NASCAR's Ryan Preece 'alert and mobile' after scary crash - ESPN

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR driver Ryan Preece is «awake, alert and mobile» after his car rolled about a dozen times during a terrifying crash at Daytona International Speedway.

Stewart-Haas Racing said Sunday morning that Preece «has been communicating with family and friends.» He was hospitalized overnight.

The 32-year-old Preece was able to climb out of his mangled No. 41 Ford on Saturday night with help before emergency workers put him on a gurney and into an ambulance. He initially went to the track's infield care center before being transported to Halifax Health Medical Center for continued observation.

A look at what happened to the No. 41 car on the backstretch.<a href=«https://twitter.com/RyanPreece_?ref_src=» https:>@RyanPreece_

has exited the vehicle. pic.twitter.com/NkmPJEtOKm

He will be evaluated by medical personnel again Sunday, the team said, adding that another update is expected in the afternoon.

Preece tweeted about two hours after the race, posting: «If you want to be a race car driver, you better be tough.… I'm coming back.»

Preece and SHR teammate Chase Briscoe made contact coming out of Turn 4, and Preece's car went into an uncontrollable barrel roll as soon as it slid from the asphalt to the infield grass. The car came to a halt on all four tires, with some minor damage to the roll cage.

Preece being able to climb out with help was a testament to NASCAR's Next Gen car, which is considered the safest iteration in its 75-year history.

The car was roundly criticized following its debut in 2022 because rear-impact collisions wreaked havoc on drivers. Kurt Busch of 23XI Racing suffered a life-changing concussion during a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway last summer, and Hendrick Motorsports driver