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Niece Motorsports
Niece Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Owned by Al Niece, it currently fields the No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado full-time for TBA, the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado full-time for Matt Mills, the No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado full-time for Christian Rose, the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado full-time for Kaden Honeycutt. Niece Motorsports formerly had a technical alliance with GMS Racing that started back in 2018. Xfinity SeriesCar No. 17 historyIn 2018, the team attempted to make their NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Victor Gonzalez Jr. driving at Watkins Glen. Car No. 17 results
Craftsman Truck SeriesTruck No. 22 historyOn October 30, 2017, it was announced that Austin Wayne Self moved to Niece Motorsports to drive the No. 22 truck full-time in 2018.[1] After the 2018 season, it was announced that Self would go to AM Racing for the 2019 season.[2] Truck No. 22 results
Truck No. 38 historyIn 2017, the No. 38 truck ran two races with T. J. Bell as a start-and-park team. In 2018 the No. 38 truck planned to run at least four races with Max McLaughlin as the driver, starting at Eldora. McLaughlin qualified for the race and finished 12th in his NASCAR debut. However, the deal fell through and McLaughlin only ran at Eldora. Ross Chastain ran 3 races (Bristol, Texas 2 and Homestead-Miami) with the best finish of 12th at Bristol. Bell returned to the No. 38 in Las Vegas in September and finished 21st due to a crash. Landon Huffman also drove for the team, he failed to qualify at Martinsville 2 and finished 25th at ISM Raceway. In 2019, Bell returned once again to the No. 38 as a field-filler at Kansas, since only 30 trucks showed up. Chastain drove the No. 38 with sponsorship from TruNorth Global at Texas 2 and finished 10th. Truck No. 38 results
Truck No. 40 history In 2020, the team fielded the No. 40 and it was shared by Ross Chastain, Garrett Smithley, Ryan Truex, T. J. Bell, Travis Pastrana, Carson Hocevar, Trevor Bayne, and Bayley Currey. In 2021, Truex returned to the No. 40 for full-time schedule.[4] In 2022, Dean Thompson would drive this truck full-time.[5] However, it was announced on December 5, 2022 that Thompson would not return to Niece Motorsports. Instead, he would drive the No. 5 for Tricon Garage in the 2023 season.[6] Truck No. 40 results
Truck No. 41 history In 2022, Ross Chastain would drive this 5th Niece Motorsports truck at Atlanta, Darlington, Texas, Charlotte, and Sonoma. He would win in the No. 41 truck at Charlotte. Later on, Tyler Carpenter would drive this truck at Knoxville after winning the Gateway Nationals. Justin Marks would race at Mid-Ohio. Chad Chastain would run the No. 41 truck at IRP. The 2023 season would have the No. 41 truck rotating drivers, but the truck would run full-time Travis Pastrana would start the season off with a 13th place finish at Daytona. Ross Chastain ran seven races, with his best result being 4th at the COTA. Bayley Currey would run most of the races in the No. 41 truck. He would finish 4th at Atlanta. Chad Chastain, Tyler Carpenter, Conor Daly, and Shane van Gisbergen would run one race each with this truck. On October 26, 2023, it was announced that Bayley Currey would run the No. 41 full-time in the 2024 season.[7] Truck No. 41 results
Truck No. 42 history In 2020, Ross Chastain announced that he would drive the No. 42 part-time. Mark Smith, Conor Daly, James Buescher, and Carson Hocevar also drove this truck. In 2021, Carson Hocevar announced that he would drive the No. 42 full-time.[8] He returned to the 42 truck in 2022. On June 4, Hocevar was injured during the final lap of the Gateway race when his truck was broadsided by Tyler Hill.[9] He underwent surgery on his tibia prior to the Sonoma race.[10] Hocevar took the pole position before wrecking on turn 10.[11] On lap 11, he was relieved by Daniel Suárez, who took the No. 42 to a sixth place finish.[12] Hocevar started the 2023 season with a 12th place finish at Daytona. He scored his first career win at Texas on double-overtime after race leader Nick Sanchez made contact with Zane Smith on the final lap and Hocevar spun Sanchez from behind.[13] Hocevar also scored wins at Nashville and Richmond.[14][15] He won at Homestead to make the Championship 4.[16] Hocevar finished 29th at Phoenix after Corey Heim slammed him on the turn 4 wall in retaliation for spinning him earlier in the race; he also finished fourth in the final points standings.[17] After Heim was penalized 25 driver points for intentionally wrecking him, Hocevar officially finished 3rd in the points standings. On October 12, 2023, Niece Motorsports announced that Matt Mills will drive the No. 42 full-time in 2024, as Hocevar will move up to the Cup Series in the Spire Motorsports No. 77.[18] Mills was renewed for a second season in 2025.[19] At 2024 Baptist Health 200, he was injured after Conner Jones intentionally sent him to the turn 3 wall.[20] Truck No. 42 results
Truck No. 44 history On January 31, 2019, Timothy Peters announced that he would join Niece for the first three events of the 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series schedule.[21] After two top-tens in his first two events, Peters said that there is the possibility to run more races with the team.[22] Reid Wilson drove the No. 44 truck in 2 races (Martinsville 1 and Dover) with a best finish of 13th at Dover.[23] Angela Ruch is scheduled to drive the No. 44 truck in 12 races in 2019. Jeb Burton drove the truck in the July race at Kentucky.[24] Ty Majeski drove the truck at ISM.[25] Natalie Decker signed with the team for the 2020 season. On February 14, 2020, she finished fifth at Daytona, becoming the highest-finishing female driver in Truck Series history.[26] She missed the Pocono race after being hospitalized for bile duct complications related to her gall bladder surgery in December 2019.[27] On September 25, Decker was not medically cleared to race at Las Vegas; because her truck had cleared inspection and was placed on the starting grid, she was credited with a last-place finish in the race.[28] In 2021, James Buescher raced at season opening at Daytona.[29] Jett Noland drove at Daytona Road Course and Richmond. Conor Daly drove at Vegas.[30] Logan Bearden failed to qualify at the Toyota Tundra 225 and Morgan Alexander crashed at the Corn Belt 150. Dean Thompson will race at the season finale before moving full-time to the team next year. In 2022, Kris Wright would drive the No. 44 truck full-time.[31] Wright was dropped from the team before the Richmond race, with Chad Chastain filling in for him. In 2024, Conor Daly was announced as the driver of the No. 44 for three races.[32] On August 16, 2024, it was announced that Matt Gould would run the race at Milwaukee.[33] Truck No. 44 resultsTruck No. 45 history Niece Motorsports made their debut in 2016 with Casey Smith driving for two races. The team returned in 2017, at first planning on running only part-time but were able to run the full schedule with various drivers, with T. J. Bell driving most of the races. In 2018, it was announced that Justin Fontaine would drive the No. 45 truck full-time.[34] Fontaine started the season with a top 10 finish at Daytona and Las Vegas. On January 18, 2019, it was announced that Ross Chastain and Reid Wilson would split driving duties for the upcoming season.[23] Chastain started off the year with two of the best results in team history, a third at Daytona and a sixth at Atlanta.[22] In April, Kyle Benjamin joined the team for a seven-race schedule starting at Texas in June.[35] On May 10, 2019 Ross Chastain delivered his first truck win and the team's first win at Kansas after Stewart Friesen's underfueled truck ran out of gas with three laps remaining.[36] In June, he announced his intention to switch to Truck Series points to compete for a championship in the series.[37] Chastain finished the season with 3 wins, 10 Top-5, 19 Top-10, 1 pole and finishing 2nd in the standings.[38] On December 10, 2019, it was announced that Ty Majeski would drive this truck full-time for the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season, replacing Chastain.[39] After 15 races Majeski was replaced by Trevor Bayne for undisclosed reasons.[40] In 2021, it was announced that Brett Moffitt would drive the No. 45 truck full time.[41] After six races, Moffitt switched to Xfinity points.[42] Bayley Currey came in as replacement [43] and Erik Darnell return to truck competition for one race at Darlington. [44] Chastain drove at Texas. In 2022, Lawless Alan drove the No. 45 truck full-time.[45] Prior to the 2024 season, Alan parted ways with Niece Motorsports.[46] The No. 45 was shared between Johnny Sauter, Kaden Honeycutt, Connor Mosack, and Chastain. On May 11, Chastain won at Darlington.[47] On October 1 2024, it was announced that Kaden Honeycutt will drive full-time starting in 2025.[48] Truck No. 45 resultsARCA Menards SeriesCar No. 40 historyIn 2021, the team fielded the No. 40 Chevrolet SS for Dean Thompson at Kansas Speedway.[49] In 2022, the team fielded the No. 40 Chevrolet SS for Matt Gould, son of crew chief Phil Gould, at Milwaukee Mile. Car No. 40 results
Car No. 50 historyIn 2021, the team attempted to make their ARCA Menards Series debut with Jett Noland at Pocono Raceway. The team would later make starts with Morgan Alexander and Carson Hocevar. Car No. 50 results
ARCA Menards Series EastCar No. 40 historyIn 2022, the team would field the No. 40 Chevrolet SS for Matt Gould, son of crew chief Phil Gould, at Milwaukee Mile. Car No. 40 history
Car No. 50 historyIn 2021, the team would field the No. 50 Chevrolet SS for Morgan Alexander at Iowa. Car No. 50 history
ARCA Menards Series WestCar No. 40 historyIn 2022, the team would field the No. 40 Chevrolet SS for Dean Thompson at Sonoma and for Carson Hocevar at Phoenix. Car No. 40 results
References
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Niece Motorsports.
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