personal impact on Preece. In the moments before the wreck, Preece revealed that his daughter was the first thing that came to mind. He told Fox Sports, “All I thought about was my daughter.” This emotional revelation underscores the human side of drivers like Preece, who risk their lives every time they step into a car. His words serve as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of safety in motorsports.

A Driver’s Perspective: Preece Reflects on the Crash

Ryan Preece has since opened up further about the crash in an appearance on the Stacking Pennies podcast, hosted by fellow driver Corey LaJoie. During the interview, Preece provided a detailed firsthand account of the incident, sharing his thoughts and feelings in the moments leading up to and during the crash.

Preece explained that he was tucked in behind William Byron’s car, a common strategy in NASCAR to gain momentum. He recalled, “So, in that moment, you know, when you’re tucked up on the guy, because I was on Byron, because as my job, I’m trying to get Byron to whoever’s in front of him to make sure we’re moving on our row.” Suddenly, chaos erupted. “All I heard next before this all happened was, ‘They’re wrecking,’ and then bam. It was like a split second,” Preece said.

The sequence of events was incredibly fast, leaving Preece with little time to react. The crash involved multiple drivers, including Christopher Bell, who was tagged by Cole Custer. Bell’s car slowed down after grazing the outside wall, and he collided with Preece’s car on the right side. The impact sent Preece’s car into Erik Jones’ vehicle, causing it to become airborne. Preece described the moment his car took off as surreal, saying, “When the car took off like that, and it got real quiet.”

The Incident Unfolded: A Chain Reaction of Events

The crash involving Ryan Preece was the result of a chain reaction that began with a collision between Christopher Bell and Cole Custer. Custer’s contact with Bell sent Bell’s car toward the outside wall, where it grazed before slowing down. Bell’s car then collided with Preece’s vehicle on the right side, pushing it into Erik Jones’ car. The impact catapulted Preece’s car into the air, flipping it multiple times before it finally came to rest.

The incident was a stark reminder of the unpredictability and danger inherent in motorsports. Preece’s car became airborne, flipping in a manner that left fans and drivers alike in shock. The crash drew immediate comparisons to scenes from Talladega Nights, a movie known for its over-the-top portrayal of NASCAR crashes. Preece himself later compared the crash to the film, describing the surreal moment when his car was airborne.

In the aftermath of the crash, Preece reflected on the incident, describing the eerie silence as his car flew through the air. He even attempted to brake mid-air, a futile effort that left him thinking, “Here’s my ticket, I want off the ride. I don’t want to get on here.” His humorous remark about needing to watch more Monster Jam and lay on the throttle belied the seriousness of the incident.

Reflecting on the Crash: Preece’s Emotional and Physical Toll

Ryan Preece has been open about the emotional and physical toll of the crash, revealing that this year’s incident had a greater impact on him than his previous crash at the Daytona 500 in 2023. He explained that he did not wear a data-gathering mouthpiece during the race, a device that could have provided valuable information about the crash. Preece said, “I didn’t wear it. I had actually been wearing it all weekend, but what I found is I must grind my teeth, so they gave me the other one, and the other just had a little bit of like it was pulling on my teeth, and I didn’t like it. After I had started with it with the first rain delay and I had enough time to think about it right before we got going, and I just ripped it out right before. So I didn’t.”

Despite not having the data from the mouthpiece, Preece was clear about the severity of the crash. He said, “But I can tell you I thought this one was… optically it didn’t look as bad, but I thought it was worse.” This sentiment underscores the physical and mental strain of such incidents, even if they do not appear as severe on television.

Preece’s reflections on the crash also highlighted the personal side of being a driver. In the moments leading up to the wreck, Preece revealed that his daughter was the first person he thought of. He told Fox Sports, “All I thought about was my daughter.” This emotional revelation humanizes Preece and serves as a poignant reminder of the risks drivers take every time they step into a car.

Calls for Safety: Preece Urges NASCAR to Act

The crash at the Daytona 500 has reignited the conversation about safety in NASCAR. Ryan Preece has been vocal about the need for the organization to review safety data and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future. Preece’s car became airborne after the collision, a situation he likened to a “sheet of plywood on a windy day.” He criticized the design of the cars, saying, “I don’t know if it’s the diffuser or what that makes these cars like a sheet of plywood when you walk out on a windy day, but when the car took