Preston Pardus
{{short description|American racing driver}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox NASCAR driver
| name = Preston Pardus
| image = Preston Pardus Sonoma 2024.jpg
| caption = Pardus at Sonoma Raceway in 2024
| birth_name = Preston Joseph Pardus
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|2|15}}
| birth_place = New Smyrna Beach, Florida, U.S.
| achievements = 2023 SCCA National Championship Runoffs champion (Spec Miata)
2021 SCCA National Championship Runoffs champion (Spec Miata)
2020 SCCA Super Sweep (Spec Miata)
2020 SCCA National Championship Runoffs champion (Spec Miata)
2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs champion (Spec Miata)
| Total_Busch_Races = 29
| Years_In_Busch = 7
| Busch_Car_Team = No. 50 (Pardus Racing Inc.)
| Prev_Busch_Pos = 51st
| Prev_Busch_Year = 2024
| Best_Busch_Pos = 36th (2021)
| First_Busch_Race = 2019 CTECH Manufacturing 180 (Road America)
| Last_Busch_Race = 2025 Focused Health 250 (COTA)
| First_Busch_Win =
| Last_Busch_Win =
| Busch_Wins = 0
| Busch_Top_Tens = 3
| Busch_Poles = 0
| updated = March 1, 2025
}}
Preston Joseph Pardus (born February 15, 1997) is an American professional racing driver. He competes in the Sports Car Club of America and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 50 Chevrolet SS for Pardus Racing Inc.. Pardus won the Spec Miata class at the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs and claimed the 2020 Super Sweep in the Spec Miata division. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Dan Pardus.
Racing career
Racing Spec Miatas, Pardus won the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs on a last-lap pass.{{cite web |title=Preston Pardus Tops 72-Car Spec Miata Field |url=https://speedsport.com/sports-cars/scca/road-racing-scca-preston-pardus-spec-miata/ |website=Speed Sport |accessdate=August 28, 2019}} Pardus was also selected by Mazda Motorsports as a finalist to compete at the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout in late 2017.{{cite web |title=$100,000 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout Finalists Announced |url=https://www.bfgoodrichracing.com/100000-mazda-road-to-24-shootout-finalists-announced/ |website=BFGoodrich Racing |accessdate=November 22, 2017}} In 2019, Pardus started the Super Tour off with a win at Sebring International Raceway in January, competing in the Central Florida region of the SCCA.{{cite web |title=SCCA Super Tour Season Begins in Sebring |url=https://speedsport.com/sports-cars/scca/scca-super-tour-season-begins-sebring/ |website=Speed Sport |accessdate=August 28, 2019}} He went on to win the SCCA Majors Southeast Conference Championship that year, topping a series with over 150 entrants.{{cite web |title=U.S. Majors Tour Southeast Conference 2019 Point Champions |url=https://www.scca.com/articles/2012638-u-s-majors-tour-southeast-conference-2019-point-champions |website=SCCA |date=August 22, 2019 |accessdate=April 6, 2020}}
File:43PrestonPardus2019CTECH180.jpg]]
In August 2019, Pardus made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the 2019 CTECH Manufacturing 180 at Road America. While the start came with his family Pardus Racing Inc. team, Pardus' car was an old Chip Ganassi Racing chassis, was powered by an Earnhardt Childress Engines engine, and the at-track effort was headed by Tony Furr, who served as crew chief.{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Godwin |title=Volusia's Pardus Racing seeks to make NASCAR debut in in[sic] Xfinity race |url=https://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/20190823/volusias-pardus-racing-seeks-to-make-nascar-debut-in-in-xfinity-race |website=Daytona Beach News-Journal |accessdate=August 28, 2019}} He returned to the series in July 2020 for the Pennzoil 150 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, driving for DGM Racing.{{cite news|last=Srigley|first=Joseph|url=https://tobychristie.com/2020/07/03/preston-pardus-looking-to-use-advantage-of-indy-road-course-experience-to-record-solid-finish-in-saturdays-pennzoil-150/|title=Preston Pardus Looking to Use Advantage of Indy Road Course Experience to Record Solid Finish in Saturday's Pennzoil 150|publisher=TobyChristie.com|date=July 3, 2020|accessdate=July 3, 2020}} After starting 19th, Pardus ended the race in tenth for his first top-ten finish in NASCAR.{{cite magazine|last=Cain|first=Holly|url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/nascar/a33178042/chase-briscoe-earns-hard-fought-nascar-xfinity-win-at-indianapolis/|title=Chase Briscoe Earns Hard-Fought NASCAR Xfinity Win at Indianapolis|magazine=Autoweek|date=July 4, 2020|accessdate=July 4, 2020}} At the SCCA Runoffs that year, Pardus avoided a first-lap melee and went from seventh to the lead on the final lap to claim his second Runoffs victory in the Spec Miata class. In doing so, he also garnered the 2020 Super Sweep award for the Spec Miata division, awarded to any driver who wins the Runoffs, point standings and a major conference championship in the same season.{{cite web |title=Pardus Conquers 77-Car Spec Miata Field |url=https://speedsport.com/sports-cars/scca/pardus-conquers-77-car-spec-miata-field/ |website=Speed Sport |accessdate=October 10, 2020 |date=October 9, 2020}}
File:Preston Pardus (51593657766) (cropped).jpg No. 90 car at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in 2021]]
File:Preston pardus (52261479664).jpg Road Course in 2022]]
In 2021, Pardus returned to DGM for the second year in a row to run the road course races in the Xfinity Series. In his first race on his schedule, the Daytona Road Course, he was entered in the team's No. 91, a new part-time fourth car for them, but due to there being over 40 cars on the entry list and the race not having qualifying, the No. 91 was excluded and missed the field as a result of being too low in owner points. DGM then moved Pardus to their full-time No. 90 car, which was to be driven by Caesar Bacarella that weekend until he was replaced by Pardus.{{cite web |first=Joseph |last=Srigley |url=https://tobychristie.com/2021/02/16/preston-pardus-returning-to-nascar-xfinity-series-dgm-racing-at-daytonas-road-course/ |title=Preston Pardus Returning to NASCAR Xfinity Series, DGM Racing at Daytona's Road Course |website=TobyChristie.com |date=February 16, 2021 |accessdate=February 17, 2021}} He came back to the 91 at the Pit Boss 250. Pardus posted his best finish of 7th at the Charlotte Roval.
File:Preston Pardus 50 Xfinity Sonoma 2024.jpg in 2024]]
In 2023, Pardus returned to driving for his own team in the Xfinity Series, which he last did in 2019. However, "Inc." was no longer a part of the re-started Pardus family team's name and the No. 43, which the team used in 2019, was taken by Alpha Prime Racing starting in 2023, so the team switched to the No. 50, a number that Pardus' father Dan used in the Cup Series in 1999 driving for Midwest Transit Racing. The first Xfinity Series race Preston and his team would run in 2023 was Circuit of the Americas.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/PrestonPardus/status/1631441756859387904 |title=(Twitter post) |website=Twitter |publisher=Preston Pardus |date=March 3, 2023}} He would race two more races for his own team, which were at the Chicago Street Course{{cite web|title=Entry List: 2023 The Loop 121|url=https://frontstretch.com/2023/06/26/entry-list-2023-the-loop-121/|website=www.frontstretch.com/|author=Luken Glover|access-date=December 24, 2023|date=June 26, 2023}} and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.{{cite web|title=NASCAR 2023 Xfinity Series: Full entry list for Pennzoil 150 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/news-nascar-2023-xfinity-series-full-entry-list-pennzoil-150-indianapolis-motor-speedway|website=www.sportskeeda.com|author=Yash Soni|access-date=December 24, 2023|date=August 9, 2023}} Also, he would race for SS-Green Light Racing in 2023.{{cite web|title=Preston Pardus Tapped to Drive for SS GreenLight Racing No. 08 at Portland|url=https://tobychristie.com/2023/05/30/preston-pardus-tapped-to-drive-for-ss-greenlight-racing-no-08-at-portland/|website=www.tobychristie.com|author=Joseph Srigley|access-date=December 24, 2023|date=May 30, 2023}}
Personal life
Pardus' father Dan formerly competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and ARCA Re/Max Series.{{cite news|last=Kelly|first=Godwin|url=https://www.news-journalonline.com/article/LK/20130508/news/605065521/DN/|title=Family affair: Former NASCAR driver Pardus introduces his kids to Daytona|newspaper=The Daytona Beach News-Journal|date=May 8, 2013|accessdate=August 19, 2019}} He graduated from Spruce Creek High School in 2015.
His family owns Danus Utilities, Inc., an underground utility company that Pardus works for when he is not racing. Danus Utilities has also sponsored his race cars.
Motorsports career results
=SCCA National Championship Runoffs=
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" | |||||||
Year | Track | Car | Engine | Class | Finish | Start | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Daytona | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | 19 | 5 | Running |
2017 | Indianapolis | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | 2 | Running |
2018 | Sonoma | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | 5 | 10 | Running |
2019 | VIR | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | 2 | Running |
2020 | Road America | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | 9 | Running |
2021 | Indianapolis | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | 2 | Running |
2022 | VIR | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | 8 | 2 | Running |
2023 | VIR | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | 2 | Running |
2024 | Road America | Mazda Miata | Mazda | Spec Miata | style="background-color:#FFDF9F"| 3 | 5 | Running |
=NASCAR=
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
==Xfinity Series==
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%"
! colspan=40| NASCAR Xfinity Series results |
Year
! Team ! No. ! Make ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! 18 ! 19 ! 20 ! 21 ! 22 ! 23 ! 24 ! 25 ! 26 ! 27 ! 28 ! 29 ! 30 ! 31 ! 32 ! 33 ! {{Tooltip|NXSC|NASCAR Xfinity Series classification}} ! Pts ! Ref |
---|
2019
! 43 ! Chevy | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | DOV | CLT | POC | MCH | IOW | CHI | DAY | KEN | NHA | IOW | GLN | MOH | BRI | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ROA | DAR | IND | LVS | RCH | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROV | DOV | KAN | TEX | PHO | HOM ! 73rd ! 11 |
rowspan=2| 2020
! rowspan=5| DGM Racing ! 36 ! rowspan=5| Chevy | DAY | LVS | CAL | PHO | DAR | CLT | BRI | ATL | HOM | HOM | TAL | POC | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| IRC | KEN | KEN | TEX | KAN | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ROA | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DRC | DOV | DOV | DAY | DAR | RCH | RCH | BRI | LVS | TAL | colspan=5| ! rowspan=2| 44th ! rowspan=2| 74 |
90
| colspan=28| | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ROV | KAN | TEX | MAR | PHO |
rowspan=2| 2021
! 91 | DAY | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DRC | colspan=8| | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| COA | CLT | colspan=21| ! rowspan=2| 36th ! rowspan=2| 127 |
90
| | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DRC | HOM | LVS | PHO | ATL | MAR | TAL | DAR | DOV | colspan=2| | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MOH | TEX | NSH | POC | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ROA | ATL | NHA | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GLN | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IRC | MCH | DAY | DAR | RCH | BRI | LVS | TAL | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ROV | TEX | KAN | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MAR | PHO |
2022
! 91 | DAY | CAL | LVS | PHO | ATL | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| COA | RCH | MAR | TAL | DOV | DAR | TEX | CLT | PIR | NSH | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ROA | ATL | NHA | POC | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| IRC | MCH | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GLN | DAY | DAR | KAN | BRI | TEX | TAL | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROV | LVS | HOM | MAR | PHO ! 42nd ! 100 |
rowspan=2| 2023
! 50 ! Chevy | DAY | CAL | LVS | PHO | ATL | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| COA | RCH | MAR | TAL | DOV | DAR | CLT | colspan=3| | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CSC | ATL | NHA | POC | ROA | MCH | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| IRC | GLN | DAY | DAR | KAN | BRI | TEX | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ROV | LVS | HOM | MAR | PHO ! rowspan=2| 49th ! rowspan=2| 45 |
SS-Green Light Racing
! 08 ! Ford | colspan=12| | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| PIR | SON | NSH | colspan=18| |
rowspan=2| 2024
! 50 ! Chevy | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| COA | RCH | MAR | TEX | TAL | DOV | DAR | CLT | | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SON | IOW | NHA | NSH | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CSC | POC | IND | MCH | DAY | DAR | ATL | GLN | BRI | KAN | TAL | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROV | LVS | HOM | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MAR | PHO ! rowspan=2| 51st ! rowspan=2| 47 |
DGM Racing
! 36 ! Chevy | colspan=12| | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PIR | colspan=20| |
2025
! 50 ! Chevy | DAY | ATL | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| COA | PHO | LVS | HOM | MAR | DAR | BRI | CAR | TAL | TEX | CLT | NSH | MXC | POC | ATL | CSC | SON | DOV | IND | IOW | GLN | DAY | PIR | GTW | BRI | KAN | ROV | LVS | TAL | MAR | PHO ! -* ! -* |
{{sup|*}} Season still in progress
{{sup|1}} Ineligible for series points
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|prestonpardus.com/}}
- {{Racing-Reference driver|Preston_Pardus}}
{{DGM Racing}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pardus, Preston}}
Category:Sportspeople from New Smyrna Beach, Florida