Over the course of his career, Ryan Preece has developed a reputation for aggressive driving. He often finds himself in heated on-track incidents. Remember the 2023 Bristol Dirt Race, where Preece was involved in multiple incidents with Kyle Busch? Or the infamous pit road incident with Corey LaJoie at the 2023 NASCAR race at Pocono? Whether attacking or defending, the man has earned a reputation for himself.

This tenacious driving style was on display at the recent Bowman Gray heat race too, where Preece once again found himself in the middle of crashes, clashes, and wrecks. His unwillingness to back down and his aggressive approach to defending his position caught the attention of fellow drivers and analysts alike. This led to an intriguing comparison—one that NASCAR fans couldn’t ignore.

A Newman in the making? Preece’s driving sparks comparisons among fellow drivers and analysts

Ryan Preece’s aggressive, no-nonsense racing style has drawn comparisons to a NASCAR veteran known for being notoriously difficult to pass – Ryan Newman. During a recent episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Ryan Blaney, Freddie Kraft, and Tommy Baldwin weighed in on Preece’s driving. Kraft pointed out that some in the garage are already calling him ‘the New Newman.’

Ryan Blaney, who had his own run-ins with Preece, including the incident at Texas in April last year, warned the field, “If you take an inch on him, he is going to take a foot the next time he gets to you. It’s not like, you get me, I’m gonna get you back double. It’s like I’m gonna get you back tenfold,” drawing laughs from the crew as they acknowledged Preece’s relentless racing style.

Well, the comparisons aren’t unwarranted. Ryan Newman was known for his stubborn, no-holds-barred approach on the track. A prime example of this was during the 2013 Dover race, where Newman found himself in a fierce battle with David Gilliland. Newman, trying to pass Gilliland, found himself in the back of Gilliland on lap 299, which resulted in both cars crashing into the inside wall. This is just one of the many instances that solidified Ryan Newman’s reputation for his unrelenting style.

However, not everyone on the podcast seemed to agree with the comparisons between Preece and Newman. Tommy Baldwin, who has had extensive experience in the NASCAR garage, cautioned against lumping Preece in with Newman. “It’s not Newman. Newman never really wrecked people. He just was very hard to pass, right? I mean, it’s different. There’s a group out there that don’t race correctly,” he explained. Baldwin’s stance emphasizes the difference between aggressive defense and outright retaliation. It is a common practice for NASCAR drivers to get wrecked trying to pass cars in front of them, but nobody does it intentionally, right? Well, we all know the answer, but let’s appreciate Baldwin’s stance for a safer NASCAR race. 

Is Ryan Preece’s aggressive driving style hampering his NASCAR Cup Series performance?

While Ryan Preece’s aggressive driving style has earned him a reputation as one of NASCAR’s most tenacious drivers, his results in the Cup Series may suggest that this approach is affecting his performance. Despite a strong presence on the track and a relentless attitude, Preece’s finishes have been underwhelming compared to expectations.

In the 2024 season, Preece finished 26th overall, which is a step back from his 23rd-place finish in 2023. His aggressive driving, while exciting to watch, often leads to on-track incidents and collisions that hamper his ability to finish races strong. While many fans appreciate his never-back-down mentality, a more calculated approach might be necessary to move up the ranks and secure more consistent results.

Preece’s aggressive style could be the source of his struggles. His determination to gain and defend positions often leads to mistakes that set him back in the standings. Whether he can adapt his approach to find a balance between aggression and strategic racing remains to be seen.

But, time has had a tremendous impact on racers who have previously been relentless. Coming of age mostly evens the grounds out for most racers. It will be wonderful for fans (also Ryan Blaney) to see the ‘New Newman’ being all composed and striving towards his goal.