A week after scary crash at Daytona, Ryan Preece returns to Darlington for Southern 500

 

Ryan Preece, just one week after his scary crash at Daytona, will return to the track Sunday.

Preece, 32, was cleared to drive at the Southern 500 at Darlington, S.C. and will ride his No. 41 Ford from the 34th pole position when the race begins at 6 p.m. ET.

Preece survived largely unscathed after a multi-flip crash late in last Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the the Daytona International Speedway. His car flipped nearly a dozen times across part of the infield of the track before it eventually came to a stop on its wheels and appeared to be on fire.

 

Preece eventually was able to leave the car on his own power with some assistance and was taken to an infield care center. Later, he was transported to a local hospital.

 

It’s OK to not race,” Preece said Saturday at Darlington, his first public comments since the crash. “But it’s OK to race, and I think that’s what needs to be said.”