Matt Mills - Slim Jim 200 Race Preview
Event: Slim Jim 200 (200 laps / 105.2 miles)
Round: 24 of 25 (Playoffs Round of 8)
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Location: Ridgeway, Virginia
Date & Time: Friday, October 24 | 6:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Martinsville Stats: Since 2017, Niece drivers have combined to make 34 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts at Martinsville Speedway. The team has garnered two top-fives and four top-10s, including a runner-up finish with Ross Chastain in fall, 2019. In the spring race, Matt Mills led the team with a 15th-place result.
- Milestone Start: Friday's Slim Jim 200 will mark the 600th combined start for Niece Motorsports drivers. The team is only behind one active organization, ThorSport Racing, with the most starts in the series.
No. 42 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
- Mills' Martinsville Stats: Matt Mills has competed in three NCTS races at Martinsville, all of which came while driving for Niece Motorsports. Mills earned his track-best finish back in the spring race where he crossed the line in 15th. He has also made six NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts here, finishing as high as 18th in spring, 2022.
- Polinski's Martinsville Stats: Landon Polinski will make his first NCTS start as a crew chief at Martinsville Speedway on Friday.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric, who will be featured as a co-branded primary sponsor along with DQS Solutions & Staffing and Precision Vehicle Logistics.
- Recapping Talladega: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team survived Talladega and lived to see another day. Mills qualified in 23rd, but was forced to start at the tail of the field after the team changed a driveshaft following time trials. The team elected to play it safe through the opening two stages, and made it a mission to make it to the end. Late in the going, Mills suffered unbearable heat coming up through the pedals, but hung on to finish in 19th-place.
- Points Rundown: Mills lost one position in the points standings after Talladega, now down to 18th-place. Entering Martinsville, Mills is six points behind Dawson Sutton in 17th, and 23 points ahead of Stewart Friesen in 19th.
- Quoting Mills: How important is it to manage your brakes here at a track like Martinsville?
“For us, it’s more about managing the heat in your right-front tire, so that kind of plays into managing your brakes. You need to keep temperature out of your right-front to keep your long-run speed up. I think we have a good opportunity to build off what we ran with in the spring, and hopefully get a better finish in our J.F. Electric Chevy.”
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 J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.
About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.
About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.
