Josh Bilicki - Ecosave 250 Race Preview
Event: Ecosave 250 (67 laps / 152.76 miles)
Round: 22 of 25 (Playoffs Round of 8)
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Date & Time: Friday, October 3 | 3:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- New Course Layout: Friday will mark the first time in which the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) visits the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. The unique half-road course, half-oval track layout has been a hit with fans since its debut in 2018. It will be the series' third and final road race on the calendar this year.
- Welcome Race Fans: On Thursday, October 2nd, the organization will host its first ever Fan Day open house event at the race shop in Salisbury, NC. The event, which takes place from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM local time, will feature a driver autograph session, Q&A's, race shop tours, live pit stops, merchandise sales, and a dunk tank to raise funds for Wreaths Across America.
- Special Passengers: As the month of October begins, all four Niece Motorsports trucks will carry pink ribbon decals to honor nearly 50 individuals who have fought breast cancer. Each of these names are tied to family members of the team's crew as well as the primary sponsors of the trucks.
No. 41 Circle B Diecast Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Josh Bilicki | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Bilicki Returns: Veteran driver Josh Bilicki pairs up with Niece Motorsports to make his second and final NCTS start of the season at the Charlotte ROVAL. Bilicki made a great first impression in his first outing with the team at Lime Rock Park back in June, where he carried the No. 44 Chevrolet to a seventh-place finish. When it comes to experience at this track, Bilicki's name tops the list in the field, having driven in all but two races held on this track.
- Bilicki's Charlotte ROVAL Stats: Josh Bilicki has competed in every NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race held at the ROVAL since 2018. Last year, Bilicki started fourth and finished eighth in the event while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. The veteran has also competed in five Cup Series races here, finishing as high as 26th in 2023.
- Shiplett's Charlotte ROVAL Stats: Mike Shipett has made two NXS starts on top of the pit box at the ROVAL which both resulted in top-10 finishes. In 2018, Shiplett guided Justin Marks to a runner-up finish at the track. In three Cup Series races, Shiplett picked up one top-10 (ninth) with Cole Custer in 2020.
- Recapping New Hampshire: Conner Jones and the No. 41 team had their day ended with a crash in stage one. Jones was making up ground on the initial start of the race, and the team elected to gain some track position and pit at the end of the stage. Unfortunately, however, Jones was collected in an incident on the ensuing restart. The truck had too much damage to continue, and the team was credited with a 31st-place finish.
- Triple Duty: Bilicki will compete in all three NASCAR national series races held at the ROVAL this weekend. Following his drive in the No. 44 Silverado on Friday, Bilicki will pilot the No. 91 Chevrolet for DGM Racing in the NXS race on Saturday. He'll also be behind the wheel of the No. 66 car for Garage 66 in the Cup Series race on Sunday.
- On the Truck: Bilicki's No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Circle B Diecast, one of the largest diecast retailers in the industry. This paint scheme is inspired by a custom 1969 Chevrolet C-10 pickup truck owned by the founders of Circle B Diecast, Brent and LaDonna Powell.
- Quoting Bilicki: Obviously, you have plenty of experience at the Charlotte ROVAL, so how do you anticipate the first truck race will play out here?
“I think when you look at the Truck Series field, I probably have more experience at the ROVAL than any of them. I think the trucks will drive similar to the Xfinity cars here. The Cup Series cars don’t really have a lot of tire wear, but I think the trucks will have a good amount of fall off which I think makes the racing better. Brake management will also be key here since there are two big braking zones that we have to watch out for. I’m excited to be back with Niece Motorsports and can’t wait to get on track with them on Friday.”
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 Circle B Diecast: Circle B Diecast, originally known as Plan B Sales, was founded in 2010 and started as a Lionel die-cast and Chase Authentics apparel wholesale distributor. The Concord, N.C. based company has grown into the largest independent racing collectibles distributor in the United States. Circle B Diecast offers both retail and wholesale customers a vast array of products through their website, www.circlebdiecast.com.
