NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE PREVIEW: WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
Event: Bully Hill Vineyards 167 at The Glen (72 laps / 167.4 miles)
Round: 8 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Watkins Glen International
Location: Watkins Glen, New York
Date & Time: Friday, May 8 | 4:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Watkins Glen Stats:
NOAPS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 31st (Victor Gonzales Jr., 2018).
NCTS Starts: 6; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 8th (Connor Zilisch, 2025).
- Double Take: For the second time in three races, Niece Motorsports will field two full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers in the NCTS race on Friday. Shane van Gisbergen takes over the No. 4 Chevrolet, while Ross Chastain remains in the No. 45 Silverado. Both Trackhouse Racing drivers will pull a ‘triple-duty’ weekend and also compete in Saturday’s NOAPS race.
- Pit Road Gladiators: Niece Motorsports pit crews continued their hot streak in Texas last week, proving why they are some of the best in the business. The No. 44 team put up the first, second, and fourth-fastest four-tire stops of the night, with the No. 45 team also completing two stops inside the top-10 as well.
No. 4 Circle B Motorsports Auctions Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Shane van Gisbergen | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Welcome Back, SVG: World class road course ace Shane van Gisbergen returns to Niece Motorsports for his second-career NCTS start. In 2023, van Gisbergen made his series debut with the team at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park – which marked his first NASCAR oval race. Now, he looks to return to the series at a track he’s won at before.
- van Gisbergen’s Watkins Glen Stats:
NCS Starts: 2; Wins: 1 (2025); Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 2.
NOAPS Starts: 2; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 5th (2024).
- Shiplett’s Watkins Glen Stats:
NCS Starts: 5; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 4th (2010).
NOAPS Starts: 7; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 3rd (2016).
NCTS Starts: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 9th (2025).
- On the Truck: van Gisbergen’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Circle B Diecast. Circle B Diecast, originally known as Plan B Sales, has been a longtime sponsor in the sport. Team partners DQS Solutions & Staffing and J.F. Electric will both appear on the No. 4 truck as well.
- Pre-Order Now: Circle B Diecast is now offering van Gisbergen’s No. 4 Silverado diecast replicas for pre-orders. Fans can visit the Circle B website now to pre-order the truck in both 1:24 and 1:64 scale versions.
- Quoting van Gisbergen: What are you expecting in the Truck at Watkins Glen? Especially since your only Truck start was on a small oval in 2023.
“It should be cool! It will be my first time doing all three series. I went to Niece (Motorsports) last week and it’s a brand-new truck. It’s cool seeing trucks get built like that and putting in the steering column, you know. It’s all kind of customized to me and how I want it. It’s really cool to go through that process with the team. It will be interesting to see how it goes and see how that race plays out. It’s obviously a lot shorter, but you still have the stages and have to go through the restarts. Hopefully it’s fun and leads to more. I’m going to be competitive at road courses, but I’d love to do more at ovals too, and get that learning process going.”
You said the Truck is customized to you. What are you looking for in the purpose-built Truck?
“When I drove it at IRP, I remember the dash was in my knees and I was hunched over. It was a really small cockpit. I guess they had a bit of a heads up, Cleetus (McFarland) drove there, so it’s already been set for a bigger guy. It’s cool customizing everything, the steering, the pedals. They’ve made full custom pedals so I can right foot brake. It’s awesome the effort they are going through to make a fast truck.”
About Circle B Diecast: Circle B Diecast, originally known as Plan B Sales, was founded in 2010 and started as a Lionel die-cast and Chase Authentics apparel wholesale distributor. The Concord, N.C. based company has grown into the largest independent racing collectibles distributor in the United States. Circle B Diecast offers both retail and wholesale customers a vast array of products through their website, www.circlebdiecast.com.
No. 42 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Tyler Reif | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
- Reif Returns: Tyler Reif will make his fourth NCTS start of the season with Niece Motorsports at Watkins Glen International. Reif’s most recent outing with the team came at Bristol Motor Speedway where he finished 34th after getting involved in a crash.
- Reif’s Watkins Glen Stats:
ARCA Starts: 1; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 2nd (2025).
- Polinski’s Watkins Glen Stats:
Landon Polinski will call his first-career race as a crew chief at Watkins Glen on Friday.
- On the Truck: Reif’s No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from J.F. Electric, which has primarily sponsored the No. 45 team this year. J.F. Electric is a commercial electrical contractor based in Edwardsville, Illinois.
- Recapping Texas: Conner Jones and the Comprehensive Logistics team had a tough night in Texas. Jones qualified 16th for the 250-mile race and were consistent during the opening stage. With a lap to go in the second stage, however, Jones cut a right-front tire down which necessitated a green flag pit stop. The No. 42 team made several pit stops to repair the damage and lost many laps in the process. Late in the race, Jones was an innocent bystander who became involved in a hard crash in turn four. His race ended early in 33rd-place.
- Owner Points Outlook: Following Conner Jones’ crash at Texas, the No. 42 team dropped one position in the owner points standings to 27th-place. Entering Watkins Glen, the team is one point behind ThorSport Racing’s No. 13 team in 26th, and is currently five points ahead of Kaulig Racing’s No. 14 team in 28th.
- Quoting Reif: How do you think your road course skills stack up compared to the field this weekend?
“I feel pretty good going to Watkins Glen. I think that we’ll have a lot of raw speed across the board with my teammates. We ran really well there last year in the ARCA race and probably should’ve won it, but I made a mistake on the last lap. I think we’ll unload quick and qualify well with our J.F. Electric Chevy. I might lack a little bit of passing and racing skills on the road course compared to SVG, Connor (Zilisch), and Ross (Chastain), but I think after being able to follow them for a couple laps and getting to learn and watch them race, we’ll be right there and should have a good shot at the win.”
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.
No. 44 BLAC / GoKartMania Academy Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andres Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara’s Watkins Glen Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 21st (2025).
ARCA Starts: 2; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 4th (2024).
- Rogers’ Watkins Glen Stats:
NCS Starts: 4; Best Finish: 17th (2012).
NOAPS Starts: 4; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 7th (2007).
NCTS Starts: 2; Best Finish: 30th (2025).
- 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 Texas: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Acceptance Insurance team appeared to have a clean run going in Texas but got swept away in a late-race crash. Pérez de Lara qualified the highest out of his teammates in 15th-place but fought the handling on his truck which made it difficult to maintain track position. The No. 44 pit crew made several adjustments throughout the race and kept him in the hunt for a top-10 finish, but he was forced into the wall twice by his fellow competitors and ultimately had too much damage to finish. He was credited with a 30th-place result.
- Driver Points Outlook: Following Pérez de Lara’s crash in Texas, the driver of the No. 44 lost some ground in the points standings. He remains 17th overall, but faces a 40-point deficit to current Chase cutline driver, Stewart Friesen. Pérez de Lara is nine points behind Grant Enfinger in 16th, and six points ahead of Dawson Sutton in 18th.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: Last year, you had a shot at contending for the win at this track. You’ve got to feel pretty good about returning here, right?
“Yeah, I’m excited about going back to road course racing. The No. 44 team has been working hard putting a really good truck together for that one, and it’s going to be a very competitive field. It should be a good test of our speed on the road courses. We’re just trying to get some good momentum going our way since the last few races haven’t been that great. I’m hoping we can get a solid result with our BLAC / GoKartMania Academy Chevy and starting a good momentum streak.”
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. Our 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.
We’re 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. We also offer birthday parties, team building activities, product launches, and much more.
No. 45 Protect Your Melon New York Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
- Chastain’s Watkins Glen Stats:
NCS Starts: 7; Poles: 1 (2024); Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 4th (2024).
NOAPS Starts: 8; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 4th (2023).
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 30th (2025).
- Gould’s Watkins Glen Stats:
NOAPS Starts: 6; Top-10s: 4; Best Finish: 8th (twice – 2015 & 2018).
NCTS Starts: 2; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 8th (2025).
- On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee which promotes the Protect Your Melon campaign.
- Recapping Texas: Ross Chastain and the TXAPA / J.F. Electric team contended for the race lead in Texas but had to limp home after sustaining damage from contact with other competitors. Chastain started 23rd, but quickly sliced his way through the pack in the opening stage. The No. 45 team made several adjustments to help the balance of the truck, but it lacked top-end speed due to the damage. Chastain was nearly spun in turn four during the final stage, but held on to his truck and crossed the finish line in 12th-place.
- Owner Points Outlook: Chastain’s 12th-place finish in Texas dropped the No. 45 team one position in the owner points standings to third-place. Heading into Watkins Glen, the team is 12 points out of the lead, and 10 points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 11 team in second place. They have a four point lead on Front Row Motorsports’ No. 38 team in fourth, along with a 35-point buffer over the Chase cutline.
- Quoting Chastain: You were pretty fast here last year until you ran into the fuel pickup issue, so are you optimistic for this weekend’s race?
“Yeah, absolutely. I love Watkins Glen, and I feel like the truck fits that track well. There is a lot of on-throttle time up through the esses, and I thought we had a shot last year. We definitely had a top-couple truck until we had the fuel issue, so I’d love to go back there and see what we’ve got this time around with our Protect Your Melon Silverado.”
About The New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee: The New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) coordinates traffic safety activities in the state and shares useful, timely information about traffic safety and the state’s highway safety grant program.
The Committee is comprised of thirteen agencies who have missions related to transportation and safety. The GTSC is chaired by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles and acts as the state’s official liaison with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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).
