Andrés Pérez de Lara - eero 250 Race Preview
Event: eero 250 (250 laps / 187.5 miles)
Round: 18 of 25 (Regular Season Finale)
Track: Richmond Raceway
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Date & Time: Friday, August 15 | 7:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Special Announcement: Niece Motorsports officials will make a special team announcement via a press conference in the Richmond Raceway Media Center at 1:00 PM ET on Friday, August 15. The press conference will be live streamed on NASCAR.com/PressPass.
- Niece Motorsports Richmond Stats: Niece drivers have made a combined total of 17 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts at Richmond Raceway. The organization captured a victory at this track back in 2023 with Carson Hocevar, and its drivers have picked up one top-five and two top-10s. Last year, Kaden Honeycutt was the team's lead finisher in 14th-place.
- Strength in Numbers: Niece Motorsports will debut a fourth, part-time entry in its NCTS fleet on Friday as the No. 41 Silverado returns to the track for the first time since Phoenix, 2024.
No. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Pérez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Driver Change: On Monday, Niece Motorsports welcomed Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Andrés Pérez de Lara, into the team's fold of drivers. Pérez de Lara spent the first half of the year driving the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports before making the move over to the organization. A former ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series champion, Pérez de Lara has a bright future ahead of him as he takes over the No. 44 Silverado.
- Pérez de Lara's Richmond Stats: Andrés Pérez de Lara will make his first-career NCTS start at Richmond Raceway under the lights on Friday.
- Rogers' Richmond Stats: Wally Rogers has called seven NCTS races in his career at Richmond. Rogers' best result, a 10th-place finish, was delivered by Ron Hornaday in 2005. Last year, Rogers' No. 41 team finished in 23rd with Bayley Currey at the wheel. In 14 NXS starts at the short track, Rogers picked up two top-fives with Kevin Harvick, including a runner-up finish in 2008. He has also called six NCS races at 'The Action Track'.
- 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 Watkins Glen: Ross Chastain and the Protect Your Melon team had a truck that contended for the lead early on, but became victims of a common fuel pickup issue which ended their day. Chastain started inside the top-10 and finished second in stage one, but were forced to change a fuel pump at the end of stage two. Unfortunately, the issue continued to plague the No. 44 for the rest of the event, and the team retired in 30th-place.
- Owner Points Rundown: Niece Motorsports' No. 44 team is currently tied for 16th in the owner points standings with TRICON Garage's No. 17 entry following a promising display of speed in Watkins Glen. Entering Richmond, the team is 20 points behind Spire Motorsports' No. 71 Chevrolet in 15th, and 34 points ahead of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing's No. 81 Chevrolet in 18th.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: Since you've never been to Richmond before, what kind of prep work have you been studying to prepare for this weekend?
“Even though I’ve never raced at Richmond before, we know it’s a tough track that’s very technical. I’m just trying to get as much information as I can through the sim and watching film. There are a lot of things that I have to adapt to being with a new team and also working with a new crew chief in Wally (Rogers). Man, I feel like it’s been a great week with all of the people receiving me in the shop. I’m excited about that and am ready to get to work. We’re looking for a good result in Richmond to build a notebook and get stronger through the rest of the season in the last eight races with Niece Motorsports.”
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).
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.
