Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Advance: Bristol Motor Speedway

IECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Event: Weather Guard Truck Race (250 laps / 133.25 miles)
Round: 6 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Location: Bristol, Tennessee
Date & Time: Friday, April 11 | 7:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90

Team Stats & Notes

Niece Motorsports Bristol Stats: Niece drivers have combined to make 27 starts at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” over the years. The team has garnered two top-fives and four top-10 finishes, including a best result of third place with Ross Chastain in 2019. In the spring race last year, Bayley Currey led the team with an 11th-place finish. Currey also led the team in the fall race, but was 15th.

No. 42 Utilitra / J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

Mills’ Bristol Stats: Matt Mills made his NCTS debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2016, and has made a total of three series starts here. In both races held at the 0.533-mile short track last year, Mills finished in 25th-place. Mills has started five NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) races here, earning a best finish of 18th in the fall of 2019.
Shiplett’s Bristol Stats: Mike Shiplett made his NCTS debut as a crew chief at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2008, and competed in both races here last year. His series-best result at the track came in last year’s fall race when Bret Holmes finished in 13th. Shiplett is a two-time Bristol winner, having won NXS races with Kasey Kahne in 2007 and Kyle Larson in 2018. The experienced crew chief’s impressive NXS track record includes two poles, nine top-fives and 10 top-10 finishes. He has also made nine Cup Series starts with one top-10 (eighth with Cole Custer in 2022).
On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners Utilitra and J.F. Electric, who will serve as his anchor partners for the entire 25-race season.
This Scheme Pops: There are some bright new colors which will be sported on the No. 42 truck this week. Utilitra is a woman-owned utility and technology solutions firm which will serve as Mills’ primary sponsor at Bristol, North Wilkesboro, and Watkins Glen.
Recapping Martinsville: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team fought their way to another top-15 finish at Martinsville Speedway. Qualifying 23rd, Mills went on to finish 25th in both stages with mild damage to the left-front of the J.F. Electric Chevrolet. Through late-race drama, Mills was able to pick up some track position towards the end, finishing in 15th-place.
Points Rundown: Following Martinsville, Mills gained one spot in the championship points standings, where he is now shown in 14th-place. The driver of the No. 42 sits 21 points behind Gio Ruggiero in 13th and has a one-point gap over Rajah Caruth, Andres Perez De Lara, and Matt Crafton who are all currently tied for 15th.
Quoting Mills: Did you notice any differences in the track last year comparing the spring race to the fall?

“I felt like there was a tad less grip in the fall race, so going back here in the spring, I think it’s going to be a bit more free. It should be a bit warmer there this time, so hopefully we can capitalize on a good run in our Utilitra Silverado. Last year, we were pretty good, but didn’t start the race off where we needed to and just got ourselves in a bind. It was too hard to make up ground, but hopefully we can have a good qualifying effort to make our race efforts easier.”

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

No. 44 Masked Owl Technologies Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers

Currey Returns: NCTS veteran Bayley Currey steps back into the seat of the No. 44 Chevrolet this week for his fourth start of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway. Ross Chastain and Matt Gould have each made one start a piece in this truck over the course of the past two races. Currey’s best result so far has been a fourth-place effort in Atlanta, and he is eager to return to the ride.
Currey’s Bristol Stats: Bayley Currey has competed in five NCTS races at Bristol Motor Speedway, finishing as high as 11th-place in last spring’s event. Currey has made five NXS starts here, finishing as high as 11th in 2022. He has also made two Cup Series starts at “The Last Great Colosseum”.
Rogers’ Bristol Stats: Wally Rogers has called eight NCTS races at Bristol, finishing as high as third-place in 2004 with Matt Crafton. Rogers competed in 13 NXS races at the short track, scoring two top-fives (best of third, twice) and seven top-10 results. In 2009, Rogers made his Cup Series debut as a crew chief here and went on to make a total of 11 starts with a best finish of 18th-place with Michael McDowell in 2014.
On the Truck: Currey’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Masked Owl Technologies and DQS Solutions & Staffing.
Recapping Martinsville: Matt Gould showed promise in just his third-career NCTS start, but was unfortunately caught up in a late-race incident through no fault of his own. Gould started the 200-lap event in 18th-place, and kept his nose clean through both stages. In the final stage, Gould was well-positioned to capitalize on a great finish, but was unable to avoid a large multi-truck crash in turn four. The No. 44 team kept him in the race, finishing in 22nd-place.
Slingin’ Dirt: While Currey hasn’t been in the No. 44 truck since Las Vegas, he has been acclimating to a new driving discipline on dirt. Currey tested the team’s Dirt Late Model at a handful of test sessions at the Tri-County Race Track and Laurens County Speedway over the past few weeks.
Owner Points Rundown: Through the first five races of the season, the No. 44 team has made impressive gains in speed on a weekly basis. Though they lost one spot in points after the series’ most recent event (now 14th), the team is currently only 13 points below the cutline for the Owner’s Playoffs.
Quoting Currey: Since it’s been a few weeks past the last time you raced a truck, will there be anything that you have to get used to again?

“Not really. My routine normally stays the same and I don’t really change much. It’s a short track, so there’s nothing crazy different. I’m excited to come back to Bristol though because it’s one of my favorite race tracks. I’m hoping that they don’t spray the resin this time so we can move around a little bit. They didn’t spray it before our race here in the fall and it seemed to really open up the racetrack. I think we’ll have a good run with our Masked Owl Chevy.”

About Masked Owl Technologies: Masked Owl Technologies (MOT) is an industrial solutions integrator specializing in developing customized automation and controls processes. They take a consulting-based approach to identify the root cause of system challenges and incorporate tested, emerging technology into industrial solutions that mitigate risk and solve complex problems, the first time.

About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.

No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

Honeycutt’s Bristol Stats: Kaden Honeycutt has started four NCTS races at Bristol Motor Speedway. Last spring, he earned his track-best result of 12th-place while driving the No. 45 Chevrolet.
Gould’s Bristol Stats: Phil Gould has called seven NCTS races at Bristol. Gould’s drivers have contended for race wins here in the past, with results highlighted by two top-fives (best of third with Ross Chastain in 2019) and four top-10 finishes. Gould has also called 12 NXS races at the short track in which he earned three top-10 finishes (best of ninth with Brian Scott in 2013).
On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing and Masked Owl Technologies, who will serve as his anchor partners for the majority of the season.
New Scheme Reveal: Honeycutt’s sharp, black and white DQS Solutions & Staffing / Masked Owl Technologies Chevrolet will debut for the first time on Friday night, with additional races planned for Rockingham, Texas, Kansas, North Wilkesboro, Charlotte, Nashville, Pocono and Lime Rock.
Recapping Martinsville: Kaden Honeycutt was in contention to score his first-career win at Martinsville, but left disappointed following a late-race crash. Honeycutt earned his best-career starting spot by qualifying in third, and consistently ran near the front of the pack throughout the night. With two second-place finishes in both stages, Honeycutt bagged 18 stage points, ensuring a solid points night. Despite a 26th-place finish, Honeycutt remains well within Playoffs reach.
Staying Busy: Over the off weekend, Honeycutt competed in the inaugural South Atlantic Pro Series race at Tri-County Speedway. In his return to Pro Late Model competition, Honeycutt impressed as the runner-up finisher for Hettinger Racing’s short track program.
Points Rundown: With the assist of stage points, Honeycutt’s disappointing Martinsville finish didn’t negatively impact his points position by much. Though he dropped to 11th, he is only one point below Ben Rhodes at the Playoffs cutline. Honeycutt has a seven-point cushion over Tanner Gray in 12th.
Quoting Honeycutt: You’ve had three short track races in a row over the last few weeks (Pensacola, Martinsville, and Tri-County), so are you able to carry any of that knowledge over to Bristol?

“Bristol is definitely its own animal for sure. I thought we had a really good truck here in the Playoffs race where we were running for the Owner’s championship, but had an incident. I sped on pit road and we had to start in the back and just had to work our way forward. But as far as balance, we were actually really really good and felt like we were a lot better than where we were in the spring. Going back to Bristol this year for the first time in our new DQS Chevy, we’re probably going to come back with the same setup and adjust on it a little bit in practice. Hopefully we can qualify well and set ourselves in a good position to keep doing what we need to.”

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 190+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.

Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).