NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: LUCAS OIL INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK
Event: TSport 200 (200 laps / 137.2 miles)
Round: 16 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
Location: Clermont, Indiana
Date & Time: Friday, July 25 | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90

Team Stats & Notes

• Niece Motorsports IRP Stats: Niece drivers have made a combined total of 12 starts at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) since the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) made its return to the track in 2022. The team has captured one top-five finish delivered by Carson Hocevar in 2023. Last year, Ross Chastain was the highest-finishing driver for the team in 11th.

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Matt Mills Racing

• Mills’ IRP Stats: Matt Mills has made two prior NCTS starts at IRP, coming home 23rd in his first start in 2023. Mills bested that result by one spot last year, when he finished 22nd.
• Shiplett’s IRP Stats: Mike Shiplett has only competed in one NCTS race held at IRP which came last year, where he finished 26th with Bret Holmes. Shiplett also made one NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start at the short track in 2007, finishing in 35th with Deac McCaskill.
• 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.
• Recapping Lime Rock: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team fought hard all afternoon at Lime Rock, but lost all their track position after going off course at the end of the race. Mills started the 100-lap event in 21st, and battled a tight-handling truck in the opening two stages. After making wholesale changes to the setup ahead of the final stage, the J.F. Electric Chevy gained speed. Unfortunately for Mills, once he locked up the brakes and slid off in turn one, his results were shot down, finishing in 26th.
• Points Rundown: Following his 26th-place result in Lime Rock, Mills remains 19th in the championship points standings. With only three races remaining in the regular season (IRP, Watkins Glen, and Richmond), Mills finds himself in a must-win situation to enter the Playoffs as he sits 189 points below the cutline.
• Quoting Mills: Given your history at short tracks like Richmond where there is a considerable amount of tire fall off, do you think that should be in your benefit this week?

“Yeah, I think there are some similar characteristics between those places. The first year I raced at IRP, I ran pretty well there, but last year, I put our team in a hole immediately by spinning on lap three of practice. Hopefully, I can help give our team a better notebook this year through practice, because I feel like we can find a good balance of what we need. I think this is a track that suits Niece Motorsports and myself, so hopefully we can rebound from where we were last year. I know we can be fast here.”

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 Illiana Watermelon Association Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Josh Bilicki Racing

• Chastain Returns: Ross Chastain makes his NCTS return this weekend driving the No. 44 Silverado for Niece Motorsports. Chastain has competed in three events this season, finishing as high as second-place at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His tour will wrap up at Watkins Glen International on August 8th.
• Chastain’s IRP Stats: Chastain has competed in two previous NCTS races held at IRP. In 2011, the Florida native made his series debut at the short track and finished in 10th. Last year, he made his return to the track in over 10 years, recording an 11th-place finish for the No. 45 team.
• Rogers’ IRP Stats: Wally Rogers has competed in five NCTS races at IRP, and has one top-five and two top-10s to his credit. Rogers’ best result at the track came in 2005 when he ran third with Ron Hornaday, and his team finished 29th last year with Conor Daly after suffering a cut tire mid-race. In six NXS starts at this track, Rogers’ record reflects similar numbers, including a fifth-place result with Hornaday in 2007.
• On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the Illiana Watermelon Association, who has had a longstanding relationship with the veteran.
• Recapping Lime Rock: Josh Bilicki and the No. 44 team successfully parlayed a mid-range day into a top-10 finish. Bilicki qualified 18th and noted that his truck lacked front end grip in the opening two stages, but the team made big swings on adjustments to make it better. Not afraid to think outside the box, Wally Rogers called for a four-tire pit stop with five laps left in the race. Once chaos ensued on the restart, Bilicki maneuvered his way around the carnage to sneak away in seventh-place.
• Owner Points Rundown: Coming off their top-10 run in Lime Rock, the No. 44 team remains 17th in the owner championship. The group closed in on 16th-place’s No. 17 team from TRICON Garage, now only five points behind. They have a 35-point gap above 18th-place, currently occupied by the No. 81 team from McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.
• Quoting Chastain: Your team brought a fast truck here last year, but you weren’t able to get the finish you hoped for. What more are you looking for to be better on Friday night?

“We just have to try and get the trucks to turn better. Front turn is the main goal for us this time around. Last year, what hurt us mainly was I missed our pit stall on the last stop. I turned in too late and got it all jacked up for the pit crew. That’s what lost us the most spots. But yeah, for Wally and the guys, I think the biggest thing we remember that we need to fix is helping our trucks turn a little bit more.”

About Illiana Watermelon Association: Over 70% of our production is produced in and around Knox County, Indiana. Most of that production is within 15 miles east and west of a 50 mile corridor running along US Hwy 41. It has been said many times that you can stand in one farm’s watermelon field and throw a rock in another neighboring watermelon field. Not that we would throw rocks at each other, or anything so crude. We produce over 7,000 acres of watermelon on our farms. If you’re lucky enough to live close to our market areas you already know you can taste the difference. Many travelers stop at our roadside stands to experience the taste of Indiana and Illinois watermelon.

No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Kaden Honeycutt Racing

• Honeycutt’s IRP Stats: Kaden Honeycutt will make his first NCTS start at IRP on Friday night. Honeycutt has competed in one ARCA race at the short track, finishing 19th after an early exit due to a mechanical failure in 2018.
• Gould’s IRP Stats: Phil Gould has called three NCTS races at IRP, including one top-five finish. While working with Carson Hocevar in 2023, Gould’s team earned a respectable fourth-place result. Last year, Gould guided Ross Chastain to an 11th-place finish.
• On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, who will serve as his anchor partner for the majority of the season.
• Mr. & Mrs.: Last Friday, Honeycutt became a married man after tying the knot with wife, Jessica, in Trinity, North Carolina. The driver will have a special “Just Married” decal with strings and cans on the back of his truck celebrating the event. Congratulations to the happy couple!
• Recapping Lime Rock: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team had impressive speed all throughout the day in Lime Rock, but were collected in a crash on the final restart. Honeycutt started sixth and finished there in both stages, earning a total of 10 extra points. The team appeared to be en route to a top-five there at the end, but were punted off the race track and had to settle back in 12th-place.
• Points Rundown: Consistency has been key for Honeycutt, who gained a spot in the points standings after Lime Rock. Now up to fifth-place overall thanks to the help of a strong amount of stage points, Honeycutt has a 67-point cushion over the Playoffs cutline. Since there have been seven different race winners so far, he’ll need to maintain that consistency over the next three races in order to qualify for the postseason.
• Quoting Honeycutt: You’ve never raced at IRP before, but have had a good amount of short track reps in a truck. What will be the biggest key to help you adapt here?

“I haven’t raced at IRP since I made my first ARCA start back in 2018, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been there, but the way our short track package has been going, it’s been pretty good all year. So, I’m looking forward to going back to another short track to try and lock ourselves into the Playoffs. We’ll look to have a solid night there and continue our momentum that we’re building on. Each week, we’re continuously getting faster and finishing better in stages, and I think we’re closing in on our first win. IRP is a really worn out racetrack, so it’s going to be about tire management and keeping ourself in a good position to be successful.”

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 founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 200+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams 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).

Dover Motor Speedway TV numbers for the NASCAR Cup Series race

On Sunday, Dover Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series. Denny Hamlin held them off in an overtime finish.

View NASCAR TV numbers below.

The race was seen by 2.009M viewers on average. The numbers were reported by Adam Stern.

Viewership is down compared to last year’s race which brought 2.401M. The rain delay caused viewership of the 2025 race to sharply decline.

Indycar’s race in Toronto brought in 734,000 viewers for FS1.

Dover Results: July 20, 2025 (NASCAR Cup Series)

Dover Motor Speedway
TV Numbers

July 20, 2025
Viewers: 2.009M
truTV

April 28, 2024
Viewers: 2.401M
FS1

May 1, 2023
Viewers: 1.067M
FS1

May 1, 2022
Viewers: 1.487M
FS1

May 16, 2021
Viewers: 2.430M
FS1

August 22, 2020
Viewers: 1.771M
NBCSN

Links

Dover Motor Speedway | NASCAR

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports will be heard in court on August 28 over the new preliminary injunction they are seeking to race as charter teams in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The order was made on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell while giving the two organizations and NASCAR dates earlier that month to file their responses. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are currently competing as open teams after their preliminary injunction was vacated by a three-judge panel in June. A new request was filed on July 14, along with a request for a temporary restraining order.

The court denied the restraining order last week. That had been requested to keep NASCAR from revoking the charters and then selling them.

In his Tuesday order, Bell stated that before the hearing is conducted, “NASCAR represents it will not effectuate any sale or transfer or otherwise convey in any manner the six 2025 Charters offered to the Plaintiffs or purchased until the court rules on the Motion for Preliminary Injunction,” and that “NASCAR represents that Plaintiffs’ six race cars will qualify for all Cup Series races (if they choose to race) similarly until the Court rules on the Motion. 

“In the event NASCAR learns of any reason either of those representations may no longer hold, NASCAR shall promptly inform Plaintiffs and the Court so that the Court can consider implementing any relief it deems necessary.”

NASCAR made a change to its Rule Book on Monday that will also ensure that 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports do not miss a race. Among the wording in the Rule Book, it now states that Open Teams will be eligible for starting positions based on rankings in the owner standings.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports had no issue with making the field at Dover Motor Speedway, where there were 37 teams entered. The organizations will remain Open Teams until the hearing.

The hearing will be heard two days before teams are on track at Darlington Raceway for the final race of the regular season. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports will have run six races before then, in which they will earn one third of the prize money that charter teams do.

The NASCAR Cup Series takes on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway yet again on July 27th for the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG. 

Here’s a look at the full entry list for this weekend’s race in Indy.

2025 NASCAR Indianapolis Entry List

1. Ross Chastain (#1, Trackhouse Racing)
2. Austin Cindric (#2, Team Penske)
3. Austin Dillon (#3, Richard Childress Racing)
4. Noah Gragson (#4, Front Row Motorsports)
5. Kyle Larson (#5, Hendrick Motorsports)
6. Brad Keselowski (#6, RFK Racing)
7. Justin Haley (#7, Spire Motorsports)
8. Kyle Busch (#8, Richard Childress Racing)
9. Chase Elliott (#9, Hendrick Motorsports)
10. Ty Dillon (#10, Kaulig Racing)
11. Denny Hamlin (#11, Joe Gibbs Racing)
12. Ryan Blaney (#12, Team Penske)
13. AJ Allmendinger (#16, Kaulig Racing)
14. Chris Buescher (#17, RFK Racing)
15. Chase Briscoe (#19, Joe Gibbs Racing)
16. Christopher Bell (#20, Joe Gibbs Racing)
17. Josh Berry (#21, Wood Brothers Racing)
18. Joey Logano (#22, Team Penske)
19. Bubba Wallace (#23, 23XI Racing)
20. William Byron (#24, Hendrick Motorsports)
21. Todd Gilliland (#34, Front Row Motorsports)
22. Riley Herbst (#35, 23XI Racing)
23. Zane Smith (#38, Front Row Motorsports)
24. Cole Custer (#41, Haas Factory Team)
25. John Hunter Nemechek (#42, Legacy Motor Club)
26. Erik Jones (#43, Legacy Motor Club)
27. Tyler Reddick (#45, 23XI Racing)
28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (#47, HYAK Motorsports)
29. Alex Bowman (#48, Hendrick Motorsports)
30. Cody Ware (#51, Rick Ware Racing)
31. Ty Gibbs (#54, Joe Gibbs Racing)
32. Ryan Preece (#60, RFK Racing)
33. Jesse Love (#62, Beard Motorsports)
34. Josh Bilicki (#66, Carl Long)
35. Michael McDowell (#71, Spire Motorsports)
36. Carson Hocevar (#77, Spire Motorsports)
37. Katherine Legge (#78, Live Fast Motorsports)
38. Shane van Gisbergen (#88, Trackhouse Racing)
39. Daniel Suárez (#99, Trackhouse Racing)

NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports team has announced that he’ll be driving in a different racing series for them.

The driver of the No. 5 car in the Cup Series will hop into the No. 17 Xfinity Series car this weekend to run double duty at Indianapolis.

READ MORE: Joey Logano punished as NASCAR confirm SEVEN drivers hit with same penalty at Dover

Astonishingly, that means that the 2021 champion will be running his third race of the year at the Brickyard on Sunday, having already put in several days there in practice, qualifying and the race at the Indy 500.

While this Double Duty is far less onerous than the one he tried to pull off in May, Larson could really do with the Xfinity Series race falling his way on Saturday.

Larson set for Double Duty…sort of

While he’s locked into the playoffs and one of the leading drivers’ championship points scorers of the year, the 32-year-old’s recent form has been nothing to write home about.

Larson has rarely threatened for a win since he took the flag at Kansas more than two months ago, putting him right in with Christopher Bell as drivers who started the season well but have since faded somewhat.

A return to the Xfinity Series could well help him back into winning habits, having finished in the top three in eight out of his 11 races in the series since his 2021 Cup Series title – the other three results being a fourth-placed finish along with fifth at Darlington in 2022, where he got caught in a wreck to finish 38th and last two years later.

Did we mention that he won last year’s Cup Series race at the track last year?

Hendrick Motorsports posted on social media about the move, writing: “The reigning Brickyard winner is doubling up! [Larson] will run the Xfinity race this Saturday in the No. 17 [Hendrick] Chevy.”

READ MORE: Kyle Busch dealt playoff blow as multiple drivers drop down the order at Dover

Related

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend with one driver looking to claim the In-Season Challenge championship and another driver seeking to complete a career grand slam.

Here is a look at the good news and bad news for Cup teams heading into Sunday’s race.

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23XI Racing — Good news: Tyler Reddick won the pole, led 40 laps and finished second at Indianapolis last year. … Reddick has an average finish of 5.0 at Indy in both of his starts on the Indy oval. … Reddick has three top-10 finishes in the last four races this season. … Bubba Wallace placed fifth and won a stage last year at Indianapolis. … Wallace has finished in the top 10 in his last three starts on the Indy oval. … Riley Herbst won last year’s Xfinity race at Indianapolis. Bad news: The organization remains winless this season (it had one victory at this point last year). … The organization has had fewer top-five finishes, fewer top 10s and led fewer laps compared to this time a year ago.

Bubba Wallace holds final playoff spot with 5 races left in NASCAR Cup regular season

Bubba Wallace leads Ryan Preece by 16 points for the final playoff spot.

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Front Row Motorsports — Good news: Todd Gilliland finished sixth at Indianapolis last year. … Noah Gragson finished ninth at Indy last year. … Zane Smith placed 17th last year at Indy. Bad news: Gilliland has place outside the top 20 in eight consecutive races. … Gragson has one finish in the top 25 in the last eight races.

Haas Factory Team — Good news: Cole Custer finished fifth in his only Cup start on the Indy oval in 2020. Bad News: Custer has been no higher than 34th in the points since the second race of the season.

Hendrick Motorsports — Good news: For the second year in a row, Chase Elliott is the points leader heading to Indianapolis. … Elliott took the points lead from William Byron last weekend at Dover. … In the last five races, Elliott went from being 104 points out of the lead to holding a 16-point advantage. … Kyle Larson won last year’s Indianapolis race in double overtime. Bad news: Byron has an average finish of 25.3 in the last six races, ranking 31st among the 36 full-time drivers. … Byron has finished 27th or worse in his last two starts on the Indy oval. … Alex Bowman has never finished better than 21st in six Indy starts on the oval. … Bowman has finished on the lead lap once on the oval at Indy.

Hyak Motorsports — Good news: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished 11th on the oval at Indy last year, the second-best result for the organization at that track (Chris Buescher placed ninth there in 2017). Bad news: Stenhouse has two top-20 finishes in the last eight races this season.

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Joe Gibbs Racing — Good news: Ty Gibbs will race Ty Dillon for $1 million in the final of the In-Season Challenge at Indianapolis. … Gibbs has finished in the top 10 in each of the last three races. … Chase Briscoe won and Denny Hamlin was second at Pocono, a track that has some similarities to Indianapolis. … Hamlin has a series-high four wins this season after his victory last weekend at Dover. … A win at Indy would make Hamlin the fifth driver to ever win the sport’s four crown jewels (Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500), joining a list that has Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. … Briscoe has finished second in each of the last two races. … Briscoe has placed either first or second in three of the last five races. … Briscoe’s eight top-five finishes this season are a career-high. … Christopher Bell finished fourth at Indy last year. Bad news: Bell has finished 16th or worse in five of the last seven races.

Winners, losers from NASCAR Cup race at Dover won by Denny Hamlin in overtime

Denny Hamlin wasn’t the only one who left Dover feeling good.

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Kaulig Racing — Good news: Ty Dillon’s Cinderella run through the In-Season Challenge continues with him racing Ty Gibbs for the $1 million prize Sunday at Indianapolis. … Dillon finished 19th in last year’s race at Indy, while Gibbs placed 23rd. … Dillon has scored four consecutive top-20 Cup finishes for the first time since 2022. … Dillon’s only Xfinity win came at Indy in 2014. Bad news: AJ Allmendinger is coming of a 37th-place finish at Dover after a suspension issue, snapping a streak of three consecutive top-20 finishes.

Legacy Motor Club — Good news: The organization has four top-five finishes (it had none at this time last year) and 10 top 10s (compared to four at this time last year). Bad news: Erik Jones’ average finish of 26.6 at Indianapolis is his worst among tracks he has made multiple starts. … John Hunter Nemechek has placed outside the top 20 in three of the last four races this season.

Richard Childress Racing — Good news: Austin Dillon’s 15th-place result at Dover was his best finish since Texas in May. … Kyle Busch has finished 11th or better in the last three races. … RCR Xfinity driver Jesse Love will make his fourth career Cup start, driving the No. 62 for Beard Motorsports this weekend. Bad news: Busch has not led a lap in the last nine races, tied for the longest streak in his career.

Rick Ware Racing — Good news: Cody Ware finished 18th at Indy last year, one of his best finishes in a limited Cup schedule in 2024. Bad news: Ware is coming off a 36th-place finish at Dover, his worst finish since Bristol in April.

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RFK Racing — Good news: Brad Keselowski has five top-10 finishes in the last nine races after having no top 10s in the season’s first 12 races. … Keselowski is one of three former winners on the Indy oval entered this week (Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson are the others). … Chris Buescher has six top-10 finishes in the last 10 races. Bad news: Ryan Preece has an average finish of 27.3 at Indianapolis, his worst among active tracks. … Preece lost 13 points to the playoff cutline at Dover and is now 16 points out of the final playoff spot.

Spire Motorsports — Good news: The organization has twice as many top-five finishes (four) and top-10 finishes (eight) as it did at this point last season. … Michael McDowell has had back-to-back top-20 finishes for the first time since March. … Justin Haley also has had back-to-back top-20 finishes for the first time since March. Bad news: Carson Hocevar has finished 29th or worse in five of the last seven races.

Team Penske — Good news: Ryan Blaney finished third and Austin Cindric placed seventh in last year’s race at Indy. … Joey Logano has three consecutive top-15 finishes for the first time since April. Bad news: The organization has not had a top-five finish in the last four races, one short of its longest drought of the season. … Blaney has three top-10 finishes in the last nine races.

Trackhouse Racing — Good news: Daniel Suarez has an average finish of 12.8 on the Indy oval, his best among all tracks with multiple starts. Bad news: Saurez has finished outside the top 25 in three of the last four races. Ross Chastain has only three top-10 finishes in the last 10 races. … Chastain has never finished better than 15th in four starts on the Indy oval. … Shane van Gisbergen has one top-20 finish in his last five starts on oval tracks this season.

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Wood Brothers Racing — Good news: Josh Berry has started in the top 15 in three of the last four races on oval tracks this season. Bad news: Berry finished 35th last year at Indy in his only Cup start on the oval there. … Berry has failed to finish two of the last four races this season.