NCTS RACE PREVIEW: NORTH WILKESBORO SPEEDWAY
Event: Faith Fest 250 (250 laps / 156.25 miles)
Round: 15 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: North Wilkesboro Speedway
Location: North Wilkesboro, NC
Date & Time: Saturday, June 18 | 1:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports North Wilkesboro Stats:
NCTS Starts: 9; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 4th (Carson Hocevar, 2023).
- Two Races in One Weekend: For the first time this season, Niece Motorsports will compete in two series at the same racetrack. On Friday night, Connor Hall will take over driving duties of the team’s No. 4 Chevrolet Camaro in the CARS Tour Skyline National Bank 100, and on Saturday, the team will field four Silverados in the Faith Fest 250.
No. 4 Nightclubs Suck Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Donovan Strauss | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Read Donovan’s Bio
- NCTS Debut: 20-year-old Donovan Strauss looks to make his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The Marietta, GA, native has regularly competed in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Series, and won the 2023 U.S. Legends Pro national championship.
- Strauss’ North Wilkesboro Stats:
Donovan Strauss will make his first-career NCTS start at North Wilkesboro on Saturday.
CARS Tour LMSC Starts: 2; Best Finish: 15th (2025).
- Shiplett’s North Wilkesboro Stats:
NCTS Starts: 2; Best Finish: 25th (2025).
- On the Truck: Strauss’ No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Nightclubs Suck, a performance apparel brand which also offers athletic training programs.
- Quoting Strauss: This is a big weekend for you as you make your Truck Series debut. Since you have experience at this track, how well-prepared are you for Saturday?
“The good news for me is I have a lot of laps around North Wilkesboro in the Late Model, so that’s going to help me out a lot. I’ve performed well here in the past and have been working closely with Mike Shiplett on the Chevy simulator, which has been huge in getting me comfortable with how the truck is supposed to drive. I’ve been watching past races as well to see what I can learn and pick up on. It’s definitely going to be a little different from what I’m used to, but I’ve been trying to use every tool I can to my advantage. My goal for this race is to finish on the lead lap, stay clean, minimize my mistakes and show that I can do this. I’m very appreciative to everyone at Nightclubs Suck and Niece Motorsports for this opportunity.”
About Nightclubs Suck: Nightclubs Suck (NC❌) is a performance apparel brand built for endurance athletes who live differently. Founded in 2025 by two triathletes, Ty and Clayton, NC❌ was born out of a simple but powerful idea: that serious athletes shouldn’t have to choose between technical performance and great design. From faster splits to longer distances, we make gear that matches the 24/7 commitment of the endurance lifestyle. For those who earn their Saturday morning PRs on Friday night, this is for you. For those who endure.
No. 42 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Tyler Reif | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
Read Tyler’s Bio
- Reif Returns: After stepping aside for Ben Maier to drive the No. 42 Silverado in Lime Rock, Tyler Reif returns to the seat this weekend in North Wilkesboro. Reif nearly stole the spotlight in his last race at Naval Base Coronado, and is looking for his first top-10 finish on Saturday. Entering this weekend, Reif’s season-best result is a 14th-place finish at Watkins Glen International.
- Reif’s North Wilkesboro Stats:
Tyler Reif will make his first-career NCTS start at North Wilkesboro on Saturday.
CARS Tour LMSC Starts: 1; Best Finish: 14th (2025).
CARS Tour PLM Starts: 1; Best Finish: 16th (2025).
- Polinski’s North Wilkesboro Stats:
Landon Polinski will make his first NCTS start as a crew chief at North Wilkesboro on Saturday.
- On the Truck: Reif’s No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing.
- Recapping Lime Rock: Ben Maier and the Executive Chevrolet team had a sudden end to a promising day in Lime Rock. Maier started the 100-lap race in 15th-place, but had good pace in the opening stage. Nearly missing out on stage points, he settled for 12th in the first stage. Under caution, however, the No. 42 lost fuel pressure and was forced to go behind the wall. Diagnosed to be a wiring issue, Maier was sidelined after losing gear fan functionality. The team was credited with a disappointing 33rd-place finish.
- Owner Points Outlook: Maier’s 33rd-place finish in Lime Rock dropped the No. 42 team to 25th-place in the owner point standings. Heading into North Wilkesboro, the team is 15 points behind Kaulig Racing’s No. 25 team in 24th, and nine points ahead of Rackley W.A.R.’s No. 26 Chevrolet in 26th. With four races remaining until the Chase, the team is 143 points below the cutline.
- Quoting Reif: How prepared are you returning to a track that you’ve had experience on before, given that it was in a different series?
“I think there’s a little bit of carry-over from a truck to a late model here. The biggest thing for me is this is one of the first ovals of the year that I’ve raced at before, so that will be beneficial. I struggled at North Wilkesboro in the CARS Tour races last year, so hopefully I’ll be better this time in the truck. It’s going to be nice to not be blind at the start of practice and have an idea of where I need to be.”
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. 44 BLAC / GoKartMania Academy Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Read Andrés’ Bio
- Pérez de Lara’s North Wilkesboro Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 24th (2023).
- Rogers’ North Wilkesboro Stats:
NCTS Starts: 2; Best Finish: 19th (2023).
- 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.
- CARS Tour Debut: Pérez de Lara will step out of his comfort zone this weekend by entering his first-career CARS Tour Late Model Stock Series race at North Wilkesboro. Despite never racing a Late Model Stock Car before, the Mexico City native has high hopes for Friday night. He will make his debut driving the No. 27 Chevrolet for Tom Usry Racing.
- Recapping Lime Rock: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the DQS Solutions & Staffing team had a solid outing in Lime Rock. Rolling off from 14th-place in qualifying, the No. 44 entered the top-10 and picked up a point in stage one. After making adjustments during the caution break, the sophomore driver was able to climb to fifth in stage two. Pérez de Lara maintained his track position to nab his second top-10 finish of the season, crossing the line scored in seventh-place and tying his season-best result.
- Driver Points Outlook: Pérez de Lara’s solid outing at Lime Rock Park elevated the driver two spots in the point standings to 14th-place. Entering North Wilkesboro, Pérez de Lara is only 10 points behind Brenden Queen in 13th, and is three points ahead of Justin Haley in 15th. With only four races remaining in the regular season, he is currently 31 points behind cutline driver, Tyler Ankrum.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: How big of a challenge is it going to be to make your first CARS Tour race after getting used to how the trucks handle?
“I’m going to take the CARS Tour race as an opportunity to study and learn as much as I can for the truck race, which is the most important thing for me. I’ll obviously look to get a good result in that race, but I’m going to try to take as much away from Friday night as I can to pour into the focus on the truck race on Saturday. North Wilkesboro last year wasn’t really a good race for me, so I’ll try to turn it around this time with Niece Motorsports.”
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. Their 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.
GoKartMania is 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. They also offer birthday parties, team building activities, product launches, and much more.
No. 45 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Landen Lewis | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Read Landen’s Bio
- Lewis’ North Wilkesboro Stats:
Landen Lewis will make his first-career NCTS start at North Wilkesboro on Saturday.
CARS Tour LMSC Starts: 2; Wins: 1 (2025); Poles: 1 (2025); Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2.
- Gould’s North Wilkesboro Stats:
NCTS Starts: 3; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 4th (2023).
- On the Truck: Lewis’ No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who serve as his anchor partners for the season.
- Recapping Lime Rock: Landen Lewis and the J.F. Electric team rallied back from adversity yet again for the second road course race in a row at Lime Rock. Qualifying in sixth-place, Lewis rose to third in the opening stage. While battling for the race lead on a restart in stage two, Lewis was spun off the nose of another competitor and had to fall to the back of the pack. A great strategy call by Phil Gould to flip the stage gave the No. 45 team its track position back entering the final stint, and Lewis held serve in the top-five despite the body damage. Lewis was in position to contend for the race win after keeping his nose clean, racing hard on the final restart of the afternoon. He finished the race as the runner-up, achieving his career-best finish.
- Owner Points Outlook: Lewis’ runner-up finish in Lime Rock vaulted the No. 45 team up three positions to fifth-place in the owner point standings. Ahead of North Wilkesboro, the team is 23 points behind Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet in fourth, and eight points ahead of Front Row Motorsports’ No. 38 team in sixth. With four races left in until the postseason begins, the team has an 86-point buffer over the Chase cutline team.
- Quoting Lewis: How different are the Late Models that you’re used to racing here compared to trucks at North Wilkesboro?
“I think they are different, for sure. I’m not going to say that this weekend is going to feel the same just because of the weight and power aspect, but North Wilkesboro is one of my favorite tracks I’ve ever raced at. I’ve always seemed to run well here, but I’m curious to see the differences in the truck. I think having the ability to run the CARS Tour race the night before is just going to help me be able to progress in the truck. Our J.F. Electric team has given me great trucks all season, so I think we should be pretty good in both races this weekend.”
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 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).
