Niece Motorsports Set to Tackle “The Lady in Black” with Three-Truck Lineup
DARLINGTON, S.C. — Niece Motorsports heads back to Darlington Raceway for the Sober or Slammer 200, carrying both confidence and unfinished business at a track that delivered the organization its first victory last season. In 21 combined starts at “The Lady in Black,” Niece drivers have earned one win, four top-five finishes, and four top-10s. With three entries in Saturday’s race, the team is looking to add to that record while honoring cancer heroes through a special program with The NASCAR Foundation and Martin Truex Jr. Foundation.
Matt Mills – No. 42 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Fresh off leading the team at Richmond with a 17th-place finish, Matt Mills returns to Darlington after scoring an 11th-place run there in 2024. With support from longtime partners J.F. Electric, along with DQS Solutions & Staffing and Precision Vehicle Logistics, Mills and first-time Darlington crew chief Landon Polinski are focused on consistency and tire management.
Mills’ truck will carry the names Roger Collier and Douglas Cambron on its roof, part of NASCAR’s annual initiative to honor cancer heroes. For Mills, who sits 18th in the championship standings, Darlington represents a chance to climb closer to the top 15.
“This has been another good track for me similar to Richmond and Homestead,” Mills said. “I’m better at those places that you have to conserve your stuff at because that fits my driving style. Hopefully we can capitalize on that again this time with our J.F. Electric Chevy.”
Andrés Pérez de Lara – No. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
For Andrés Pérez de Lara, Saturday’s race will be his first Truck Series start at Darlington. The rookie, who enters 17th in points, continues to build experience in his debut season. His Telcel Chevrolet, also backed by Claro and Infinitum, will honor two women through the cancer hero program: Jeanann Orna, who lost her battle with breast and ovarian cancer, and Kirsten Morrow, a breast cancer survivor.
Despite adversity at Richmond that included a late spin and old tires, Pérez de Lara salvaged a 21st-place result. Crew chief Wally Rogers, who owns a prior Truck Series top-10 at Darlington, will guide the 19-year-old through his first laps at NASCAR’s most technical oval.
“Darlington is a very technical track, so the adaptation process will be pretty big for me since I’ve never raced there before,” Pérez de Lara said. “We just have to execute and have a solid day as I keep learning. I think it will be a fun experience.”
Bayley Currey – No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Bayley Currey and the No. 45 team arrive with unfinished business after a 20th-place run at Richmond. Currey has three Truck Series starts at Darlington with a best finish of 12th, and crew chief Phil Gould returns as the defending winner of this event, having guided Ross Chastain to victory lane in 2024.
Currey’s Chevrolet will feature support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, co-branded with J.F. Electric and Precision Vehicle Logistics, and will honor Donna Benallie, a breast cancer survivor and the mother of a Niece Motorsports pit crew member.
“Darlington has been good to Niece Motorsports in the past,” Currey said. “I’ve got a lot of experience there between Xfinity and Truck Series races, so it should be a good place for us to bounce back from Richmond. I’m looking forward to going there with Phil and the rest of our No. 45 team.”
Beyond Darlington, Currey will shift gears to dirt racing, competing in the 55th Annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway in early September with Niece’s dirt program.
Looking Ahead
With three entries carrying both competitive ambition and personal tributes, Niece Motorsports enters Darlington with strong history and fresh motivation. From Mills’ steady climb in the standings, to Pérez de Lara’s rookie adaptation, to Currey’s chance to rebound alongside a proven crew chief, the organization is poised to once again make its mark at “The Lady in Black.”
