NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE RECAP: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
Event: Love’s RV Stop 225 (85 laps / 226.1 miles)
Round: 23 of 25 (Playoffs Round of 8)
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Location: Talladega, Alabama
Date & Time: Friday, October 17 | 4:00 PM ET
No. 42 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
Start: 23rd
Stage 1: 22nd
Stage 2: 23rd
Finish: 19th
Driver Points: 18th
Owner Points: 23rd
- Key Takeaway: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team survived Talladega and lived to see another day. Mills qualified in 23rd, but was forced to start at the tail of the field after the team changed a driveshaft following time trials. The team elected to play it safe through the opening two stages, and made it a mission to make it to the end. Late in the going, Mills suffered unbearable heat coming up through the pedals, but hung on to finish in 19th-place.
- Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts: “It was a tough day for us. Probably after five laps into the race, I noticed the truck was extremely hot down at my feet. I even looked down a couple times because I thought we were maybe having a fire, so it kind of just made it hard to be consistent with throttle and keep up with traffic. I had to alternate my feet there just to get by. We toughed it out, but I wish we could have been a little bit more aggressive. Our strategy was playing out; we were chilling and had a chance to crack into the top-10 there. We were kind of struggling with different things all day mechanically, handling-wise. But, we finished and have a clean truck to take to Daytona 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. Connect with J.F. Electric’s services at www.jfelectric.com.
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. See how Utilitra is powering businesses at www.utilitra.com.
No. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Pérez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Start: 22nd
Stage 1: 18th
Stage 2: 18th
Finish: 17th
Driver Points: 16th
Owner Points: 17th
- Key Takeaway: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the No. 44 team had promising speed at Talladega, but couldn’t catch a break at the end of the race to come away with the result they should have. For his first series start at the track, Pérez de Lara qualified mid-pack but made moves early on. Despite nearly getting cleaned out early on, the rookie climbed inside the top-five, but lost the pack on a green flag pit stop. In the end, the No. 44 crossed the line in 17th.
- Andrés Pérez de Lara’s Post-Race Thoughts: “We had a solid day, but it is kind of frustrating to not have a good result at the end. I think we played it conservative the whole race trying to be there at the end, which we were, but things didn’t fall our way in the last couple of restarts. So, it’s not our best day, but I was definitely happy to finish with the truck all together. I’m ready to focus on Martinsville and Phoenix to make a difference there and chase a really good result. We’ll come back to super speedway racing with more confidence to fight earlier in the race.”
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 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Start: 20th
Stage 1: 22nd
Stage 2: 20th
Finish: 31st
Driver Points: 22nd
Owner Points: 13th
- Key Takeaway: Bayley Currey and the No. 45 team strategized a late push to move up front, but mechanical issues ended their race early. Currey started in 20th and hung around the middle of the pack to let the chaos subside through the first two stages. After overcoming a couple of speeding penalties on pit road, Currey was ready to drive through the field. Unfortunately, the driveshaft snapped under caution and the team went behind the wall, done for the day. They were scored in the 31st position.
- Bayley Currey’s Post-Race Thoughts: “I feel like we put together a good race. We knew we had our plan going into it; we were going to ride and do our deal. It came down to the green flag stop and I left good, but I did feel a slight vibration then. When the caution came out at the end and we pitted, I went to take off again and something went wrong. Basically, the truck arm snapped and made the driveshaft break, which just took us out of contention and ended our day. It sucks because these guys on this DQS Solutions & Staffing, J.F. Electric, and Precision Vehicle Logistics truck worked so dang hard and something out of their control and out of my control breaks. Huge thank you to them who brought me a great truck that had great speed. I think we could have raced for the win there, just not today. We’ll get them next week. ”
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 that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) since 2016. Fielding the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45 trucks, the team has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 200+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. Founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece, the team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra. 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).
