NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE RECAP: DARLINGTON RACEWAY
Event: Buckle Up South Carolina 200 (147 laps / 200.8 miles)
Round: 4 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Darlington Raceway
Location: Darlington, SC
Date & Time: Friday, March 20 | 7:30 PM ET
No. 42 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Conner Jones | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
Start: 19th
Stage 1: 21st
Stage 2: 17th
Finish: 16th
Driver Points: 37th
Owner Points: 17th
- Key Takeaway: Conner Jones and the DQS Solutions & Staffing team had a hard-fought night in Darlington. Jones qualified in 19th and remained consistent throughout the opening two stages. The team made some adjustments to the handling on pit road, which helped the No. 42 Silverado advance through the field. Late in the race, however, Jones made contact with another competitor, which cut down his right-front tire and forced him into the outside wall. The crew made repairs to allow Jones to finish the race, crossing the line in 16th-place.
- Conner Jones’ Post-Race Thoughts: “We had a good run going for us tonight, and had just started to make our way to the front when I got loose under the No. 26 truck (Dawson Sutton) and made just enough contact to cut our tire down. I tried to slow up in time, but couldn’t keep it out of the wall. I’m proud of the guys on our No. 42 DQS Solutions & Staffing team for fixing all the damage and keeping us out on track. It wasn’t pretty, but we still managed to get a decent finish out of tonight. I had a ton of fun out there and learned a lot.”
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. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Pérez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Start: 21st
Stage 1: 27th
Stage 2: 16th
Finish: 32nd
Driver Points: 9th
Owner Points: 14th
- Key Takeaway: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Telcel team made progress all throughout the race in Darlington before their night came to an early close. Pérez de Lara started the event in 21st, but dropped back early in stage one. The No. 44 pit crew was phenomenal all night long, gaining several spots on pit road. After making adjustments, the truck vaulted into the top-10. Unfortunately, after two competitors hit the wall in front of him, Pérez de Lara had nowhere to go and collided into the slower trucks. With too much damage to continue, the team was scored in 32nd-place.
- Andrés Pérez de Lara’s Post-Race Thoughts: “I hate that we had our night came to an end the way that it did. We didn’t start the race how we hoped, but Wally (Rogers) and the guys made some awesome changes and my pit crew did an incredible job all night long. We know we had some speed out there, and I’m super proud of my team for turning our night around. Thanks to everyone at Telcel, Acceptance Insurance, Zambos, Niece Motorsports, and Team Chevy. I look forward to going to Rockingham and hope to have a good result there.”
About Telcel: Telcel is Mexico’s leading telecommunications company, providing nationwide coverage, cutting-edge mobile connectivity, and high-speed internet services to millions of users. With over 30 years of experience, Telcel continues to innovate in digital communication, offering solutions that keep people connected anytime, anywhere.
No. 45 Buckle Up South Carolina Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Start: 9th
Stage 1: 8th
Stage 2: 2nd
Finish: 2nd
Driver Points: N/A
Owner Points: 2nd
- Key Takeaway: Ross Chastain and the Buckle Up South Carolina team had the win in their sights, but were forced to settle for second-place. Chastain qualified ninth and finished eighth in stage one, noting that his truck was tight early on. After making some adjustments on pit road, the No. 45 came to life and finished second in stage two. In a thrilling final stage, Chastain swapped the lead back and forth several times. The team led the white flag lap, but got passed in turn three for the final run to the checkered flag. Nevertheless, it was a great run for the team.
- Ross Chastain’s Post-Race Thoughts:
Interviewer: Ross Chastain obviously did everything right. We talked about the launch, all the restarts, the gamesmanship. You nailed all that, but unfortunately had a tire disadvantage. Talk about what happened.
“I have no idea what just happened, Austin (Cindric). Yeah, like you said, I thought that our Niece Motorsports Click It Don’t Risk It Chevy – like we did so much right. From the start of practice, stepping through it with Phil Gould, continuing to get back used to these trucks for the first time in the last six months or whenever I ran it last summer, I thought we started the best that I’ve ever started with the team. Coming back to the checkered, (Brandon) McReynolds said “The No. 5 (Corey Heim) is there or something – he’s fast”. And I was like, ‘yeah, fine’ and he just drove by me. I had no idea.
So I think that’s on us as a whole that we didn’t catch that. Of course, I would have ran the bottom if I thought he was even going to be close, but I just thought he had a good restart. Bummer. We’re kicking off Florida watermelon season right around now, so you know, it’s a good time to get back in this truck and start off the weekend well.”
About the South Carolina Department of Public Safety: The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. SCDPS has approximately 1,300 employees serving across the state, providing a wide range of public safety services focused on making South Carolina a safer place to live, work and raise a family.
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2016. The team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra, and was founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a full-service race vehicle build shop 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).
