Preston Pardus Bio
Preston Joseph Pardus (born February 15, 1997) is an American professional racing driver from New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He has competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 50 Chevrolet Camaro SS for his family-owned Pardus Racing operation. Pardus is also a prominent sports car racer in the Sports Car Club of America, where he has won multiple national championships in the Spec Miata class. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Dan Pardus, and the family business, Danus Utilities, Inc., has long supported his racing efforts.
Early Life and Background
Preston Joseph Pardus was born on February 15, 1997, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, a community with deep ties to American motorsports. He grew up in a household shaped by racing, as his father Dan Pardus previously competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and ARCA Re/Max Series. That environment gave Preston early exposure to stock cars, road courses, and the discipline required to compete at a high level.
He graduated from Spruce Creek High School in 2015, balancing his studies with travel to Spec Miata races across the country. The Pardus family also owns Danus Utilities, Inc., an underground utility company, and Preston has worked for the business when he is not at the track. The company has served as a sponsor of his race cars, helping him move from local club events to national championships.
Path to NASCAR
Pardus built his foundation in the Spec Miata ranks of the Sports Car Club of America, learning race craft on a wide variety of road courses. In 2017, he won the Spec Miata class at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs with a last-lap pass, an early sign of his ability to perform under pressure. He was also selected by Mazda Motorsports as a finalist for the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout later that year.
He continued to develop in 2019, opening the SCCA Super Tour with a win at Sebring International Raceway in January and capturing the SCCA Majors Southeast Conference Championship against a field of more than 150 entrants. That summer, Pardus made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the CTECH Manufacturing 180 at Road America, driving for the family team with a former Chip Ganassi Racing chassis, an Earnhardt Childress Engines powerplant, and Tony Furr as crew chief. The Road America start established him on the national stock car stage.
Preston Pardus Career
Early Career (2017-2019)
Preston Pardus announced himself as a rising talent in 2017, when he won the Spec Miata class at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs with a dramatic last-lap pass. The result placed him on the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout finalist list and opened doors to larger programs. He followed that breakthrough with consistent SCCA regional and divisional wins, sharpening his road course skills.
In 2019, Pardus opened the Super Tour with a victory at Sebring International Raceway and went on to win the SCCA Majors Southeast Conference Championship. He then made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Road America with his family team, learning the demands of stock car racing against established national teams.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2019-2023)
Pardus returned to the Xfinity Series in July 2020 for the Pennzoil 150 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, this time driving for DGM Racing. After starting nineteenth, he finished tenth, earning his first top-ten result in NASCAR national series competition. The performance confirmed his comfort on road and street courses.
In 2021, Pardus stayed with DGM Racing for a second consecutive season of road course events. Although he was temporarily excluded from the Daytona Road Course field because of owner points, the team shifted him to the No. 90 entry, and he later produced a seventh-place finish at the Charlotte Roval, his best Xfinity Series result to that point. In 2023, he rejoined his family team, now running simply as Pardus Racing, in the No. 50 Chevrolet. The number was the same used by his father Dan in the Cup Series in 1999 with Midwest Transit Racing. He also made additional starts with SS-Green Light Racing during the season.
Pardus Racing Era (2019, 2023-Present)
Pardus Racing is the family-owned team that has given Preston the freedom to run selected Xfinity Series events. The team first appeared at Road America in 2019 and was revived in 2023 under a streamlined name, switching to the No. 50 after Alpha Prime Racing took the previous No. 43. In 2023, Preston piloted the car at Circuit of the Americas, the Chicago Street Course, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
The program allows Pardus to pair his NASCAR schedule with his SCCA commitments, using road course events to stay sharp in both disciplines. Running his own equipment gives him hands-on experience with team management, car preparation, and sponsor relations through Danus Utilities, Inc.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pardus is best known for his road course pace, built through years of Spec Miata competition where tire management and clean exits from tight corners are rewarded. His Spec Miata background translates well to the technical road and street circuits that have defined his NASCAR schedule, including Road America, the Indianapolis road course, the Charlotte Roval, the Chicago Street Course, and Circuit of the Americas. He has also shown a knack for late-race overtakes, highlighted by his last-lap pass to win the 2017 SCCA Runoffs.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among his signature results are the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs victory, the 2020 Super Sweep in Spec Miata, and his first NASCAR top-ten finish at the Pennzoil 150 in 2020. He added a seventh-place run at the Charlotte Roval in 2021, and in 2023 he returned to the Xfinity Series with his family team in the No. 50 Chevrolet at Circuit of the Americas, the Chicago Street Course, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
Preston Pardus Career Wins
Preston Pardus has built his win list primarily through the Sports Car Club of America, where he has claimed the Spec Miata class at the National Championship Runoffs four times. He paired his 2020 Runoffs victory with the SCCA Majors and divisional titles to complete the prestigious Super Sweep, awarded to a driver who wins the Runoffs, a major conference championship, and the points standings in the same season.
SCCA National Championship Runoffs Highlights
Pardus first won the Spec Miata class at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in 2017, sealing the result with a last-lap pass. He returned to victory lane in 2020 after climbing from seventh to the lead on the final lap, avoiding a first-lap melee to lock in his second Runoffs title and the Super Sweep. He has since added further Runoffs victories in 2021 and 2023, reinforcing his reputation as one of the top Spec Miata drivers in the country.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Runoffs, Pardus opened the 2019 SCCA Super Tour with a win at Sebring International Raceway and captured the SCCA Majors Southeast Conference Championship that year. He has also delivered competitive road course results in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including a top-ten finish in his 2020 Pennzoil 150 debut and a seventh-place run at the Charlotte Roval in 2021.
Preston Pardus Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Preston is the son of Dan Pardus, a former competitor in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and ARCA Re/Max Series. Dan raced the No. 50 in the Cup Series in 1999 with Midwest Transit Racing, a number Preston later carried in the Xfinity Series in 2023. The Pardus family also owns Danus Utilities, Inc., an underground utility company that has sponsored Preston’s race cars and provides him with a day job away from the track.
Personal Life
Pardus grew up in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and graduated from Spruce Creek High School in 2015. When he is not racing, he works for the family business, Danus Utilities, Inc. His racing career continues to balance national NASCAR Xfinity Series starts with a strong presence in SCCA road racing.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Preston Pardus is expected to continue a part-time schedule that combines NASCAR Xfinity Series road course events with his SCCA program. The family-run Pardus Racing operation is anticipated to field the No. 50 Chevrolet Camaro SS at selected road and street course races, building on the 2023 lineup that included Circuit of the Americas, the Chicago Street Course, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
His SCCA efforts remain central to his season, with the National Championship Runoffs and divisional titles providing opportunities to add to his Spec Miata trophy case. The 2020 Super Sweep and repeated Runoffs victories give him a strong foundation to chase further national honors. Balancing NASCAR starts with SCCA competition keeps his road course instincts sharp.
With Danus Utilities, Inc. continuing as a sponsor, Pardus can pick high-value events that fit his strengths. The plan positions him to keep developing as a stock car driver while remaining a leading figure in Spec Miata racing.