NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE PREVIEW: MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Event: DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 Powered by Precision Vehicle Logistics (125 laps / 250 miles)
Round: 12 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Michigan International Speedway
Location: Brooklyn, MI
Date & Time: Saturday, June 6 | 1:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Michigan Stats:
NCTS Starts: 12; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 6th (Bayley Currey, 2019).
- It’s the DQS 250 Race Week!: Saturday’s NCTS race at Michigan International Speedway is sponsored by DQS Solutions & Staffing and Precision Vehicle Logistics – both of which are Michigan-based partners who play a big role with the team. It marks the second year in a row that the brands have sponsored the race.
No. 4 Circle B Motorsports Auctions / Comprehensive Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Garrett Mitchell (Cleetus McFarland) | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- McFarland Returns: Hell yeah, brother! Garrett Mitchell, aka ‘Cleetus McFarland’, returns to Niece Motorsports to make his second-career NCTS start this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. McFarland made his series debut with the team in the season opener at Daytona, but was sidelined with a crash early on. He looks to get back on the right track behind the wheel of the No. 4 Silverado on Saturday.
- McFarland’s Michigan Stats:
Cleetus McFarland will make his first start in any series at Michigan International Speedway once he competes in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series race.
- Shiplett’s Michigan Stats:
NCS Starts: 11; Best Finish: 11th (2010).
NOAPS Starts: 7; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 3rd (2015).
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 23rd (2025).
- On the Truck: McFarland’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Circle B Motorsports Auctions and Comprehensive Logistics. His truck will feature an unapologetically American-themed paint scheme, including stars and stripes, paired with a screaming bald eagle down the sides.
- Recapping Nashville: Stefan Parsons and the TCS Bus team ran a solid race all night long in Nashville. With qualifying rained out, the field was set by the metric lineup, with Parsons rolling off from the 13th position. The No. 4 held steadily near the top-15 in the opening two stages, and showed speed throughout the race. After getting off strategy from the field, Parsons elected to take four tires with less than 20 laps to go, but was caught in dirty air. He crossed the finish line in 18th-place with a clean truck.
- Double Duty: In addition to his NCTS obligations, McFarland will get some added track time by competing in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series race for Rette Jones Racing. In his last ARCA start at Talladega, McFarland came home in the runner-up position.
- Fired Up To Fire Engines: McFarland will serve as the Grand Marshal for Saturday’s DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 Powered By Precision Vehicle Logistics. Don’t miss out on this must-see entertainment!
- Quoting McFarland: What are your thoughts on making your second-career Truck Series start this weekend?
“I’m really looking forward to hopping back in the No. 4 truck with all the guys at Niece Motorsports. We didn’t make it too far in Daytona, but I’ve learned a lot about racing on different types of tracks in the months since. I think running the ARCA race on Friday should help prepare me for the truck race on Saturday. These guys were fast here last year, and I’m hoping that I can lean on Ross, Ricky, and Andrés for some pointers. It’s going to be a blast out there driving the Circle B Motorsports Auctions / Comprehensive Logistics Chevy.”
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.
About Comprehensive Logistics: Comprehensive Logistics (CLI) is a full-service inbound-to-manufacturing logistics partner specializing in high-volume, high-velocity, and highly complex operations, including warehouse management, value-added services, sequencing, transportation, and sub-assembly manufacturing. By integrating advanced technology, data-driven insights, and process engineering with experienced teams, CLI delivers high-precision, reliable logistics solutions tailored to evolving customer needs. For more information, please visit complog.com.
No. 42 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
- Stenhouse Jr. Returns: NASCAR Cup Series veteran Ricky Stenhouse Jr. returns to Niece Motorsports for his fifth NCTS start of the season, marking his first time behind the wheel of the No. 42 Silverado. Stenhouse Jr. picked up a ninth-place finish in his last outing with the team at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the No. 4 Chevrolet.
- Stenhouse Jr.’s Michigan Stats:
NCS Starts: 21; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 8th (2017).
NOAPS Starts: 3; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 2nd (2011).
ARCA Starts: 1; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 2nd (2008).
- Polinski’s Michigan Stats:
Landon Polinski will call his first-career race as a crew chief at Michigan on Saturday.
- On the Truck: Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from AutoVentive and Precision Vehicle Logistics, a Detroit-based company which focuses on finished vehicle logistics and transport.
- Recapping Nashville: Tyler Reif and the Comprehensive Logistics team had speed in Nashville, but their night came to an early close. Reif started 14th for the 150-lap race and maintained track position in the opening stage. At the start of stage two, however, Reif made a daring three-wide move on a restart and lost control of his truck. The rookie made significant contact with the outside SAFER barrier, and the damage proved too heavy to continue. The No. 42 team was credited with a 36th-place finish.
- Owner Points Outlook: Reif’s 36th-place finish in Nashville dropped the No. 42 team to 26th-place in the owner point standings. Ahead of the Michigan race, the team is 15 points behind Rackley W.A.R.’s No. 26 Chevrolet in 25th, and 12 points ahead of Kaulig Racing’s No. 14 team in 27th. The team is 130 points below the Chase cutline with seven races remaining in the regular season.
- Quoting Stenhouse Jr.: You’ve about ran for every team in the Niece Motorsports stable this year. Do you think that has helped you get acclimated to the trucks?
“I think it can’t hurt, right? Before this year, I had very little knowledge about truck racing but I’ve had a ton of fun doing it. I think getting the opportunity to work with experienced guys like Phil Gould and Mike Shiplett helped me adapt on how to drive the trucks, and now that I’m working with a relatively new crew chief in Landon Polinski, I think I should be able to help him a little bit since I know what I need to search for from a handling aspect. Michigan is a super fun track and the truck races here play out similar to how our old Cup super speedways used to. I’ve been really looking forward to it and hope to work together with our teammates on Saturday.”
About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.
About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.
No. 44 McLaren Transport Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andres Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara’s Michigan Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 9th (2025).
ARCA Starts: 2; Poles: 2 (2023 & 2024); Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 2nd (2024).
- Rogers’ Michigan Stats:
NCS Starts: 4; Best Finish: 21st (2010).
NOAPS Starts: 6; Best Finish: 11th (2005).
NCTS Starts: 6; Best Finish: 12th (2004).
- On the Truck: Pérez de Lara’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from McLaren Transport, a Michigan-based company which specializes in trucking and logistics. This race will be the company’s first sponsored race of the year.
- Recapping Nashville: The No. 44 team started shotgun on the field in Nashville, and lost a lap early on. Perez de Lara and team fought hard to make up the lost time, and eventually earned the lap back. In the final stage, a strategy call vaulted the No. 44 to the front of the field, and Pérez de Lara nearly walked away with a top-10 finish. After making a nice save, he came home in 14th-place.
- Driver Points Outlook: Pérez de Lara’s 14th-place finish in Nashville elevated the driver two positions in the point standings to 15th-place overall. Entering Michigan, the Mexico City native is only 12 points behind Brenden Queen in 14th, and is three points ahead of 16th. He is currently 47 points behind current Chase cutline driver, Daniel Hemric.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: Do you have any extra nerves about competing this weekend knowing how big of an event it is for your partners?
“There’s a little bit extra pressure of course, but I view it as there’s extra motivation for us. We’ve been working hard to perform well for everyone at our team, DQS, Precision Vehicle Logistics, and McLaren Transport. I’m looking forward to it. Michigan turned into a really good result for me last year; it could have been even better, but I got caught up in some chaos. At the end, we were able to salvage a top-10 finish in a truck that was capable of even more than that. I’m feeling really confident heading into this weekend and I’ll try to represent everyone as best as I can.”
About McLaren Transport: McLaren Transport, a division of DQS Solutions & Staffing, is a leader in automotive logistics, specializing in reliable, safe, and efficient transportation across the U.S. and Canada. Supporting its core transportation services, McLaren also offers warehousing, cross-docking, and supply chain solutions for temperature-sensitive goods. Strategically located near the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the company supports efficient border-crossing for clients across industries. Backed by DQS’s logistics and operational resources, McLaren delivers end-to-end solutions that drive efficiency, strengthen partnerships, and keep the automotive and logistics industry moving forward.
No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
- Chastain’s Last Stand: Saturday’s DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 Powered By Precision Vehicle Logistics will mark Ross Chastain’s final NCTS start of the season with Niece Motorsports. So far this year, he has captured three top-fives for the team, including a best finish of second-place at Darlington Raceway.
- Chastain’s Michigan Stats:
NCS Starts: 8; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 6th (2025).
NOAPS Starts: 7; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 7th (2023).
NCTS Starts: 3; Poles: 1 (2019); Best Finish: 18th (2012).
- Gould’s Michigan Stats:
NOAPS Starts: 6; Top-Fives: 3; Top-10s: 5; Best Finish: 4th (2018).
NCTS Starts: 3; Poles: 1 (2019); Best Finish: 15th (2020).
- On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, a Detroit-based company. DQS delivers customized workforce and operational solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of modern supply chains, backed by years of experience and the ability to deploy large-scale support quickly and efficiently.
- Recapping Nashville: Ross Chastain and the Use Your Melon team contended for the win in Nashville. Despite starting 21st due to the metric lineup, Chastain went to work gaining track position early on. Noting that his truck handled tight, the No. 45 team made several adjustments to help Chastain’s balance in the opening two stages. By the time the final stage began, the team took advantage of cleaner air to maneuver to the front row. A strategy call put his truck in a favorable position, and Chastain was able to capitalize on a fourth-place finish.
- Owner Points Outlook: Chastain’s fourth-place finish in Nashville brought the No. 45 team closer to the front of the owner point standings. Though still positioned in eighth-place overall, the team is only six points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 17 team in seventh. The team is 37 points ahead of ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 team in ninth, and 46 points above the Chase cutline.
- Quoting Chastain: How big of a benefit is it to have experienced teammates to draft with in Michigan?
“Having teammates that I know will pick me up is very beneficial. We’re not drafting like we are in Daytona, but still, having that friendly ally who can help let each of us in line is a big plus. We were fast last year, but still needed to tweak a few things with the truck to be a little bit better. I’m excited to head back to Michigan this weekend knowing we have made those improvements, and I think our DQS Chevy should be fast on Saturday.”
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 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).
