The fire in Ryan Preece’s Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Dover Motor Speedway was the result of a mistake by the No. 41 team. Drew Blickensderfer, who is the crew chief of the No. 1…
The fire in Ryan Preece’s Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Dover Motor Speedway was caused by a mistake made by the No. 41 team, as confirmed by crew chief Drew Blickensderfer. The issue stemmed from incorrectly installed bolts, specifically between the headers and collectors, resulting in disattachment and subsequent smoke in Preece’s cockpit during the Wurth 400. While Preece had to retire early due to the problem, his teammate Noah Gragson managed to secure a sixth-place finish under Blickensderfer’s guidance. Despite the frustration over the incident, Blickensderfer emphasized the importance of correct procedures and praised the team’s efforts in preventing similar occurrences in the future, ensuring all cars were thoroughly checked and fixed post-race. Looking ahead, the team remains committed to maintaining high standards to avoid such mishaps going forward.
