This year, NASCAR driver Ryan Preece is under more pressure than ever before. Rebecca Marie is her name. From his home in North Carolina, where he lives with his wife, Heather DesRochers, and their 18-month-old daughter, Preece remarked, “Now that we have a daughter, things are a lot different.” However, our lives are most likely extremely similar to those of any athlete. You lack stability and have a lot of uncertainty. And I think we do a good job of handling it.
However, there is a lot more at stake this year. The Connecticut native will undoubtedly have some much-needed security as he enters his fifth full-time season in NASCAR’s top series after joining RFK Racing for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season to drive the No. 60 Ford. The initial race of the season will be held at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Feb. 2.
Preece, whose colleagues will now include 2023 Cup Series Playoffs driver Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing, said, “I have a strong work ethic, but I also have strong opinions as well.” “I truly believe that I can learn a lot from RFK (Racing), but I also hope that I can contribute some things as well. However, the 34-year-old claimed that nothing compares to the sense of security and comfort he gets when returning home Berlin, Connecticut. He praised his hometown, saying, “I love everything about it.” It’s a quiet racing town there. Contrary to popular belief, a large number of people have participated in racing.
In fact, Preece has always proudly flown the Connecticut flag, even though many NASCAR drivers hail from southern states like North Carolina and Georgia. In reference to bar of the Trax, which he proudly claims offers the greatest wings in the state, Preece stated, “My friends and I like to go to this local tavern, and the owner loves racing.” “I spend a lot of time at home whenever I go.” Preece’s desire to race has always been ingrained in him; he spent much of his early years visiting race shops with his father, Jeff Preece, with the hopes of one day getting behind the wheel himself. “Like my dad with four top-five finishes, I simply loved racing,” Preece, who will be in 2025, said.
To tell the truth, though, I never considered a career as a (NASCAR) Cup (Series) driver. All I wanted to do was race. There was nothing else that mattered to me but winning races. Preece added that he learnt a lot more than simply tires and gear shifts during those early morning excursions with his father. “My dad always instilled in me the belief that you can succeed,” Preece recounted. Additionally, he would frequently discuss going above and above to win. I believe such factors have contributed to my perseverance and current level of achievement. Preece stated that he not only wishes to maintain this accomplishment, but that he hopes to share with the next generation of future drivers currently living in Connecticut, dreaming their own big dreams.
Preece remarked, “I visit Berlin frequently and speak with these kids a lot, and it definitely takes me back to the innocence and passion of the sport and everything that truly made you fall in love with it in the first place.” “I know a lot of parents who are teaching their 7 or 8-year-old children to be the next big thing in sports, like racing cars, baseball, or hockey. Additionally, you want parents to realize that this is a method for them to spend time with their children, help them stay on the correct course in life, and simply have fun. For Preece as well, particularly as his daughter, Rebecca, will be growing up under the watchful eyes of not one, but two parents with racing in their blood. It serves as a reminder.
DesRochers took part in NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” Combine in 2010 and 2011, which was established to encourage women and minorities to pursue careers in racing. She had previously competed in mini-sprints and go-kart races. Actually, the couple originally met in 2009 at Stafford Motor Speedway. Together, the two competed in the 2011 SK Modified Series, where Preece won the series championship. The prospect of his daughter ever operating a motor vehicle doesn’t frighten Preece. “I will support her if that is the course she wishes to follow. However, since I am aware of the difficulties and dedication required to follow this route, I will not force it on her.
But the signs are definitely there.
“She loves her little toy car, which I’m sure most kids do, but she also loves sitting in my truck,” Preece said. “She loves grabbing the steering wheel. I see the glow that she has when she gets around cars.”
