Rusty Weiss
Veteran NASCAR driver Ryan Preece wasn’t about to let Stephen A. Smith’s latest hot take slide. Smith, never one to shy away from saying some truly inane things, recently suggested that motorsports drivers aren’t real athletes.
While discussing nominees for some “athlete” category during a recent podcast, the ESPN loudmouth shot down the idea of including Richard Petty, declaring that simply hopping behind the wheel of a race car doesn’t make you an athlete.
“Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!” Smith said, via Awful Announcing. “I’m being honest. It’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same.”
“You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud,” he added.
Preece doesn’t appreciate that take. To put it mildly.
Back in 2023 at Daytona, Preece’s ride went airborne on the backstretch, barrel-rolling a stomach-churning 13 times before finally coming to rest. The crash was so savage that track officials ripped out the grass there to keep cars planted in the future.
Take a look …
Memorable Moments of the 2023 NASCAR Season (according to @bobpockrass).
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) December 14, 2023
No. 1: "Ryan Preece’s wild Daytona flip was a horrific wreck to watch. Seeing him get out brought great relief. And then he showed the world his bloodshot eyes prior to racing the following week." pic.twitter.com/91gJFgz7zF
Ryan Preece Claps Back at Stephen A. Smith: ‘I’d Love for Him to Go Tumbling 13 Times’
Fast-forward to this weekend at Talladega, and Preece—still racing full-time for RFK Racing—had zero chill when reporters asked him about Smith’s podcast rant.
“He can have an opinion all he wants. I’d love for him to go tumbling 13 times, have black eyes, and show up next week doing what you gotta do,” he challenged the ESPN personality.
“Your definition of an athlete certainly varies from person to person.”
"I'd love for him to go tumbling 13 times, have black eyes, and show up next week doing what you gotta do."@RyanPreece_ reacts to the recent comments made by Stephen A. Smith, who said that NASCAR drivers are not athletes.
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) April 25, 2026
Presenting Partner: @MyPlaceHotels pic.twitter.com/7hDF12oCZP
When a guy eats that kind of airborne violence and still straps back in the very next week, it’s hard to argue he’s just some Sunday driver, Stephen A.
Look, nobody’s saying Smith has to climb into a 3,400-pound missile doing 190 mph (well, maybe some people would love to see that), but NASCAR’s physical and mental toll is real—and Preece just reminded everyone why you don’t poke the bear.
