Matt Mills - Baptist Health 200 Race Preview
Race: Baptist Health 200 (134 laps / 201 miles) | Race 21 of 23
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Location: Homestead, Florida
Date & Time: Saturday, October 26th | 12:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | Motor Racing Network (MRN) | Sirius XM Ch. 90
No. 42 Utilitra / J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Competition Changes: Beginning this week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the No. 42 team will be led by a new crew chief. Mike Shiplett, an industry veteran with 26 national series wins to his credit, has assumed this new role after departing Bret Holmes Racing. Shiplett has won several NASCAR Xfinity Series races with Evernham Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing, and most recently, Stewart-Haas Racing. He has also won races in the Cup & Truck Series atop the box in his career of 15-plus years.
Conversely, Jon Leonard remains with the organization to take on the crew chief role for the No. 44 team. Leonard called the first 20 races of the season for Mills and the No. 42 team which resulted in one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
- Mills' Homestead Stats: Matt Mills will make his first Truck Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend. Mills has competed in five Xfinity Series races here, finishing as high as 24th in the second part of the double-header event in 2020.
- Shiplett's Homestead Stats: Mike Shiplett will call his first Truck Series race at Homestead on Saturday but has plenty of experience at this 1.5-mile track. Shiplett has made eight NXS starts here and owns one win (Kyle Larson, 2015) and one pole (Tyler Reddick, 2017). In total, Shiplett's drivers picked up four top-fives and five top-10s in the Xfinity Series. He has also called four Cup Series races here, posting one top-five with AJ Allmendinger in 2010.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners Utilitra and J.F. Electric. This will be the second race of the 2024 season which sees Utilitra showcased as his primary partner on the hood.
- Breast Cancer Awareness: There's a new look to the No. 42 Silverado this week as the traditional red color swatches have been replaced with bright pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Utilitra, the woman-owned company who will serve as Mills' primary sponsor, has been a large supporter of the American Cancer Society for several years.
- Recapping Talladega: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team had a great showing at Talladega, but were involved in 'the big one'. Mills qualified highest of all Niece Motorsports trucks in eighth, and jumped to the lead of the outside lane. The No. 42 held onto the lead to win stage one, marking his first-career stage victory. In stage two, Mills had a masterful save, but dropped to 16th. After a round of green flag pitstops, chaos ensued entering turn one and he was collected. With too much damage to continue, Mills was forced out in 31st.
- Points Rundown: Leaving Talladega with a stage win in the bag, Matt Mills remains 23rd in the championship standings for another week. Mills gained ground on his nearest competitor, Timmy Hill in 22nd, with the deficit now only nine points between the two heading into Homestead-Miami. The driver of the No. 42 leads 24th-place's Lawless Alan by a 26-point gap.
- Quoting Mills: How much of a confidence boost did you get from winning your first stage last race in Talladega?
“That was pretty cool. We've had speed all year, but to finally get a result out of it - regardless of the finish of the race, was great. It was my first stage win, and I feel like that can add to our momentum going out there with a fast truck. That was a confidence builder for me, knowing that we had the speed and what our team is capable at Niece Motorsports was definitely pretty cool.”
- Quoting Shiplett: On his midseason transition to Niece Motorsports:
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work at Niece Motorsports with Matt Mills. I see a lot of talent in Matt, and I'm mainly trying to help him showcase that talent and get some better finishes to end the year here strong. We want to focus heavily on these next three races to understand what we need to work on to be stronger heading into 2025."
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.
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 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.
