Matt Mills - Heart of Health Care 200 Race Preview
Event: Heart of Health Care 200 (134 laps / 201 miles)
Round: 9 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Kansas Speedway
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Date & Time: Saturday, May 10 | 7:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Kansas Stats: Niece drivers have made a total of 40 combined NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts at Kansas Speedway. The organization has been strong here in recent years, picking up six top-fives and nine top-10 finishes. In 2019, the team won its first race at this track with Ross Chastain.
- Ties to the Area: Niece Products of Kansas is based roughly an hour and a half away from the racetrack in Fort Scott. As an extension of Niece Equipment, Niece Products of Kansas builds both water trucks and fuel/lube trucks to serve the area's construction needs.
No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Mills' Kansas Stats: Matt Mills has made four NCTS starts at Kansas Speedway, finishing as high as 17th-place in 2017. Last spring, Mills drove to a 23rd-place finish. Mills has also made five NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts here, posting a best run of 19th in 2023. In 2021, he made his Cup Series debut at the 1.5-mile track.
- Shiplett's Kansas Stats: Mike Shiplett has called two NCTS races at this track, both of which were last year. In the spring, he led the Bret Holmes Racing team to a 14th-place finish. Shiplett is a past Kansas winner, triumphing with John Hunter Nemechek for the NXS race in 2018. His NXS drivers delivered one win, one pole, and three top-fives in six starts. In 10 Cup Series starts, Shiplett earned two top-10s with a best of seventh by Cole Custer in 2020.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who will serve as his anchor partners for the entire 25-race season.
- Recapping Texas: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team had their hopes of a top-10 finish dashed in a late-race incident at Texas Motor Speedway. After starting deep in 30th once qualifying was rained out, a brilliant strategy call resulted in Mills capturing a second-place finish in stage one. From there, Mills hovered around the top-15 for the remainder of the night before clipping the grass on the front stretch. The damage proved to be too severe to continue the race, resulting in a 20th-place finish.
- Points Rundown: Mills gained one spot in the points standings with his 20th-place run in Texas. Though currently shown in 19th-place, he is tied with Andres Perez de Lara for 18th. The driver of the No. 42 has a two-point buffer over Connor Mosack in 20th.
- Quoting Mills: What can you take away from some of the other intermediates for this week?
“Our long-run speed on mile-and-a-halves is our strong suit, but we need to find a little bit of a balance between firing off and maintaining that speed with how the stages are laid out for us in the trucks. Kansas is a good track for Niece Motorsports as a whole, so going into this one I feel strongly that we can have a good run. We’ve been fast there in the past, but just haven’t been able to get the results to show it.”
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 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, 190+ 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).
