Andrés Pérez de Lara - Buckle Up South Carolina 200 Race Preview
Event: Buckle Up South Carolina 200 (147 laps / 200.8 miles)
Round: 4 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Darlington Raceway
Location: Darlington, SC
Date & Time: Friday, March 20 | 7:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Darlington Stats:
NCTS Starts: 24; Wins: 1 (Ross Chastain, 2024); Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 4.
- Rolling Momentum: Niece Motorsports drivers have made waves throughout the first three races of the season. Both the Nos. 45 and 44 teams are currently above the Chase cutline, seeded fourth and 10th, respectively. The team has captured four top-10 finishes to open the year - including a pair in the last outing at St. Petersburg.
- Presenting Sponsor: Friday’s race in Darlington will be presented by Niece Motorsports’ primary partners at the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. The Buckle Up South Carolina 200 is a key race for the team, as it will represent the partners on the No. 45 Chevrolet.
No. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andres Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara's Darlington Stats:
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 16th (2025).
- Rogers' Darlington Stats:
NCS Starts: 3; Best Finish: 21st (2010).
NOAPS Starts: 10; Best Finish: 13th (2008).
NCTS Starts: 7; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 8th (2004).
- On the Truck: Pérez de Lara's No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Telcel, a Mexican telecommunications giant, along with associate partners, Claro and Infinitum.
- Recapping St. Pete: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Zambos team were fast all weekend long in St. Petersburg. Starting from 14th, Pérez de Lara moved up quickly and cracked the top-10 towards the beginning of the 150-mile race. Pérez de Lara captured points in both stages, despite noticeable body damage sustained from contact with other competitors. The No. 44 team secured their season-best finish with an impressive seventh-place result.
- Driver Points Outlook: Pérez de Lara continued his march towards the Chase after notching his first top-10 of the season in St. Pete. Entering Darlington, Pérez de Lara sits seventh overall - two points behind Kaden Honeycutt in sixth, and 15 points ahead of Stewart Friesen in eighth. He currently has a 19-point buffer over current cutline driver, Justin Haley.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: Now that you’ve had a chance to race Darlington before, what are your thoughts about going back and racing there again?
“I think Darlington is such a tough track, but I really enjoyed racing here last year. We had a really strong run last year for my first time racing here, so I expect to keep getting better the more laps I get to run. It’s so fun to drive, and I really enjoy that race. I think our Telcel Chevy will be fast on Friday night, so we just have to stay out of trouble and keep our momentum high.”
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2016. The team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra, and was founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a full-service race vehicle build shop 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).
About Telcel: Telcel is Mexico’s leading telecommunications company, providing nationwide coverage, cutting-edge mobile connectivity, and high-speed internet services to millions of users. With over 30 years of experience, Telcel continues to innovate in digital communication, offering solutions that keep people connected anytime, anywhere.
