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NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Media Day Feb 15, 2023 Daytona Beach, Florida, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece 41 talks with the press during media day at Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Daytona International Speedway Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJohnxDavidxMercerx 20230215_jdm_sx1_022
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NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Media Day Feb 15, 2023 Daytona Beach, Florida, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece 41 talks with the press during media day at Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Daytona International Speedway Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJohnxDavidxMercerx 20230215_jdm_sx1_022
Even though Saturday’s NASCAR events at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem have been postponed, the Cook Out Clash is set to go on as planned Sunday. At the Madhouse, anything can happen. One driver, particularly infamous for his on-track aggressiveness and hard-racing, issued a no-nonsense warning to others, standing up for himself.
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You don’t mess with Ryan Preece
Ryan Preece put his foot down ahead of the Cook Out Clash, making it known he won’t be disrespected. Brad Keselowski‘s star gave a strong statement to PRN with just six words about what will happen if he’s pushed.
“I’m going to hit you back.”
“If you push me, I’m going to hit you back.” 👊
It sounds like @RyanPreece_ is ready to return to The Madhouse this weekend 👀 pic.twitter.com/dfrHqejr8z
— PRN (@PRNlive) January 30, 2026
With how things went last year, the RFK Racing driver is happy to let the news spread that he is more than ready to push back if disrespected. He will not take any pushes without getting to push back.
“But at the same time, if you race me with respect, I’m gonna race you with respect,” said Preece.
Preece brought up the events of the Clash last year, where he sent John Hunter Nemechek around in the No.42 after a bit of rough racing.
“Granted, that’s what people remember of what happened last year. I think there’s also a side to it as, race with respect, you’ll get it back,” said Preece.
Preece also acknowledged that he is at the Madhouse, where things are known to get a little crazy, so no one really knows what can happen.
“It’s kind of like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, right? Push me the wrong way, you’ll find out which one you’re gonna get back,” said Preece with a smile.
Preece’s competitive aggression isn’t recent. He’s had notable altercations in recent times. One of them was in 2023 at the Pocono Raceway, where he charged at Corey LaJoie in his car on pit road after the latter turned him, ending his race.
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Preece’s 2026 preview
With one year of experience on the team with the No. 60 car, expectations are high for Preece. The RFK Racing driver came close to making the playoffs and winning multiple races. Although it never came to fruition, the driver showed his potential as a champion, with 14 top-10 and three top-5 finishes.
As of now, Preece does have the raw speed to win Cup Series races, but hasn’t been able to convert them. It also comes down to the organization’s equipment. The level of the equipment will determine the likelihood of him entering victory lane.
Potential candidates for the 2026 season span wide, but Preece, although still pretty young and not as decorated as his teammate Keselowski, is on the short list of drivers who have the best odds of making the postseason.
NASCAR postpones Cook Out Madhouse Classic
On Thursday, NASCAR announced that Saturday events have been postponed. The events postponed are NASCAR Cup Series practice, qualifying, and heat races, out of “an abundance of caution due to expected winter weather.” This also includes The Cook Out Madhouse Classic featuring the NASCAR Weekly Series’ Modified and Sportsman divisions. No new date is set.
The Clash Fan Fest, originally scheduled to take place across the street from Bowman Gray Stadium, has also been canceled.
Currently, there is no change to The Clash Preview scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Event Center. The Cook Out Clash is still scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m.
Practice and qualifying are scheduled for Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. The Last Chance Qualifier is scheduled for 6 p.m. NASCAR is monitoring the expected winter weather closely with the City of Winston-Salem.
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