NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: LUCAS OIL INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK
Event: TSport 200 (200 laps / 137.2 miles)
Round: 16 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
Location: Clermont, Indiana
Date & Time: Friday, July 25 | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports IRP Stats: Niece drivers have made a combined total of 12 starts at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) since the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) made its return to the track in 2022. The team has captured one top-five finish delivered by Carson Hocevar in 2023. Last year, Ross Chastain was the highest-finishing driver for the team in 11th.
No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Matt Mills Racing
- Mills’ IRP Stats: Matt Mills has made two prior NCTS starts at IRP, coming home 23rd in his first start in 2023. Mills bested that result by one spot last year, when he finished 22nd.
- Shiplett’s IRP Stats: Mike Shiplett has only competed in one NCTS race held at IRP which came last year, where he finished 26th with Bret Holmes. Shiplett also made one NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start at the short track in 2007, finishing in 35th with Deac McCaskill.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who will serve as his anchor partners for the entire 25-race season.
- Recapping Lime Rock: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team fought hard all afternoon at Lime Rock, but lost all their track position after going off course at the end of the race. Mills started the 100-lap event in 21st, and battled a tight-handling truck in the opening two stages. After making wholesale changes to the setup ahead of the final stage, the J.F. Electric Chevy gained speed. Unfortunately for Mills, once he locked up the brakes and slid off in turn one, his results were shot down, finishing in 26th.
- Points Rundown: Following his 26th-place result in Lime Rock, Mills remains 19th in the championship points standings. With only three races remaining in the regular season (IRP, Watkins Glen, and Richmond), Mills finds himself in a must-win situation to enter the Playoffs as he sits 189 points below the cutline.
- Quoting Mills: Given your history at short tracks like Richmond where there is a considerable amount of tire fall off, do you think that should be in your benefit this week?
“Yeah, I think there are some similar characteristics between those places. The first year I raced at IRP, I ran pretty well there, but last year, I put our team in a hole immediately by spinning on lap three of practice. Hopefully, I can help give our team a better notebook this year through practice, because I feel like we can find a good balance of what we need. I think this is a track that suits Niece Motorsports and myself, so hopefully we can rebound from where we were last year. I know we can be fast here.”
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 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 Illiana Watermelon Association Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Josh Bilicki Racing
- Chastain Returns: Ross Chastain makes his NCTS return this weekend driving the No. 44 Silverado for Niece Motorsports. Chastain has competed in three events this season, finishing as high as second-place at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His tour will wrap up at Watkins Glen International on August 8th.
- Chastain’s IRP Stats: Chastain has competed in two previous NCTS races held at IRP. In 2011, the Florida native made his series debut at the short track and finished in 10th. Last year, he made his return to the track in over 10 years, recording an 11th-place finish for the No. 45 team.
- Rogers’ IRP Stats: Wally Rogers has competed in five NCTS races at IRP, and has one top-five and two top-10s to his credit. Rogers’ best result at the track came in 2005 when he ran third with Ron Hornaday, and his team finished 29th last year with Conor Daly after suffering a cut tire mid-race. In six NXS starts at this track, Rogers’ record reflects similar numbers, including a fifth-place result with Hornaday in 2007.
- On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the Illiana Watermelon Association, who has had a longstanding relationship with the veteran.
- Recapping Lime Rock: Josh Bilicki and the No. 44 team successfully parlayed a mid-range day into a top-10 finish. Bilicki qualified 18th and noted that his truck lacked front end grip in the opening two stages, but the team made big swings on adjustments to make it better. Not afraid to think outside the box, Wally Rogers called for a four-tire pit stop with five laps left in the race. Once chaos ensued on the restart, Bilicki maneuvered his way around the carnage to sneak away in seventh-place.
- Owner Points Rundown: Coming off their top-10 run in Lime Rock, the No. 44 team remains 17th in the owner championship. The group closed in on 16th-place’s No. 17 team from TRICON Garage, now only five points behind. They have a 35-point gap above 18th-place, currently occupied by the No. 81 team from McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.
- Quoting Chastain: Your team brought a fast truck here last year, but you weren’t able to get the finish you hoped for. What more are you looking for to be better on Friday night?
“We just have to try and get the trucks to turn better. Front turn is the main goal for us this time around. Last year, what hurt us mainly was I missed our pit stall on the last stop. I turned in too late and got it all jacked up for the pit crew. That’s what lost us the most spots. But yeah, for Wally and the guys, I think the biggest thing we remember that we need to fix is helping our trucks turn a little bit more.”
About Illiana Watermelon Association: Over 70% of our production is produced in and around Knox County, Indiana. Most of that production is within 15 miles east and west of a 50 mile corridor running along US Hwy 41. It has been said many times that you can stand in one farm’s watermelon field and throw a rock in another neighboring watermelon field. Not that we would throw rocks at each other, or anything so crude. We produce over 7,000 acres of watermelon on our farms. If you’re lucky enough to live close to our market areas you already know you can taste the difference. Many travelers stop at our roadside stands to experience the taste of Indiana and Illinois watermelon.
No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Kaden Honeycutt Racing
- Honeycutt’s IRP Stats: Kaden Honeycutt will make his first NCTS start at IRP on Friday night. Honeycutt has competed in one ARCA race at the short track, finishing 19th after an early exit due to a mechanical failure in 2018.
- Gould’s IRP Stats: Phil Gould has called three NCTS races at IRP, including one top-five finish. While working with Carson Hocevar in 2023, Gould’s team earned a respectable fourth-place result. Last year, Gould guided Ross Chastain to an 11th-place finish.
- On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, who will serve as his anchor partner for the majority of the season.
- Mr. & Mrs.: Last Friday, Honeycutt became a married man after tying the knot with wife, Jessica, in Trinity, North Carolina. The driver will have a special “Just Married” decal with strings and cans on the back of his truck celebrating the event. Congratulations to the happy couple!
- Recapping Lime Rock: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team had impressive speed all throughout the day in Lime Rock, but were collected in a crash on the final restart. Honeycutt started sixth and finished there in both stages, earning a total of 10 extra points. The team appeared to be en route to a top-five there at the end, but were punted off the race track and had to settle back in 12th-place.
- Points Rundown: Consistency has been key for Honeycutt, who gained a spot in the points standings after Lime Rock. Now up to fifth-place overall thanks to the help of a strong amount of stage points, Honeycutt has a 67-point cushion over the Playoffs cutline. Since there have been seven different race winners so far, he’ll need to maintain that consistency over the next three races in order to qualify for the postseason.
- Quoting Honeycutt: You’ve never raced at IRP before, but have had a good amount of short track reps in a truck. What will be the biggest key to help you adapt here?
“I haven’t raced at IRP since I made my first ARCA start back in 2018, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been there, but the way our short track package has been going, it’s been pretty good all year. So, I’m looking forward to going back to another short track to try and lock ourselves into the Playoffs. We’ll look to have a solid night there and continue our momentum that we’re building on. Each week, we’re continuously getting faster and finishing better in stages, and I think we’re closing in on our first win. IRP is a really worn out racetrack, so it’s going to be about tire management and keeping ourself in a good position to be successful.”
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.
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).
