NCTS RACE PREVIEW: RICHMOND RACEWAY
Event: Black’s Tire 250 Presented By BTS Rewards (250 laps / 187.5 miles)
Round: 17 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Richmond Raceway
Location: Richmond, VA
Date & Time: Friday, August 14 | 7:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Richmond Stats:
NCTS Starts: 21; Wins: 1 (Carson Hocevar, 2023); Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2.
- CARS Tour Winners: Early Sunday morning, Matt Gould earned Niece Motorsports its first ever zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Series victory at Hickory Motor Speedway in the Spears Throwback Classic. It was a night to remember for the team which has fielded its No. 4 Chevrolet on a part-time basis this season. Gould, 20, was able to share the special moment with his father, Phil Gould, who called the race as his crew chief.
No. 4 TowneBank / Breeden Concrete Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Connor Hall | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Read Connor’s Bio
- Hall Returns: Two-time NASCAR Local Racing Series champion Connor Hall returns to make his second start of the season with Niece Motorsports. Hall drove the No. 4 at Rockingham Speedway in April, finishing in 20th-place. In his lone CARS Tour start with the team, Hall picked up a top-five by finishing fourth at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
- Hall’s Richmond Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 10th (2024).
- Shiplett’s Richmond Stats:
NCS Starts: 12; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 7th (2011).
NOAPS Starts: 13; Wins: 2 (Kyle Larson, 2017 & Cole Custer, 2019)Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 6.
NCTS Starts: 2; Best Finish: 21st (2024).
- On the Truck: Hall’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from local partners TowneBank, Breeden Concrete, and HG Meat Packing – all of which serve as primary sponsors on Hall’s family-owned Late Model Stock team.
- ‘Smurf’ Goes Truck Racing: Local short track fans should easily recognize the design on Hall’s No. 4 truck this weekend. The paint scheme is based on Hall’s iconic No. 77 Late Model Stock, dubbed ‘Smurf’, which has been one of the most successful cars in recent memory at Langley Speedway. Hall put together a legendary run of 10-straight weekly feature wins along with a CARS Tour victory in his family-owned car.
- Home Race: As a native of nearby Hampton, VA, Hall grew up attending races at Richmond Raceway as a kid. The 29-year-old made his NCTS debut at this track with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in 2024 and impressively earned a top-10 finish.
- Quoting Hall: You earned a top-10 in your series debut here and have already made a truck start this year, so what are your expectations for this weekend?
“I want to run as good as possible, but more importantly, I want to be able to execute on everything this weekend. With it being my third truck race, I at least have experienced a live pit road twice now, so I need to do my job there and on the track. I hope our TowneBank / Breeden Concrete Chevy is fast enough to make it where the pressure is put on me to perform. I don’t want to put a specific number on where I think we can finish, but I think if everything goes smoothly and we hit on it all throughout the race, it should be a good night for us.”
About TowneBank: TowneBank started in 1999, based on the idea of strong relationships, excellent service, and the most respected and experienced bankers in each market we serve. Building on the idea of serving others and enriching lives, we now provide a full range of banking and other financial services. Dedicated to a culture of caring, we value each employee and member by embracing their diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences.
Today, TowneBank operates nearly 70 banking offices throughout Hampton Roads, Central Virginia, and Northeastern and Central North Carolina. As a practical expression of its mission, TowneBank is intentional about being a local leader in each community—actively promoting social, cultural, and economic growth.
No. 42 Vetted Ventures Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Parker Eatmon | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
Read Parker’s Bio
- Eatmon’s Richmond Stats:
Parker Eatmon will make his first-career start in any series at Richmond on Friday.
- Polinski’s Richmond Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 17th (2025).
- On the Truck: Eatmon’s No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Vetted Ventures, a private sales and acquisitions management firm. This is Vetted Ventures’ second race as a primary sponsor, with Eatmon debuting a newly refreshed paint scheme on Friday night.
- Recapping Indianapolis: Parker Eatmon and the Operator Standard team ran well all night long at IRP. Eatmon started the 200-lap race in 14th and drove inside the top-10 at the end of the first stage. The No. 42 team held serve after stalling on pit road on the first stop of the night, but stayed in the hunt through stage two. Keeping his cool, Eatmon remained on the lead lap all race long. He earned his career-best finish of 12th-place in just his third NCTS start.
- Owner Points Outlook: Eatmon’s 12th-place result at IRP elevated the No. 42 team up one position to 24th in the owner point standings. Entering Richmond, the team is one point behind Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 team in 23rd, and 12 points ahead of Kaulig’s No. 25 team in 25th.
- Quoting Eatmon: You had a pretty solid race last time at IRP, so what did you learn in that race that you can carry over into Richmond?
“I really learned a lot about how these trucks operate on short tracks in my last race at IRP, and I also learned what it’s like to race against the competitors out there. So taking that into consideration, I think we will have a better run at Richmond. I know Landon [Polinski] and all the guys on our No. 42 team will build a fast truck, so I want to go out there and put together another solid run with our Vetted Ventures Silverado.”
About Vetted Ventures: Vetted Ventures is a pioneer in revolutionizing private sales and acquisitions management through an ecosystem of exclusive clients with the ability to be represented by one company across different industries. We aim to provide our clients with the opportunities they seek backed by the service they deserve. To learn more about the company, please visit www.Vetted-Ventures.com.
No. 44 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Read Andrés’ Bio
- Pérez de Lara’s Richmond Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 21st (2025).
- Rogers’ Richmond Stats:
NCS Starts: 6; Best Finish: 27th (2016).
NOAPS Starts: 14; Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 2nd (2008).
NCTS Starts: 8; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 10th (2005).
- On the Truck: Pérez de Lara’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing.
- Recapping Indianapolis: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Acceptance Insurance team put together a solid outing in Indianapolis. Pérez de Lara qualified the highest out of his Niece Motorsports teammates with his fourth top-10 start of the season, and just barely missed out on extra points by finishing 11th in stage one and two. The No. 44 Silverado was in position to capture a top-10 finish, but got tangled up with a lapped truck with less than five laps to go. Pérez de Lara crossed the finish line in 11th-place.
- Happy Anniversary: The Richmond race marks one year since Pérez de Lara joined Niece Motorsports. In his tenure driving the No. 44 truck, Pérez de Lara has picked up three top-10 finishes including a best result of seventh-place at St. Petersburg and Lime Rock. Pérez de Lara sits three positions higher in the point standings than he did at the same point last season.
- Driver Points Outlook: Pérez de Lara’s 11th-place finish gained the driver two spots in points, up to 13th overall. With only two races left in the regular season, Pérez de Lara’s Chase hopes are on the line in his sophomore campaign. He is 10 points behind Jake Garcia in 12th-place and one point ahead of Brenden Queen in 14th-place ahead of Friday night’s race in Richmond. More importantly, however, he finds himself 42 points below cutline driver, Stewart Friesen.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: It’s been one year since you joined Niece Motorsports, so what all have you learned in your time since making the switch over to this team?
“It’s definitely been a year where we have shown up with really good speed. I think we’ve shown a lot of our capability, but we deserve more than what we’ve gotten in terms of results. I’m looking forward to Richmond because our No. 44 team has been really strong on the short tracks lately and I feel like we have improved a lot in that area. I’m honestly surprised that I am excited to head there now, because just a month ago I wasn’t really looking forward to it. The last two short track races that we’ve ran have really helped, and I think we should have a good result with our DQS Chevy on Friday.”
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 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Landen Lewis | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Read Landen’s Bio
- Lewis’ Richmond Stats:
Landen Lewis will make his first-career start in any series at Richmond on Friday.
- Gould’s Richmond Stats:
NOAPS Starts: 12; Poles: 2 (2013 & 2014); Top-Fives: 3; Top-10s: 5; Best Finish: 4th (2013).
NCTS Starts: 6; Wins: 1 (Carson Hocevar, 2023); Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2.
- On the Truck: Lewis’ No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who serve as his anchor partners for the season.
- Recapping Indianapolis: Landen Lewis and the J.F. Electric team had a tough night in Indianapolis. Lewis started the race in 20th-place, but passed a handful of trucks in the first stage. Despite losing a lap, the No. 45 team made significant progress with the handling after making adjustments in stage two. Lewis was fighting for the free pass in the final stage when two trucks made contact directly in front of him. With nowhere to escape, Lewis was collected in a hard crash. He was credited with a 35th-place finish after an early exit.
- Owner Points Outlook: Lewis’ unfortunate finish at IRP dropped the No. 45 team to eighth-place in the owner point standings. The team is now eight points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 17 team in seventh-place, and 23 points ahead of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet in ninth-place. With two races left until the Chase begins, the team has a 53-point cushion over the cutline.
- Quoting Lewis: What are your thoughts about heading to Richmond for the first time?
“I think we can definitely translate some of the short track stuff that we’ve learned in previous races this year at Richmond. We’re getting better as a group, and Phil [Gould] and I have gotten on the same page in the last couple weeks to make a good run at it. Richmond seems like it’s always a fun one to race at. Everyone says that it’s one of the places that they always look forward to because of the tire fall-off and different things that happen throughout the race. I feel like it’s a driver’s track, so I’m looking forward to going there with our J.F. Electric Silverado on Friday.”
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.
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).
