Matt Mills - Clean Harbors 250 Race Preview
Race: Clean Harbors 250 (250 laps / 187.5 miles) | Race 16 of 23
Track: Richmond Raceway
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Date & Time: Saturday, August 10th | 7:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | Motor Racing Network (MRN) | Sirius XM Ch. 90
No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
- Mills' Richmond Stats: Matt Mills has one prior Truck Series start at Richmond Raceway, which came in last year's running of the event. Mills had a strong run in that race, where he qualified and finished in the top-five. In seven Xfinity Series starts at the track, Mills' best result is 13th - which was obtained twice in the double header race weekend of 2020.
- Leonard's Richmond Stats: Jon Leonard has called one prior Truck Series race at Richmond when he worked with Stewart Friesen in 2022. Friesen finished 11th that night after qualifying in third-place. Leonard also made one start as a Cup Series crew chief at this track with Regan Smith as his driver in 2018.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
- Mills Runs Well in Richmond: Barring any mechanical issues, Mills has typically thrived at Richmond Raceway. This short track falls right into his wheelhouse, and is his favorite track on the schedule. With two respectable Xfinity Series runs under his belt, he chose to add it to his limited schedule with Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2023. Last year's running was some of Mills' best work, where he qualified fifth and gained stage points twice en route to a fifth-place finish. It was in that race where he gained the attention of Al Niece, who eventually signed him onto the team for this season.
- Home Race: Though he claims New Philadelphia, Ohio as his true hometown, Mills was born in nearby Lynchburg, Virginia just over two hours away from the track. He considers Richmond as his home race since Mid-Ohio was removed from the schedule this year.
- Recapping Indianapolis: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team fought through early adversity at IRP. Mills spun and sustained heavy left front damage in practice, and subsequently was not able to post a qualifying lap. Mills fought a tight-handling truck for the majority of the race, but continued to gain positions through stage one and two. Through several adjustments, the team continued to make big swings at it on every pit stop. Ultimately, the group would wind up with a 22nd-place finish after starting 34th on the day.
- Points Rundown: Following the 22nd-place finish in Indy, Mills' streak of points position gains came to a close after seven strong races in a row. He's still shown 21st in the points standings, and notably made ground up on the top-20. Bret Holmes, who currently is seeded 20th, is now only 11 points ahead of Matt heading into Richmond. In order to make the 10-driver NCTS Playoffs field, he will need to pick up the race victory on Saturday night.
- Quoting Mills: What is it about Richmond that tends to fit your driving style?
“Richmond is one of those tracks that you have to be disciplined the whole race. What you do and how you drive the truck on lap one is going to affect how it drives on lap 40. So, just being aware of that and how big the tire falloff is there is important. You have to balance when it’s time to get positions and when you have to manage your tires. Honestly, it’s not a track for an aggressive driving style, and I think that mine is more calculated, so that helps. It’s a home track for me since I was born in Lynchburg, VA, so that has always added some extra motivation as well. It’s been a good rhythm track for me.”
- Quoting Leonard: Since this has been a good track for Matt and for the team in the past, does that help give you a sense of direction on where you need to be setup-wise?
“I think Matt’s confidence will be high this weekend, and with Phil (Gould) and Carson (Hocevar) winning last year, we have a good baseline on where to start off with. We’ve all been comparing notes on how the trucks were built last year and where they were at on the setup which will give us a good direction on where we should be when we roll off the truck.”
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 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.
