NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
Event: Mission 176 at The Glen (72 laps / 176.4 miles)
Round: 17 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Watkins Glen International
Location: Watkins Glen, New York
Date & Time: Friday, August 8 | 5:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Return to the Glen: The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) returns to the scenic Watkins Glen International road course this weekend for the first time since 2021. The series has raced at this historic track on six occasions since 1996, and it marks the second of three road course events on the 2025 calendar.
- Niece Motorsports Watkins Glen Stats: Niece Motorsports drivers have made a total of three starts at Watkins Glen. The team has one top-10 to its credit; a 10th-place showing with Carson Hocevar in 2021.
No. 42 Utilitra / J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Mills’ Watkins Glen Stats: Matt Mills will make his first-career NCTS start at Watkins Glen International on Friday. In his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race at this track, Mills finished 38th due to a crash.
- Shiplett’s Watkins Glen Stats: Mike Shiplett has yet to call a NCTS race at Watkins Glen. Shiplett has plenty of race experience at the track however, including five NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and seven NXS starts here. Shiplett finished inside the top-five (fourth) in the 2010 NCS race with AJ Allmendinger and ran third in the 2016 NXS race with Kyle Larson. He secured one top-five and three top-10s on Saturdays.
- 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.
- Recapping IRP: Matt Mills and the No. 42 J.F. Electric team put forth a great effort in IRP, but couldn’t find track position to move through the field. Mills started the race in 25th, and noted that his Chevrolet was tight early on. Through the first two stages, the team made several adjustments to help free his truck up, and were able to take advantage of the free pass to get back into contention. With a quick race pace and lack of cautions in the final stage, the team crossed the line in 21st-place.
- Points Rundown: With two races left to run in the regular season, Mills remains 19th in points. He is currently 15 points behind Jack Wood in 18th, and also has a 15-point lead over Dawson Sutton in 20th-place. Facing a 219-point gap below the Playoffs cutline, Mills needs to win either at Watkins Glen or Richmond to qualify for the postseason.
- Quoting Mills: Comparing your experience in the Xfinity Series on road courses, do trucks drive much differently here?
“Typically, going from an Xfinity car to a truck on a road course, you can drive a lot more aggressively and be harder on the brakes. The truck usually handles a lot better through the corners, so I think the speed is going to be a lot faster. I think Watkins Glen is another track that Niece Motorsports can be competitive at, so I’m excited to come back and race here again with our J.F. Electric team.”
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 Protect Your Melon New York Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Chastain’s Watkins Glen Stats: Ross Chastain will make his first-career NCTS start at Watkins Glen this weekend. Chastain has made several starts in other national series here, including six in the Cup Series. Last year, Chastain won the pole for the NCS race and went onto earn his first top-five (fourth) in the race. In eight NXS starts on the road course, Chastain has one top-five and two top-10s, including a fourth-place effort in 2023.
- Rogers’ Watkins Glen Stats: Wally Rogers has called one prior NCTS race at Watkins Glen, finishing 34th with Chad Chastain in 2021. Rogers has also called four NXS races here, earning two top-10s including a best result of seventh with Bobby Labonte in 2007. In four NCS races, Rogers’ best run came with Scott Speed in 2012, when he finished 17th.
- On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, who has had a longstanding relationship with the veteran.
- Recapping IRP: Ross Chastain and the No. 44 team had to earn their top-10 finish the hard way at IRP. Initially starting from the 12th position, Chastain fell back in the opening stage as the handling went away. After the first pit stop of the night, the left front tire fell off his truck, resulting in a freak airborne moment on pit road. With his battered Silverado trapped a lap down, Chastain would inevitably get back into contention via the free pass in stage two. From that point on, the team marched forward, and would finish the night in ninth-place.
- Owner Points Rundown: The No. 44 team remains 17th in the owner points standings following their top-10 run in IRP. Heading into Watkins Glen, the team is only two points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 15 entry in 16th, and they have a 41-point lead over McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s No. 81 Chevrolet in 18th.
- Quoting Chastain: You’ll have a lot of other drivers from other series competing in this race, so who do you expect to run against most?
“For sure, I’d think the Truck Series regulars are going to be hard to beat. The guys that race trucks every week, they’re just so in tune with it. I love Watkins Glen as a road course, and have a fun time racing against those guys. No matter who else comes in from the other series, it’s the regulars that are probably going to be the toughest. I feel confident that our No. 44 Chevy will be able to compete amongst them all on Friday.”
About The New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee: The New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) coordinates traffic safety activities in the state and shares useful, timely information about traffic safety and the state’s highway safety grant program.
The Committee is comprised of thirteen agencies who have missions related to transportation and safety. The GTSC is chaired by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles and acts as the state’s official liaison with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Connor Zilisch | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
- Driver Lineup: Road course ace and touted Chevrolet prospect, Connor Zilisch, will drive the No. 45 Silverado in Watkins Glen, and Bayley Currey will take over driving duties for the rest of the season.
- Zilisch’s Watkins Glen Stats: Connor Zilisch will make his first NCTS start at Watkins Glen International on Friday. Zilisch is a two-time winner at this road course, having won both the NXS and ARCA races held here from the pole last year.
- Gould’s Watkins Glen Stats: Phil Gould has called one NCTS race at Watkins Glen, which came in 2021 when he finished 10th with Carson Hocevar. In six NXS races held at the road course, Gould’s drivers finished inside the top-10 on four occasions, including a best finish of eighth, twice.
- Recapping IRP: The No. 45 team fought the balance throughout the day at IRP. The team rolled off from 10th place to start, but experienced a tight handling condition and slid back in the first stage. Utilizing strategy to their benefit, the team pitted for four tires midway through stage two to pick up a handful of stage points in sixth. With a long run to end the night, the team was unable to capitalize on track position, relegating the No. 45 to a 14th-place finish.
- Owner Points Rundown: The No. 45 team is in a heated battle to contend for the final position in the owner points standings. Heading into Watkins Glen, the team sits seventh overall, but only has a 12-point gap over the cutline with ThorSport Racing’s No. 98 entry. Conversely, the team is just six points behind Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team in sixth. Over the course of the next two races, the No. 45 team’s goal is to gain enough points to secure a Playoff bid.
- Quoting Zilisch: What are your thoughts on competing in all three NASCAR national series races this weekend in Watkins Glen?
“It’s going to be a really cool weekend. I’ve never raced for Niece Motorsports before, but obviously, they’ve had a lot of success over the years and it will be really cool to just get to be a part of their team for one race. Watkins Glen is a track that I really like. It’s going to be a busy weekend for me running all three series, but I’m excited to get the track time on Friday and get to race in the Truck Series. I’m looking forward to having the chance to get the No. 45 team some more owner points to help lock them into the Playoffs. I’m also thankful to everyone at Chevrolet, Trackhouse, and JRM for allowing me to do this.”
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, 200+ 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).
