Andrés Pérez de Lara - Love’s RV Stop 225 Race Preview
Event: Love's RV Stop 225 (85 laps / 226.1 miles)
Round: 23 of 25 (Playoffs Round of 8)
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Location: Talladega, Alabama
Date & Time: Friday, October 17 | 4:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Talladega Stats: Niece drivers have made a total of 22 combined NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts at Talladega Superspeedway, resulting in two top-fives and four top-10s finishes. The team's best finish at the track was a second-place run made by Trevor Bayne in 2020. Last year, Danny Bohn was the highest-finishing driver here in 17th-place.
No. 44 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andrés Pérez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara's Talladega Stats: Andrés Pérez de Lara will make his first NCTS start at Talladega on Friday. He has competed in two ARCA Menards Series races at the 2.66-mile track, resulting in a fourth-place result in 2023 and eighth-place finish last year.
- Rogers' Talladega Stats: Wally Rogers has called six NCTS races at Talladega Superspeedway, including a 10th-place showing with Lawless Alan in 2023. Rogers is a former NXS race-winning crew chief who conquered the track in 2007 with Bobby Labonte. In seven Cup Series starts here, Rogers' drivers have finished inside the top-10 (ninth) twice.
- 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 the Charlotte ROVAL: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the No. 44 team had potential for a great run at the Charlotte ROVAL, but were plagued with a mechanical failure which essentially ended their race. Pérez de Lara began the race in 13th, but quickly advanced into the top-10 after the initial start. A nice strategy call set the rookie up for an opportunity to gain track position in stage two, but disaster struck shortly after the restart. While initially believed to be a transmission issue, the Telcel team later discovered a sheared left rear axle to be the culprit due to the harsh nature of the track. After replacing the broken component in the garage area, the team got the truck back in the race several laps down. Pérez de Lara came home in 32nd.
- Points Rundown: Despite suffering mechanical woes in Charlotte, Pérez de Lara remains 15th in the driver points standings entering Talladega. The rookie is 35 points behind Connor Mosack in 14th, while being five ahead of Matt Crafton in 16th-place.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: You've never raced a truck here before, but have some experience in a truck at Daytona. How do you feel about this track?
“I’m looking forward to it, but you have to race Talladega with respect. It’s very intense racing, and high pressure since there are a lot of things that can happen here. We just have to try and stay out of trouble and be there at the end to have a shot to get a good result. If we can come home with a clean truck and be there at the end, that will be what we’re looking for. I’ll be helping push my teammates and the Chevy guys that we work closely with. I’d say those are my biggest allies for the weekend.”
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.
