Andrés Pérez de Lara - EJP 175 Race Preview
Event: EJP 175 (175 laps / 185.15 miles)
Round: 21 of 25 (Playoffs Round of 10)
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
Date & Time: Saturday, September 20 | 12:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Hello, Old Friend: This weekend marks the first time since 2017 that the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) has visited New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Nicknamed the 'Magic Mile', New Hampshire has seen the series race 20 times at the 1.058-mile track. It is relatively low-banked, but produces exciting action in the North East.
- Niece Motorsports New Hampshire Stats: Niece Motorsports has only competed in one NCTS race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which came in 2017. On that day, TJ Bell finished 16th driving for the organization.
No. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Pérez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara's New Hampshire Stats: Andrés Pérez de Lara will make his first-career start in any series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday.
- Rogers' New Hampshire Stats: Wally Rogers has called two NCTS races at New Hampshire, and helped navigate Ron Hornaday to a top-five finish in his last series start back in 2005. Rogers has earned one top-five and three top-10s in seven NXS races here, including a best run of fourth-place with Kevin Harvick in 2008. In six Cup Series races at this track, Rogers' best result was an eighth-place finish with Elliott Sadler in 2009.
- 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 Bristol: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the No. 44 team had a fantastic run under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway. Pérez de Lara started the 250-lap event in 16th-place, but found himself up inside the top-10 relatively quickly. After he picked up a stage point in stage two, the rookie made an impressive track position gain on the final restart and nearly drove into the top-five. The team showed determination and kept Pérez de Lara in the fight throughout the entire race, eventually securing a top-10 finish in eighth-place.
- Points Rundown: Pérez de Lara's eighth-place finish at Bristol gained him a significant amount of points in the standings. Though he remains in 17th-place, the rookie is now only one point behind Stewart Friesen in 16th, and 11 markers behind Matt Crafton in 15th. He holds a 30-point gap over Matt Mills in 18th-place.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: Since you've never raced here before, how have you been learning the track?
“New Hampshire will be another new track for me this year. I’ve done a lot of sim work and film watching with the Chevy group to get ready. The preparation before coming to a track that you’ve never raced before is very important. I feel ready; I’ve studied as much as I can on this track and I think new tracks have been good for the Telcel team and I so far this year. There are several unknowns because it’s a very technical track, so I’ll use all the time in practice as much as I can to learn for this weekend so we’re ready for the race.”
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) since 2016. Fielding the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45 trucks, the team has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 200+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. Founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece, the team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra. 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.
