NCTS RACE PREVIEW: HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
Event: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race (134 laps / 201 miles)
Round: 25 of 25 (Season Finale)
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Location: Homestead, FL
Date & Time: Friday, November 6 | 6:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Homestead-Miami Stats:
NCTS Starts: 23; Wins: 1 (Carson Hocevar, 2023); Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 7.
- New Late Model Driver: Niece Motorsports welcomes Hudson Sharp, son of 1996 NTT INDYCAR SERIES co-champion, Scott Sharp, to its Late Model Stock Car (LMSC) team for this weekend’s Fall Brawl race at Hickory Motor Speedway. The 17-year-old recently finished third in his ARCA Menards Series West debut at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, and has run select races in LMSC competition throughout the year for Lee Falk Racing and Development.
- Thank you, CRAFTSMAN: Friday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway will mark the end of CRAFTSMAN’s tenure as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Truck Series. Since its return in 2023, and throughout its founding years, CRAFTSMAN has been a loyal supporter of the series. In 2027, the series will rebrand to the NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series, or NFXFTS for short.
No. 4 Niece Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Connor Hall | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Hall Returns: Connor Hall returns to make his sixth start of the 2026 campaign driving the team’s No. 4 entry at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 29-year-old’s season-best finish came at Rockingham Speedway, where he finished in 20th-place. Friday’s race will mark just his second-career start on a mile-and-a-half track.
- Hall’s Homestead-Miami Stats:
Connor Hall will make his first-career NCTS start in any series at Homestead-Miami on Friday.
- Shiplett’s Homestead-Miami Stats:
NCS Starts: 4; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 5th (2010).
NOAPS Starts: 8; Wins: 1 (Kyle Larson, 2015); Poles: 1 (Tyler Reddick, 2017); Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 5; Best Finish: 2nd (2019).
NCTS Starts: 2; Best Finish: 14th (2025).
- On the Truck: Hall’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with primary support from Niece Equipment, one of the country’s largest producers of fuel & lube trucks. The truck will sport a special Miami-inspired paint scheme for the season finale.
- Recapping Martinsville: Conner Jones and the Niece Equipment team had an early end to their race in Martinsville. Jones started the 200-lap race in 21st, gained a few positions early, and elected to make a pit stop before the end of the first stage. With a handful of laps remaining in stage two, the No. 4 truck began to drop back with a rear gear issue. Jones drove the truck behind the wall on lap 95 and was out of the race in 36th-place.
- No. 4 Team Season Highlights: Niece Motorsports’ No. 4 team had a large roster of drivers take the reins this year, including Cleetus McFarland, Ben Maier, Connor Hall, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Shane van Gisbergen, Stefan Parsons, Donovan Strauss, Matt Mills, and Conner Jones. The team’s best finish was delivered by van Gisbergen at Watkins Glen, where he drove the truck up to a third-place finish. In total, the team led by Mike Shiplett captured one top-five and two top-10 finishes in its part-time season.
- Quoting Hall: How much were you able to learn in your first intermediate start at Kansas which can help you this weekend?
“Kansas was the first place that I ever really got to run that was super multi-grooved. In the short track stuff that I am used to running, even if it’s a multi-grooved track, you’re never truly up against the fence like how you are at that track. Understanding how that works along with all of the aero stuff that’s involved at a mile-and-a-half is going to help me a lot for this weekend. In the first part of that race, I was able to explore and learn a lot of lessons in doing things that I wasn’t used to before. I felt like I had gotten a pretty good grip on it by the end of the race, so I’m excited to go to Homestead and do it again. We had a lot of speed there, so we’re just looking to have our Niece Equipment Chevy that’s equal to, if not better than that on Friday.”
About Niece Equipment: For over 40 years, Niece Equipment has provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Our reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. Each of our water and fuel/lube trucks are engineered with quality and durability in mind. Our capability ranges from 2,000 gallon water trucks to 12,000 gallon water towers. The fuel/lube trucks we offer range from 600 to 4,000 gallons.
No. 42 Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Tyler Reif | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
- Reif’s Homestead-Miami Stats:
Tyler Reif will make his first-career start in any series at Homestead-Miami on Friday.
- Polinski’s Homestead-Miami Stats:
Landon Polinski will call his first-career race at Homestead-Miami on Friday.
- On the Truck: Reif’s No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with primary support from Utilitra, a company which specializes in utility and technology solutions.
- Recapping Martinsville: Tyler Reif and the Utilitra team experienced a roller coaster of a night in Martinsville. After qualifying 16th, Reif held serve and found his footing in stage one. Things took a turn at the conclusion of the second stage when Reif spun off the nose of another competitor in turn four. The No. 42 team pressed on and was able to rally back inside the top-10 after dodging a couple of crashes. With less than 20 laps to go, however, Reif found himself facing the wrong direction on the backstretch with significant damage. NASCAR officials then dealt Reif a reckless driving penalty for the contact, which relegated him to a 27th-place finish.
- Owner Points Outlook: Reif’s 27th-place finish at Martinsville elevated the No. 42 team to 24th-place in the owner point standings. Entering the season finale, the team sits 45 points behind Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 team in 23rd-place, and four points ahead of Rackley W.A.R.’s No. 26 team in 25th-place.
- No. 42 Team Season Highlights: Niece Motorsports’ No. 42 lineup consisted of young, talented drivers at the start of their careers, along with a couple of veterans. Tyler Reif, Parker Eatmon, Conner Jones, Ben Maier, Travis Pastrana, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. filled the driver lineup for the entry led by Landon Polinski. At San Diego, Reif nearly pulled off the upset of the season as he contended for his first-career win and led the field heading into the final corner. The No. 42 team picked up two top-10s on the year, with Stenhouse Jr. securing its best finish of seventh-place at Michigan.
- Quoting Reif: How do you feel your first season of racing in the Truck Series has gone for you this year?
“I think this year has had some very high highs and some very low lows for me. I think a few weeks ago at Phoenix might have been my worst race in the series and that was hard to deal with, but on the other side of it, we had some great runs at San Diego, Watkins Glen, and North Wilkesboro where we had the potential to be a top-10 or maybe even a top-five truck. We have had speed all year, but just haven’t been able to put it all together. We have one more shot to do it this weekend in Homestead, so I’m hopeful that we can go out with a bang. I would really like to send everyone to the off season with a great run with our Utilitra Chevrolet on Friday night.”
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.
No. 44 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara’s Homestead-Miami Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 25th (2025).
- Rogers’ Homestead-Miami Stats:
NCS Starts: 4; Best Finish: 21st (2014).
NOAPS Starts: 5; Poles: 1 (Greg Biffle, 2003); Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 6th (2002).
NCTS Starts: 9; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 5th (2004).
- On the Truck: Pérez de Lara’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Freeway Insurance, the Official Insurance Partner of NASCAR. Freeway Insurance first joined on as the primary sponsor for Pérez de Lara in Phoenix, and will close out the season with the No. 44 team.
- Recapping Martinsville: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Telcel team managed a great race in Martinsville, resulting in their best finish of the season. Pérez de Lara rolled off the starting line from 13th, but it didn’t take him long to advance into the top-10. He stayed consistent by finishing ninth in both of the opening two stages, and continued to move forward as the laps clicked off. Everything went to plan for the No. 44 team, and the speed was reflected in the end result. Pérez de Lara was thrilled as he picked up his career-best finish in sixth-place.
- Driver Points Outlook: Pérez de Lara’s sixth-place finish at Martinsville gained him one spot in the driver point standings, now up to 15th overall. Entering Homestead-Miami, the driver is 14 points behind Brenden “Butterbean” Queen in 14th, and five points ahead of Justin Haley in 16th.
- No. 44 Team Season Highlights: As the team’s lone full-time driver, Andrés Pérez de Lara put up a valiant fight during his sophomore campaign. Pérez de Lara and the No. 44 team led by Wally Rogers were able to improve in several areas in comparison to last year. Last weekend, the driver earned his career-best finish of sixth-place at Martinsville. He also picked up more top-10s (four), and is currently one spot higher in the point standings than where he was at the end of his rookie season.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: What are your thoughts heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami this weekend?
“I am really excited to head to Homestead. I feel like we have some good momentum to close out the year, especially coming after Martinsville. Homestead is a track that I really enjoy racing at, and everyone is ready to go give it our all to finish the season on a high note and see what we can build from there. I am very thankful to all of the team at Niece Motorsports, Freeway Insurance, and everybody who has supported me this season. Let’s make this weekend count!”
About Freeway Insurance: Built for drivers who like to do things their way, Freeway Insurance makes it easy to compare options, choose coverage that fits your ride and your budget, and save. With a simple click, call, or come in approach, we help drivers stay in control and keep moving forward. From auto and truck to motorcycle, homeowners, renters, and more, Freeway offers coverage designed for every journey. Compare. Choose. Save Freeway, Your Way.
No. 45 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Landen Lewis | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
- Lewis’ Homestead-Miami Stats:
Landen Lewis will make his first-career start in any series at Homestead-Miami on Friday.
- Gould’s Homestead-Miami Stats:
NOAPS Starts: 6; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 10th (2014).
NCTS Starts: 6; Wins: 1 (Carson Hocevar, 2023); Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 4.
- 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 Martinsville: Landen Lewis and the J.F. Electric team had a character-building race in Martinsville. Lewis qualified the highest out of the team in 12th-place, and fought just outside the top-10 in stage one. Lewis fell back in stage two after wrestling the handling on his truck, and nearly had to come to a complete stop to avoid a crash in turn one. The No. 45 was issued a restart violation penalty in the final stage which prompted Lewis to make a pit road pass-through under green. After getting the free pass, Lewis was able to get back on the lead lap during the last caution, which allowed him to cross the finish line in 19th-place.
- Owner Points Outlook: Following Lewis’ 19th-place finish at Martinsville, the No. 45 team continues to sit 10th in the owner point standings. Entering Homestead-Miami, the team is 13 points behind Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team in ninth, and 14 points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 1 team in eighth.
- No. 45 Team Season Highlights: Niece Motorsports’ No. 45 team returned to its competitive form during the 2026 season. The team, which was split between drivers Landen Lewis, Ross Chastain, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., improved on the number of top-fives (six) and top-10s (11) compared to last season. For the first time since 2024, the team led by Phil Gould qualified for the Chase in terms of owner points, and is currently three spots higher in the standings than the previous year. Though the No. 45 team is still in search of its first win of the year, both Chastain and Lewis were able to bring the truck ever-so-close to victory lane with runner-up finishes at Darlington and Lime Rock.
- Quoting Lewis: How well do you think your season has gone overall from your first start till now?
“This year has been both good and bad at times, but I feel like there’s been a lot more good than bad, for sure. I’ve learned a lot over the year going to a lot of places that I’ve never been to before, which we all knew was going to be a learning curve. I feel like at some of those places, I did very well, but some of them, I didn’t. There were some things out of our control, but overall, we ran up front a lot this year. We haven’t gotten a win yet, but being able to run up front and learn from all the veterans of the Truck series is helping me as a driver and as a person. I feel like it’s been a success, but I think there are some things that I need to do to clean up and learn from ahead of next year.”
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).
