Team Stats & Notes

• Niece Motorsports Charlotte Stats: Since 2017, Niece drivers have made 23 combined starts at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway. The team has accrued four top-fives and eight top-10 results over the years, including a race win in 2022 with Ross Chastain.
• Supporting a Great Cause: As Memorial Day nears, Niece Motorsports is actively raising funds for Wreaths Across America – a charitable organization that remembers the fallen, honors those who serve, and teaches children the value of freedom. To contribute to the cause, please visit this link.
  No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
  Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
  Matt Mills Racing
  @MattMillsRacing
  @MattMillsRacing
  Website
• Mills’ Charlotte Stats: Matt Mills has competed in four NCTS races held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Last year, Mills earned his best-career finish at the 1.5-mile track with an impressive fourth-place result. Mills has also made four NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts at this track with a best finish of 20th.
• Shiplett’s Charlotte Stats: Mike Shiplett has called one prior NCTS race at Charlotte, where he finished 14th last year with Bret Holmes. Shiplett has visited victory lane on two occasions here, first in 2007 with Kasey Kahne and second in 2017 with Alex Bowman – both in NXS competition. In 11 NXS starts, his drivers earned three top-fives and five top-10 results. Shiplett has also competed in 11 Cup Series races at the track, finishing as high as fifth in 2011.
• On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who will serve as his anchor partners for the entire 25-race season.
• Patriotic Paint Scheme: Mills’ truck will sport a new look on Friday’s race as the team unveils a patriotic-themed version of the J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet. With bright, shining stars draped down the sides and carrying onto the bed tops, this paint scheme stands out from the crowd.
• Recapping North Wilkesboro: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team fought hard at North Wilkesboro, but weren’t able to get the finish they had hoped for. Mills started the 250-lap race in 16th, but slid back early. After taking the wave-around, the team got back onto the lead lap in the middle of the race, but lacked track position to go forward. Mills crossed the finish line in 25th-place.
• Points Rundown: Mills remains in 18th-place in the championship points standings following North Wilkesboro. Heading into race 11 at Charlotte, Mills is only two points behind Connor Mosack in 17th, with a one-point gap above Dawson Sutton in 19th.
• Quoting Mills: You earned your best-career finish in this race last year, so how is your confidence level coming back?

“Charlotte has always been one of my favorite tracks. I’ve felt that we have always had speed whenever we race at this track, whether that be in trucks or Xfinity cars. I enjoy racing close to home, and it’s always a big weekend for Niece Motorsports on Memorial Day weekend. Since it’s such a special week, there’s extra motivation for sure. Being that it is one of my favorites, I have more confidence going into it, and that’s one of the biggest tools to help us.”

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 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. 44 North Carolina Department of Transportation Protect Your Melon Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Ross Chastain Racing
@RossChastain
@RossChastain
Website

• Chastain Returns: Ross Chastain will make his second NCTS start of the season on Friday night in Charlotte. The NASCAR Cup Series veteran last drove the No. 44 entry at Homestead-Miami Speedway back in March where he finished in sixth-place. Chastain will also pilot the truck at Michigan International Speedway on June 7, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 25, and Watkins Glen on August 8 to complete his schedule of events.
• Chastain’s Charlotte Stats: Since 2012, Ross Chastain has competed in six NCTS races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, picking up three top-10 finishes in the process. Last time he drove a truck here, Chastain stormed to victory lane in 2022. In 11 NXS starts, Chastain’s best finish was fourth-place in 2020. Out of seven Cup Series races, his best finish came last year when he ran eighth.
• Rogers’ Charlotte Stats: Wally Rogers has called seven NCTS races at Charlotte and picked up his best finish of ninth-place with Matt Crafton in 2004. Though he was not on the box in last year’s event, Rogers finished 17th in 2023 with Lawless Alan. Rogers has also made 12 starts apiece in NXS and NCS competition.
• On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the North Carolina Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and Florida Watermelon Association. The Protect Your Melon initiative is centered around the importance of using seatbelts on the road.
• Patriotic Paint Scheme: The Protect Your Melon branding will carry a unique patriotic-themed paint scheme which ties the red, white, and blue stars and stripes with watermelon accents down the sides of the truck.
• Recapping North Wilkesboro: Conner Jones and the No. 44 team quietly worked on a solid outing in North Wilkesboro, but a flat tire derailed their finish. Jones started 23rd and gained track position throughout the opening stage. With just a handful of laps remaining in the second stage, the bead melted on Jones’ right-front tire, damaging the truck in the process. The team made repairs to complete the race, but were shown four laps down in 27th-place.
• Owner Points Rundown: The No. 44 team slid back one spot in the owner points standings after last week’s outing in North Wilkesboro. Now ranked in 18th-place, the team sits four points behind ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 entry in 17th while being 14 points ahead of McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s No. 91 Chevrolet in 19th.
• Quoting Chastain: What makes truck racing so exciting to watch at Charlotte?

“I think Charlotte is a great track for us to race on. The pavement is wore out and bumpy, so we’re always searching around for grip. With how short the truck race is compared to the other series, we all know that we have to make moves quickly to get track position. When we were able to win here a few years ago, it felt so rewarding because we had been close so many other times. I’m hoping we can have another chance at doing that again this week with our North Carolina Department of Transportation Protect Your Melon Chevy.”

About the North Carolina Governor’s Office of Highway Safety: Dedicated to reducing the numbers of traffic crashes and fatalities in North Carolina, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program promotes efforts to reduce traffic crashes in North Carolina and promotes highway safety awareness through a variety of grants and safe-driving initiatives.

About Florida Watermelon Association: The Florida Watermelon Association (FWA) was formed to enable growers and marketers of the Florida watermelon industry to unite. Organized membership allows the Association to promote the consumption of watermelons grown in Florida. The FWA assists its members in the growing and marketing of watermelons by providing a forum through this Corporations’ meetings.
No. 45 Foundation For Pops Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Kaden Honeycutt Racing
@KadenWHoneycutt
@KadenHoneycutt10
Website

• Honeycutt’s Charlotte Stats: Kaden Honeycutt’s lone start at Charlotte Motor Speedway came last year, when he finished in seventh-place.
• Gould’s Charlotte Stats: Phil Gould has called six NCTS races at Charlotte, with his drivers capturing two top-fives (best of second-place with Carson Hocevar in 2021) and five top-10 finishes. In 11 NXS starts, Gould earned one top-five (fifth with Brian Scott in 2014) and four top-10 finishes.
• On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Foundation For Pops, a charitable organization that works to assist veterans.
• Patriotic Paint Scheme: Returning from last year with some added changes, the Foundation For Pops paint scheme embodies the signature MARPAT camouflage developed by the United States Marine Corps. Adorned in stars throughout the truck, this is a fan favorite look from the team.
• Recapping North Wilkesboro: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team overcame mid-race setbacks to score their sixth top-10 finish of the season at North Wilkesboro. Honeycutt started ninth, but lost some spots in the opening two stages and did not gain any points in the process. Late in the race, a costly pit road penalty forced Honeycutt to start in the rear, but the team clawed their way back. Once the checkered flag flew, the team finished in eighth-place.
• Points Rundown: Honeycutt remains above the Playoffs cutline despite dropping one spot in the points standings to ninth after last race in North Wilkesboro. Entering Charlotte, the driver is nine points behind Layne Riggs in eighth, and has an 18-point gap over Stewart Friesen in 10th.
• Quoting Honeycutt: Knowing that you had a chance to win this race last year, how hungry are you to earn it this time?

“I think last year at Charlotte, I didn’t do a good enough job on the short runs and lost too much time to the No. 11 (Corey Heim) specifically. For everything we went through, we still had a shot to win it there at the end if it had gone green. We’re coming back here with basically the same mindset of trying to go out and win it for our team owner, Al Niece. Our Foundation For Pops Chevy looks great, and it would be so special for us to pull off our first win together on Memorial Day weekend.”

Niece Motorsports PR