Matt Mills - NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race Preview
Race: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship (150 laps / 150 miles) | Race 23 of 23
Track: Phoenix Raceway
Location: Avondale, Arizona
Date & Time: Friday, November 8th | 8:00 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: Mike Shiplett
- Mills' Phoenix Stats: Matt Mills has made one prior NCTS start at Phoenix when he finished 21st in 2016. Mills made his Xfinity Series debut at this track in 2017 and later went on to make a total of seven series starts in the desert. His best NXS result came in the fall of 2019 when he crossed the line in 19th.
- Shiplett's Phoenix Stats: Mike Shiplett will call his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Phoenix on Friday night but has plenty of success here. Shiplett is a two-time pole winner at this track - once in the Cup Series with AJ Allmendinger in 2010 and once in the Xfinity Series with John Hunter Nemechek in 2018. In 13 NXS starts, Shiplett captured three top-fives and six top-10 finishes, including when he ran second with Cole Custer in the fall of 2019. Through 11 Cup Series races, Shiplett produced two top-10s - twice finishing ninth with Allmendinger in 2011 and with Custer in 2020.
- Decision 2024: Voting for this year's NASCAR Most Popular Driver has opened and Matt Mills is in the running for the award. Fans can vote five times per day by visiting https://www.nascar.com/truckmostpopulardriver/.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
- Recapping Martinsville: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team checked off an important box by running all of the laps and finishing all 200 laps at Martinsville Speedway. Mills, who started the week off in the hospital, went back to work and had no issues behind the wheel. After qualifying 21st, Mills finished 22nd and 24th in both stages, and was able to take advantage of the free pass to drive into a top-20 result. The J.F. Electric / Utilitra team was credited with a 19th-place run.
- Points Rundown: Following Mills' 19th-place result at Martinsville, the driver of the No. 42 gained some ground in the championship points standings. Though he is still shown in 23rd heading into Phoenix, Matt is only 18 points behind both Timmy Hill in 21st and Ty Dillon in 22nd-place. A solid run with stage points on Friday can see him pick up a spot or two to end the year.
- Quoting Mills: Since it's been a few years, how beneficial will the longer practice session be to help you get used to running a truck at this track?
“It’s been since 2016 since I last drove a truck here in Phoenix, and I haven’t raced anything here in a couple of years. Last time I was able to get some laps around this place was in the Xfinity car, and everywhere that we’ve been to this year I’ve thought the trucks handled very differently. We just have to take advantage of the long practice session and make some good adjustments to our piece as the track changes.”
- Quoting Shiplett: How important is this race going to be when it comes to building momentum for over the offseason?
“Well, I think these last three races that we had this year are important in their own right, especially the last couple, since they’ll be some of the earliest races that we have on the schedule for 2025. Getting a good understanding of how our truck reacts will help our baseline heading into the offseason. Also, getting our communication nailed down will be key to being successful straight out of the gate at the start of next year.”
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.
