NCTS RACE RECAP: MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
Event: Black’s Tire 200 (200 laps / 105.2 miles)
Round: 24 of 25 (The Chase)
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Location: Ridgeway, VA
Date & Time: Friday, October 30 | 6:00 PM ET
No. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Start: 13th | Stage 1: 9th | Stage 2: 9th
Finish: 6th | Driver Points: 15th | Owner Points: 21st
- Key Takeaway: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Telcel team managed a great race in Martinsville, resulting in their best finish of the season. Pérez de Lara rolled off the starting line from 13th, but it didn’t take him long to advance into the top-10. He stayed consistent by finishing ninth in both of the opening two stages, and continued to move forward as the laps clicked off. Everything went to plan for the No. 44 team, and the speed was reflected in the end result. Pérez de Lara was thrilled as he picked up his best-career finish in sixth-place.
- Andrés Pérez de Lara’s Post-Race Thoughts:
Interviewer: Andrés Pérez, sixth-place on the night. It looked like you might get up there and play spoiler against the Chase guys. What was clicking for you tonight?
“Yeah, it was a very solid day. Obviously, we had a really, really fast truck since the get-go in practice and qualifying. We battled some brake issues throughout the whole night, but I think we just managed it really well and still had some really good pace. We just executed. I feel like this season, and even last year, we’ve had some solid races that we didn’t finish where we deserved, so finally, I’m just happy to finish where we deserved.”
Interviewer: This race, there was caution after caution at the end of it. How do you stay in a rhythm and still perform at a high level when it was ending like that?
”Obviously, cautions bring a lot of chaos in the restarts and stuff like that, but we just stayed out of the trouble. We have nothing to lose in the Chase standings, but we are trying to race smart. Like I said, we had big pace in the truck, so that really helped. So yeah, I think overall it was a really solid day. I was not trying to get in anybody’s way, but I was also not giving an inch. Just a solid day, and hopefully we can finish with this momentum in Homestead.”
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 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Landen Lewis | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Start: 12th | Stage 1: 11th | Stage 2: 18th
Finish: 19th | Driver Points: 20th | Owner Points: 10th
- Key Takeaway: Landen Lewis and the J.F. Electric team had a character-building race in Martinsville. Lewis qualified the highest out of the team in 12th-place, and fought just outside the top-10 in stage one. Lewis fell back in stage two after wrestling the handling on his truck, and nearly had to come to a complete stop to avoid a crash in turn one. The No. 45 was issued a restart violation penalty in the final stage which prompted Lewis to make a pass-through under green. After getting the free pass, Lewis was able to get back on the lead lap during the last caution, which allowed him to cross the finish line in 19th-place.
- Landen Lewis’ Post-Race Thoughts: “We had an up-and-down race tonight. I just have to clean up a lot of mistakes on my end. We lost some track position early, and it just kind of honestly all fell apart from there. I got back in the pack and turned into a ping pong ball. We almost rebounded into the top-10, but there was a wreck in front of me and I had to stop to not pile in, and lost all the track position again. Overall, I just need to clean up my mistakes and be better for Homestead to try and finish the year off strong. Thank you to everyone at J.F. Electric, Niece Motorsports, and Team Chevy for their support.”
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. 42 Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Tyler Reif | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
Start: 16th | Stage 1: 17th | Stage 2: 19th
Finish: 27th | Driver Points: 30th | Owner Points: 24th
Read Tyler’s Bio
- Key Takeaway: Tyler Reif and the Utilitra team experienced a roller coaster of a night in Martinsville. After qualifying 16th, Reif held serve in stage one and found his footing in stage one. Things took a turn at the conclusion of the second stage when Reif spun off the nose of another competitor in turn four. The No. 42 team pressed on and was able to rally back inside the top-10 after dodging a couple of crashes. With less than 20 laps to go, however, Reif found himself facing the wrong direction on the backstretch with significant damage. NASCAR officials then dealt Reif a reckless driving penalty for the contact, which relegated him to a 27th-place finish.
- Tyler Reif’s Post-Race Thoughts:
Interviewer: First off, do you think that penalty was necessary, or do you think that you didn’t deserve that?
“Well, I think from mine and the team’s perspective, we’re always going to say no, right? I think we’re all in over our head and that’s what 25 to go at Martinsville produces – especially when you’re running really good. I think we were right up to ninth there before that last caution and had a good shot at a top-10, maybe top-eight. I don’t know, we had a good night and nobody gave us room there. It’s not like I tried to wreck him, but the No. 25 (Carson Ferguson) drove in there five car lengths, maybe six car lengths too deep and completely missed the corner and put us both in the asphalt. I got it to turn before he did, and I got into him, but he just didn’t save it. I probably picked him up a little too aggressive, but nothing they didn’t do different the 30 laps prior.”
Interviewer: Did you guys talk afterwards, or no?
”Me and Ty Norris talked a little bit. Like you said, it’s just racing at Martinsville and it is what it is. Frustrations and tempers are high.”
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. 4 Niece Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Conner Jones | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Start: 21st | Stage 1: 25th | Stage 2: 36th
Finish: 36th | Driver Points: 41st | Owner Points: 33rd
- Key Takeaway: Conner Jones and the Niece Equipment team had an early end to their race in Martinsville. Jones started the 200-lap race in 21st, gained a few positions early, and elected to make a pit stop before the end of the first stage. With a handful of laps remaining in stage two, the No. 4 truck began to drop back with a rear gear issue. Jones drove the truck behind the wall on lap 95 and was out of the race in 36th-place.
- Conner Jones’ Post-Race Thoughts: “We had a pretty good truck tonight. I qualified in the back, and this place is all about track position. It’s hard to fight your way back through, and it just sucks to have a mechanical failure. The spotter was saying that we were running top-10 lap times, so maybe we could have finished there if we didn’t have that happen.”
About Niece Equipment: For over 40 years, Niece Equipment has provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Our reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. Each of our water and fuel/lube trucks are engineered with quality and durability in mind. Our capability ranges from 2,000 gallon water trucks to 12,000 gallon water towers. The fuel/lube trucks we offer range from 600 to 4,000 gallons.
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).
