NextEra Energy 250 | Daytona International Speedway Race Advance

Team: No. 44 FHE/GR Energy Services Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: James Buescher

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport, @JamesBuescher

Buescher on Racing at Daytona: “I’m very thankful for another great opportunity for me to get behind the wheel of a Niece Motorsports Silverado, especially at Daytona,” said Buescher. “Being away from the sport for over five years heading to Texas last fall, I went in with realistic expectations. I was able to knock the rust off and accomplish my goals. I am looking forward to kicking the season off with a great team like Niece Motorsports and if all goes well, we’ll find ourselves fighting for the checkered flag with our FHE, GR Energy Services Chevy Silverado.”

Buescher at Daytona: The Texas native has five Truck Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, with his best finish of ninth coming in 2011.

Buescher is a winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway, bringing home the trophy in 2012. He also has a runner-up finish at the track, coming in 2013.

In two ARCA Racing Series starts at the 2.5-mile track, he has a win in 2009 and a pole and top-five result in 2010.

On the Truck: The No. 44 Chevrolet will race with support from FHE and GR Energy Services. The FracLock system, manufactured by FHE, is a combination of new technologies that makes well sites safer, more efficient, and lowers the cost of operations. This innovation redefines frac.

GR Energy Services is a completions solutions company offering cased hole wireline logging and perforating services to the oil and gas industry. Using GR’s industry leading proprietary ZIP Intervention Platform technology, customers are increasing the efficiency of their operations, lowering overall costs, and increasing the profitability of their wells. Through innovation and collaboration, GR is committed safely deliver a more profitable well.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Team: No. 45 Circle B Diecast Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Brett Moffitt

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @Brett_Moffitt

Moffitt on Racing at Daytona: “I’ve enjoyed getting to know Phil, Cody and everyone at Niece Motorsports over the offseason,” said Moffitt. “They have a great group of people and I’m excited to be a part of it. We all have high expectations for this season. Our CircleBDiecast.com Chevrolet looks great, I can’t thank them enough for all of their support. The offseason always feels too long – we are ready to get on track.”

Moffitt at Daytona: Friday night’s race at Daytona International Speedway marks Moffitt’s fifth start at the 2.5-mile track.

Moffitt raced in both Xfinity Series races last season at Daytona for OUR Motorsports.

The Iowa-native also has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona, coming in 2015.

On the Truck: The No. 45 Chevrolet will carry the CircleBDiecast.com colors at Daytona International Speedway on Friday night.

Plan B Sales was founded in 2010 with the goal of bringing service to dealers that carry licensed motorsports product. Plan B Sales started as a Lionel diecast and Chase Authentics apparel distributor. Over the last few years Plan B Sales has grown to be the largest account for Lionel servicing the motorsports market and has expanded product offerings.

Plan B Sales has quickly become the choice of dealers for a stocking one-stop distributor. Its product offering also includes Auto World, Greenlight Collectibles, BrandArt and are the exclusive distributor for University of Racing product lines.

In September of 2020, Plan B Sales decided to split its wholesale and retail business into two different websites to better serve each segment of customers, effectively launching CircleBDiecast.com.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Team: No. 42 Scott’s/GM Parts Now Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Carson Hocevar

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Racing at Daytona: “I’ve been ready to go racing since we left Phoenix,” said Hocevar. “I’m really excited and thankful to my partners, Scott’s and GM Parts Now, along with everyone at Niece Motorsports for the opportunity this season. I learned a lot last year and am looking forward to building on that this season, starting this weekend at Daytona.”

Hocevar at Daytona: Friday night’s race at Daytona International Speedway marks Hocevar’s first start at the 2.5-mile track. Hocevar tested an ARCA Racing Series car at the superspeedway in January in preparation for Friday’s race.

On the Truck: The No. 42 Chevrolet will carry the Scott’s and GM Parts Now colors at Daytona International Speedway.

Scott’s Sport Cards, Coins & Jewelry carries the largest selection of high-quality estate jewelry, rare coins, and anything in between in Southwest Michigan. Since 1972, Scott Hocevar has been collecting, buying, and selling gold and silver jewelry, coins, and bullion. Having earned a reputation for offering fair prices, working with Scott’s allows customers to be confident that they are getting the best, most current prices available when buying gold and silver, estate jewelry, and sports memorabilia.

GM Parts Now is the go-to online auto parts store for OEM car parts. Whether customers are looking to repair or customize an old or new vehicle, GM Parts Now has what you need. GM Parts Now offers car parts and GM accessories for a variety of years, makes and models.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Friday, February 12
Track: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, 2.5-mile superspeedway
Race: 1 of 22
Event: NextEra Energy 250 (100 laps, 250 miles)

Schedule
Thursday, February 11
Final Practice: 5:35 – 6:25 p.m. ET
Friday, February 12
Qualifying: 3:10 p.m. ET
Race: 7:30 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Monster Energy Ford F-150

Deegan’s No. 1 Monster Energy Ford F-150 will have owners points from last year’s No. 17 Truck Series entry.
The 19-year-old driver will have veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. calling the shots from atop the pit box for her rookie Truck Series season. Additionally, spotter TJ Majors will be Deegan’s eyes in the sky for her first full-time season in the Truck Series.

The California native has one Truck Series start on her resume. In October of last year, she started 34th at Kansas Speedway and finished 16th. The result was the best finish by a female competitor in her first series start.
The Ford driver has one previous start at Daytona’s 2.5-mile high-banked oval. In 2020, she started seventh in the ARCA Menards Series and finished runner-up in the 80-lap event.
In preparation for the season, Deegan has spent several hours at the simulator, practicing pit stops and visiting the race shop.

Deegan on her 2021 season:

Is there anything you can take from your ARCA and K&N experience over to the Truck Series?

“The ARCA and K&N cars are so different from the trucks, from what I learned at Kansas last year. I don’t even really know what to compare those cars to. The Kansas truck race last year was really beneficial to me going into this year. I learned how different the truck is going to drive from what I’m used to in ARCA and K&N. It was nice to get one race under my belt before this season starts.”

What are some goals and expectations you have for yourself going into this season?

“I think its more about earning respect on the track, earning the respect of other people in the garage instead of just having statistical goals. I’m sure it will be a big learning year for me and that I will have tough moments, but taking those moments and learning from them will be key.”

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

Gray is reunited with crew chief Shane Wilson and spotter Kevin Hamlin for a second consecutive season. The trio will look to build on the foundation they established in Tanner’s 2020 rookie season.
The 21-year-old has two career starts at Daytona both coming during 2020 speedweeks in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and ARCA Menards Series.

Survival is the name of the game for Gray at Daytona as both of his superspeedway starts last season were cut short by multi-vehicle incidents.

Gray will pull double duty this week as, in addition to his NCWTS duties, he will take the helm of the No. 17 Ripper Coffee Ford Fusion in the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire with the ARCA Menards Series on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET.

The New Mexico native earned four top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 2020 with a career-best finish of third three times – once each at Michigan International Speedway, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.

Gray on Daytona: “I am really looking forward to Daytona and another opportunity to learn this style of racing. I have only been able to run a handful of superspeedway races so far in my career between ARCA and the Camping World Truck Series, and honestly just haven’t had much luck in any of them. Last season we were running near the top-10 and got caught up in a big wreck, so the goal this year is to learn as much as I can and survive until the end, and hopefully that gives us a chance to win.”

David Gilliland, No. 17 Black’s Tire and Auto Service Ford F-150

Gilliland will run the Black’s Tire and Auto Service livery for his Daytona attempt in the No. 17 Ford F-150. Black’s Tire and Auto Service began their partnership with Gilliland in 2015.

Last year, Gilliland made two Truck Series starts and earned a best finish of 12th. In total, he currently has 17 Truck Series starts spanning six years.

Gilliland has three Truck Series starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway and earned the pole position in his 2018 start. His best finish at Daytona in the Truck Series is sixth, captured in 2015.

Gilliland co-owns David Gilliland Racing with businessman Johnny Gray. An ownership change over the offseason resulted in a rebranding of the Truck Series team from DGR-Crosley to David Gilliland Racing.
Click here for Gilliland’s career statistics.

Gilliland on Daytona: “It is always special to reunite with Black’s Tire and Auto Service and to be able to do it at Daytona makes it even sweeter. We will have to make sure we lay down a good qualifying lap to lock into the race, but I am confident and excited to be able to compete in one of our DGR Ford F-150 trucks.”

Team: No. 40 Marquis Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Ryan Truex

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @Ryan_Truex

Truex on Racing at Daytona: “I’m ready to get this season started,” said Truex.  “I’m looking forward to working with Niece Motorsports again this season and am really excited about the consistency that will come with racing the full schedule.  I’ve spent some time in the shop this offseason and have seen how hard everyone is working to get our Chevrolets ready for Daytona.  I feel confident that we will have a strong Marquis Chevrolet.”

Truex at Daytona: Truex has four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, with two top-five finishes.  His best finish was a runner-up result coming in 2016.

The Mayetta, New Jersey native has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 2.5-mile track, with his best finish of seventh coming in 2018.

He also has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona, coming in 2014.

On the Truck: The No. 40 Chevrolet will carry the Marquis colors at Daytona International Speedway.

Marquis, an employee-owned company founded in 1980, offers creative and innovative designs that provide the ultimate soaking experience, cost less to operate, and require the least amount of maintenance.  Marquis spas are designed with cutting-edge features for supreme comfort and long-lasting enjoyment.  Marquis is proud to craft a spa designed to enhance health and well-being.

About Niece Motorsports: 

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece.  In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.  Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices.  Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry.  Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Fire Alarm Services Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: NextEra Energy 250, Race 1 of 22, 100 Laps – 20/20/60; 250 Miles
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: Feb. 12, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’check’ the Facts

• John Hunter Nemechek will make his much anticipated Kyle Busch Motorsports debut driving the No. 4 Fire Alarm Services Tundra Friday night in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-opening event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
• Nemechek is a six-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 102 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, the second-generation driver has compiled two poles, 609 laps led, 28 top-five and 50 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.2. The North Carolina native qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017. He was voted the series most popular driver in 2015.
• The second-generation driver has made three starts in Camping World Truck Series action at Daytona, with a best result of seventh coming in the 2017 event. He finished 11th last year in his first career Daytona 500 and equaled that finish in the August Cup Series event at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. Nemechek also has two NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the World Center of Racing, with an eighth-place finish in the 2019 season-opening event being his best result.
• The 23-year-old driver produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.
• Eric Phillips returns to KBM to lead the No. 4 team this season. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. His 37 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 27 of those coming while at KBM. Owner-driver Kyle Busch collected his organization’s lone Truck Series victory at Daytona with Phillips atop the pit box in 2014.
• Fire Alarm Services, a one-stop shop safety company with a proven track record of providing excellent service for over 20 years, will adorn the hood of Nemechek’s No. 4 Tundra for eight events on Camping World Truck Series schedule in 2021. Mobil 1, the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, will be the primary sponsor for the No. 4 team next week when teams return to Florida take on the road course at Daytona.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

Are you looking forward to being back in the Camping World Truck Series this year?
“I definitely am looking forward to being back in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year. I am looking forward to getting things kicked off this weekend at Daytona with our KBM Fire Alarm Services Toyota Tundra. I am looking forward to getting the year started and hopefully coming home with a truck covered in confetti!”

What does it mean to have a sponsor like Fire Alarm Services supporting your career?
“I can’t say thank you enough to Fire Alarm Services, Shannon and Connie, and everyone that is involved for having my back for so many years back when I started truck racing quite a few years ago from moving up to the Xfinity and Cup series and now back to the Truck Series. It’s something that we didn’t anticipate coming, but they want to win as much as I do. We are here for wins this season. Hopefully, we can get them to victory lane like we have in the past in almost every series and bring them home a championship come Phoenix.”

Did you set any goals for this season?
“There are definitely some internal goals. I don’t want to publicize those goals. The goal is to obviously win races and be a contender for the championship come Phoenix for our finale. Hopefully, we can accomplish all that, get as many wins as possible, and be a contender each week.”

What does it take to be successful at Daytona?
“I think the biggest thing to be successful is to survive. You must be able to survive and be there at the end to have a shot to win it. If you don’t have a truck or anything capable of running at the end of the race, then you don’t have a shot to win it. You must make the right moves. You must communicate well with Eric (Phillips, crew chief) and Tony (Hirschman, spotter) up on the spotter stand to see how the race plays out. It’s going to be hairy. I feel like it always is. It’s not if there is going to be a big one, but when. We have to get through the big one and hope everything turns out the right way for us.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

• Six-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 102 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 609 laps led, 28 top-five and 50 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.2.
• Qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017.
• Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.
• Across 51 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled one win (Kansas Speedway, 10/20/18), one pole, 225 laps led, 12 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.6.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Fire Alarm Services Tundra:
KBM-51: The No. 4 Fire Alarm Services team will unload KBM-51 for Friday’s season-opening event at Daytona. Christian Eckes captured the pole with this Tundra in the 2019 Daytona race. The truck’s best finish was a third-place result with Riley Herbst at Talladega in 2019.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected one win, three poles, 102 laps led, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 17.1 across 28 starts at Daytona. Owner-driver Kyle Busch picked up the team’s lone victory at the 2.5-mile tri-oval in dramatic fashion in the 2014 season opener, finishing .016 seconds ahead of fellow Toyota competitor Timothy Peters.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (80) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
• The No. 4 has 11 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.