NCTS RACE PREVIEW: BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY II
Event: UNOH 250 Presented by Ohio Logistics (250 laps / 133.25 miles)
Round: 19 of 25 (Chase Opener)
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Location: Bristol, TN
Date & Time: Thursday, September 17 | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Bristol Stats:
NCTS Starts: 38; Top-Fives: 3; Top-10s: 7; Best Finish: 3rd (Ross Chastain, 2019).
- Chase Bound: Niece Motorsports’ No. 45 team begins its owner’s championship hunt this weekend in Bristol. This will mark the organization’s sixth NCTS postseason appearance (2019, ‘21,’22,’23, & ’24) in its 11th year of competition. In 2019, the team finished second overall, coming up just one point shy of the championship.
- Historical Team Postseason Stats:
2019 (Chastain): Points Finish: 2nd; Wins: 3; Poles: 1; Top-Fives: 10; Top-10s: 18
2021 (Hocevar): Points Finish: 8th; Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 3
2022 (Hocevar): Points Finish: 10th; Poles: 1; Top-Fives: 7; Top-10s: 12
2023 (Hocevar): Points Finish: 4th; Wins: 4; Top-Fives: 11; Top-10s: 13
2024 (All-Star): Points Finish: 10th; Wins: 1; Top-Fives: 5; Top-10s: 9
No. 4 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Connor Hall | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Read Connor’s Bio
- Hall’s Bristol Stats:
Connor Hall will make his first-career start in any series at Bristol on Thursday.
- Shiplett’s Bristol Stats:
NCS Starts: 9; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 8th (2022).
NOAPS Starts: 13; Wins: 2 (Kasey Kahne, 2007 & Kyle Larson, 2018); Poles: 2 (Kyle Larson, 2017 & Cole Custer, 2019); Top-Fives: 7; Top-10s: 8.
NCTS Starts: 6; Best Finish: 13th (2024).
- On the Truck: Hall’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from AutoVentive and Precision Vehicle Logistics.
- Recapping New Hampshire: Connor Hall and the DQS Solutions & Staffing team made gains in New Hampshire. After starting 27th, Hall passed a handful of trucks and maintained 24th in both opening stages. The No. 4 team remained on the lead lap throughout the entire race and made solid improvements to the truck’s balance. Hall crossed the line in 22nd-place in his fourth-career NCTS start.
- Quoting Hall: You’ve raced at a bunch of different track types in the truck this year, but have yet to run at a high-paced short track like Bristol. What do you need to focus on to have a good showing on Thursday?
“Bristol is a very line-sensitive racetrack, so I need to mind my P’s and Q’s the entire 250 laps and make sure I hit my marks in every corner. I’ve never raced anywhere that has PJ1 on the track surface, so that will be a new learning experience as well. My goal for Thursday night is to have our best qualifying effort yet, and that should put us in a good position for a better showing in the race. If we can maintain our track position with our AutoVentive / Precision Silverado, we should be in a good spot to bring home a solid finish for the No. 4 team.”
About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.
About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.
No. 42 Vetted Ventures Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Parker Eatmon | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
Read Parker’s Bio
- Eatmon’s Bristol Stats:
Parker Eatmon will make his first-career start in any series at Bristol on Thursday.
- Polinski’s Bristol Stats:
NCTS Starts: 2; Best Finish: 16th (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.
- Recapping New Hampshire: Parker Eatmon and the Operator Standard team earned their first top-10 finish together at New Hampshire. Eatmon qualified the best out of his Niece Motorsports teammates in 18th-place, but slid back to 25th in the opening two stages. The No. 42 team made adjustments in the final stage that helped him move through the field in the closing restarts to gain track position. The rookie picked up his first-career top-10 finish in 10th-place.
- Owner Points Outlook: Eatmon’s 10th-place finish at New Hampshire kept the No. 42 team positioned 23rd-place in the owner point standings. Ahead of Bristol, the team is 24 points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 15 team in 22nd, and nine points ahead of Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 team in 24th.
- Quoting Eatmon: Though you haven’t raced at Bristol before, do you think your experience on the concrete at Dover earlier this year will help you get acclimated here?
“I think having that race at Dover under my belt will help me, especially because the tracks are both concrete-based. Going to Bristol for the first time, I at least know how the surface reacts, which should be pretty valuable. I think you have to pay attention to the lapped traffic here and how you navigate through it, since that is typically a big factor in the Truck Series races. I’ve been going back and watching past races to see how the other drivers raced this track, and the simulator has been helpful to prepare me as well. I feel pretty optimistic that our Vetted Ventures team can have a good run this week.”
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 BLAC / GoKartMania Academy Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Read Andrés’ Bio
- Pérez de Lara’s Bristol Stats:
NCTS Starts: 3; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 8th (2025).
ARCA Starts: 3; Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 3rd (2023).
- Rogers’ Bristol Stats:
NCS Starts: 11; Best Finish: 18th (2014).
NOAPS Starts: 13; Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 7; Best Finish: 3rd (twice – 2001 & 2006).
NCTS Starts: 11; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 3rd (2004).
- On the Truck: Pérez de Lara’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from BLAC (a Mexican technology company) and GoKartMania (an indoor go kart race track chain). The two brands have joined forces to sponsor the fastest go kart racers in Mexico for a fully-funded Formula 5 seat. To learn more, visit https://blac.racing/en.
- Recapping New Hampshire: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Telcel team had a fast truck in New Hampshire, but were unfortunately swept away in a late-race incident. Pérez de Lara started deep in the field in 29th, but made a lot of ground in the first stage up to 17th. In the second stage, the No. 44 climbed even further up to 11th. The team was in contention for a top-10 finish late in the going, but a spinning truck bounced off the right side door and forced a late pit stop. The team was credited with a 27th-place result.
- Driver Points Outlook: Despite finishing 27th in New Hampshire, Pérez de Lara gained a spot in the point standings up to 14th-place overall. Entering Bristol, the sophomore driver is only nine points behind Brenden Queen in 13th, and three points ahead of Justin Haley in 15th.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: In last year’s fall race, your team had a great run, but you had a lot going on earlier this year in the spring. What do you need to do to get back into the top-10 this time around?
“We had a really strong race in the fall, and I think the track races a little differently when you compare it to the spring. More than anything, we just need to execute a clean day on Thursday. I put ourselves in a bad situation with qualifying earlier this year and that really affected our race. Track position is going to be important, so if you have a good qualifying result, you should be able to stay up there. We’ve shown pace here before, so I’m hopeful that our BLAC / GoKartMania Academy Chevy will be fast this week.”
About BLAC: BLAC is a technology and logistics company specializing in real-time tracking, asset visibility, and intelligent monitoring solutions for transportation, providing also location and condition data in real time for all shipments in the entire supply chain operations. With operations and coverage at an international level, BLAC provides advanced tracking technology designed to help companies reduce risk, improve operational control, and protect high-value cargo through real-time visibility and smart alert systems.
Through its innovative platform and 24/7 monitoring capabilities, BLAC supports businesses across multiple industries with scalable solutions focused on logistics security, transportation efficiency, and asset recovery. With years of experience in GPS tracking, supply chain visibility, and transportation security, BLAC continues to position itself as a trusted technology partner for companies seeking smarter and safer logistics operations.
About GoKartMania: GoKartMania is Mexico’s leading indoor go-kart track, a 100% Mexican company with a global presence. Their karts are of European origin and feature the most precise timing system. At GoKartMania, you’ll find activities for the whole family and a wide variety of race formats and activities.
GoKartMania is the ideal place for both beginners and seasoned motorsport enthusiasts. From a fun-filled, adrenaline-fueled afternoon with the family to competing in high-level series and championships, including position races, knockout format, endurance races, and karting clinics. They also offer birthday parties, team building activities, product launches, and much more.
No. 45 Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Landen Lewis | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Read Landen’s Bio
- Lewis’ Bristol Stats:
Landen Lewis will make his first-career NCTS start at Bristol on Thursday.
ARCA Starts: 2; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 2nd (2024).
- Gould’s Bristol Stats:
NOAPS Starts: 12; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 9th (2013).
NCTS Starts: 10; Top-Fives: 3; Top-10s: 6; Best Finish: 3rd (2019).
- On the Truck: Lewis’ No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Utilitra, a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Bristol marks Utilitra’s first race of the season as a primary sponsor with Lewis.
- Recapping New Hampshire: Landen Lewis and the J.F. Electric team had their race ruined by an early crash due to contact from the No. 5 truck on lap 14. Lewis, with heavy damage to the right side and rear end of his truck, was able to remain on track despite being several laps down. The No. 45 team came home with a 32nd-place finish, but most importantly, were able to clinch their spot in the Owner’s Chase for the Championship. Lewis will lead the team to a bid for the owner’s championship beginning next race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Owner Points Outlook: With the owner points reset following the regular season finale at New Hampshire, the No. 45 team enters the Chase as the ninth seed. The team is 65 points behind the leading Front Row Motorsports No. 34 team, five points behind Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet in eighth, and five points ahead of ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 team in 10th.
- Quoting Lewis: Now that your team has secured its spot in the Chase, what are your biggest goals for the rest of the season?
“I view this weekend in Bristol as a clean slate for us to reset as we head into the last seven races. One of the biggest things I will try my best at will be staying consistent throughout all of these races and not wrecking out or doing anything that we don’t need to do. If we can consistently run up front, I feel like we can slowly chip away at the points. I would love to get a win at some point too. I feel great heading into the weekend with our Utilitra Chevy and am looking forward to competing for an owner’s championship.”
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 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).
