NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY II
Event: Slim Jim 200 (200 laps / 105.2 miles)
Round: 24 of 25 (Playoffs Round of 8)
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Location: Ridgeway, Virginia
Date & Time: Friday, October 24 | 6:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Martinsville Stats: Since 2017, Niece drivers have combined to make 34 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts at Martinsville Speedway. The team has garnered two top-fives and four top-10s, including a runner-up finish with Ross Chastain in fall, 2019. In the spring race, Matt Mills led the team with a 15th-place result.
- Milestone Start: Friday’s Slim Jim 200 will mark the 600th combined start for Niece Motorsports drivers. The team is only behind one active organization, ThorSport Racing, with the most starts in the series.
No. 41 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Conner Jones | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Jones Returns: Conner Jones will make his fifth and final NCTS start of the year with Niece Motorsports on Friday. Jones had previously driven for the team at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, posting a best result of 18th at Bristol.
- Jones’ Martinsville Stats: Jones made his NCTS debut at Martinsville Speedway in spring, 2023. In that race, the Virginian finished 18th. He did not compete in either of the two series’ events here last year, but has also made two starts in the famous Valley Star Credit Union 300 Late Model Stock race.
- Shiplett’s Martinsville Stats: Mike Shiplett has called three NCTS races at Martinsville and picked up his track-best finish of 15th in the spring race while working with Matt Mills. Shiplett has also made one NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start and 12 Cup Series starts here throughout his career.
- On the Truck: Jones’ No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing. This will be the company’s first time joining on as a primary sponsor for the 19-year-old.
- Double Duty: On Thursday, Jones will compete in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series race before he straps in his No. 41 truck. Jones has attempted two races with the tour this year – North Wilkesboro and Richmond.
- Quoting Jones: What are some differences of driving a truck and a late model around Martinsville?
“The trucks and the late models are pretty different here. The weight distribution is similar, but outside of that, they’re pretty opposite. The pedals are a lot softer in the late model stocks compared to the trucks, and the brake pedal is especially stiffer in a truck. I’d say the late model stock turns quicker because it’s a lot lighter and the chassis are built different. They react quicker, but they’re both fun to race around Martinsville.”
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. 42 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
- Mills’ Martinsville Stats: Matt Mills has competed in three NCTS races at Martinsville, all of which came while driving for Niece Motorsports. Mills earned his track-best finish back in the spring race where he crossed the line in 15th. He has also made six NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts here, finishing as high as 18th in spring, 2022.
- Polinski’s Martinsville Stats: Landon Polinski will make his first NCTS start as a crew chief at Martinsville Speedway on Friday.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric, who will be featured as a co-branded primary sponsor along with DQS Solutions & Staffing and Precision Vehicle Logistics.
- Recapping Talladega: 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.
- Points Rundown: Mills lost one position in the points standings after Talladega, now down to 18th-place. Entering Martinsville, Mills is six points behind Dawson Sutton in 17th, and 23 points ahead of Stewart Friesen in 19th.
- Quoting Mills: How important is it to manage your brakes here at a track like Martinsville?
“For us, it’s more about managing the heat in your right-front tire, so that kind of plays into managing your brakes. You need to keep temperature out of your right-front to keep your long-run speed up. I think we have a good opportunity to build off what we ran with in the spring, and hopefully get a better finish in our J.F. Electric Chevy.”
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 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Pérez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara’s Martinsville Stats: Andrés Pérez de Lara made his first start at Martinsville back in the spring of this year, and in that event, the rookie picked up his best-career NCTS finish in seventh-place.
- Rogers’ Martinsville Stats: Wally Rogers has called 13 NCTS races at Martinsville, including highlights of one top-five and four top-10 finishes. Rogers finished third here in 2005 while working with Ron Hornaday, and was 23rd in the spring with Matt Gould. He has also made one NXS start and nine Cup Series starts at ‘The Paperclip’.
- On the Truck: Pérez de Lara’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Telcel, a Mexican telecommunications giant, along with associate partners, Claro and Infinitum.
- Recapping Talladega: 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.
- Points Rundown: Pérez de Lara dropped one position in points after Talladega, where he is now shown in 16th-place. The rookie is six points behind Matt Crafton in 15th, and 30 points ahead of Dawson Sutton in 17th heading into the penultimate race of the year.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: You got your best-career finish here back in the spring, so what does that do for your confidence coming back?
“That run in the spring definitely helps our motivation, but I feel like so many things have changed this year. I’m in a really good spot with the whole No. 44 team. We’ve been having some good results, so we just have to put everything together and go execute. I feel like this is a good track for me, and a good track for the team, so we are looking for a really good result. Hopefully we can have a better run than we even had in the spring.”
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
- Currey’s Martinsville Stats: Bayley Currey made his NCTS debut at Martinsville in 2017, and has competed in a total of three series races here. Currey’s best finish at the track is 16th, which came last October. In five NXS starts at ‘The Paperclip’, Currey’s best result was 17th in spring, 2022.
- Gould’s Martinsville Stats: Phil Gould has called nine NCTS races at Martinsville, resulting in two top-fives and three top-10 finishes. Gould’s best result – a runner up finish, was picked up in the fall race of 2019 with Ross Chastain, and his team finished 26th in the spring with Kaden Honeycutt.
- On the Truck: Currey’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, who will be featured as a co-branded primary sponsor along with J.F. Electric and Precision Vehicle Logistics.
- Recapping Talladega: 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.
- Points Rundown: After falling out of the race early in Talladega, the No. 45 team slipped two spots in the points standings to 13th-place. Entering Martinsville, the team is five points behind Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team in 12th, and is 53 points ahead of ThorSport Racing’s No. 13 team. Currey remains 22nd in driver points.
- Quoting Currey: Your team had a great run going for them in the spring before a late-race crash, so do you think they’ll bring a similar setup this time?
“Yeah, I think for sure. In the simulator, we basically went with what they left with in the spring and maybe made a few tweaks here or there to try and get a little bit better. Obviously, Martinsville is really tough; it’s really close quarters and easy to get tore up. So, I think if we don’t do that, and stay out of trouble, we’ll be alright. I think we should come home with a good finish in our DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet.”
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).
