Ryan Preece and Stewart-Haas Racing have forged a relationship with the International Union of Operating Engineers, which will see the colors of the IUOE displayed on the No. 41 Ford Mustang in a pair of NASCAR Cup Series events.
The Berlin, Connecticut native will debut the new partnership in the highly-anticipated debut of the Chicago Street Course, which is set to host the Grant Park 220 on July 2.
IUOE primarily represents operating engineers working as heavy equipment operators, mechanics, pipelines, and surveyors in the construction industry. The union also represents stationary engineers who work in operations and maintenance in building and industrial complexes and in the service industries.
“We are excited to introduce more folks to the Operating Engineers through our partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing and the No. 41 team,” said IUOE General President James T. Callahan. “Our members go to work every day building and maintaining the infrastructure that keeps America moving, and we are looking for other hardworking men and women to join our team and jumpstart their career with the Operating Engineers.”
Founded in 1896, the IUOE has more than 400,000 members in 106 local unions throughout the United States and Canada. The IUOE International Training & Education Center, along with 100-plus local training and apprenticeship programs, ensures that IUOE members are the safest, most productive, and most highly skilled craft workers in North America.
“I have a great appreciation for hard work and what it takes to put in the effort, day in and day out, to ensure the job is done right and done safely,” said Preece. “The IUOE helps ensure that its members are properly trained on the latest equipment and are up to date on all the right protocols to work in a safe and efficient manner.
“That’s what we do in racing. We perform at the highest level, with the highest level of safety and preparation, 38 weekends a year. There’s no room for complacency. What we do in NASCAR is what the IUOE instills in its members.”
Preece, who returned to the NASCAR Cup Series on a full-time basis in 2023, got the opportunity to experience the IUOE's commitment to its members when visiting the IUOE International Training & Education Center in Crosby, Texas, earlier this year.
“The resources available at the International Training & Education Center were impressive,” Preece said. “The crane field alone, where they have more than 15 different cranes that allow instructors to create real-world scenarios, was larger than life. And their sim rooms were just as high-tech as the sim we use to get ready for races. They not only work on your mind at the International Training & Education Center, but your body too, with a full fitness center and complete dining facilities.
“It’s great that we can use the IUOE’s races with Stewart-Haas Racing to help tell their story and showcase all that the IUOE has to offer.”
In the opening 16 events of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, Preece has yet to find a top-10 finish, despite some strong runs at places like Martinsville, where he scored the pole and led more than 100 laps.
Over the last four weeks, though, Preece has found his groove, scoring three top-15 results, allowing him to climb four spots in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings.
