Matt Mills - North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Race Preview
Race: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (134 laps / 201 miles) | Race 11 of 23
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Date & Time: Friday, May 24th | 8:30 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' Charlotte Stats: Matt Mills has started three Truck Series races held at Charlotte, posting a best finish of 24th in 2017. Mills also made four Xfinity Series starts here, finishing a highest of 20th in 2022. He did not compete at this track last season.
- Leonard's Charlotte Stats: Jon Leonard has called two NCTS races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, both of which resulted in top-10 finishes with driver, Stewart Friesen. Friesen's best run with Leonard on the box was a fourth-place finish in 2021.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
- Family Ties to the Military: Matt's father, Jamie Mills, is a Recon Marine veteran who served in the Special Operations Forces while fighting in Desert Storm.
- Recapping North Wilkesboro: Mills started in 15th at North Wilkesboro due to the cancelation of time trials. Mills and the No. 42 team fought tight handling conditions which dropped them to 21st at the conclusion of stage one. When the race resumed on Sunday, Mills dropped to 27th at the end of stage two, but the crew made huge swings on the setup. The adjustments worked out well, and Mills ended the race in the 18th position.
- Points Rundown: For the third week in a row, Matt Mills gained a spot in the points standings. Now shown in the top-25, Mills is only three points behind his nearest competitor, Lawless Alan, who is 24th in points.
- Quoting Mills: Does Al Niece's military background make you more appreciative to race for him this weekend?
“Yeah, for sure. You know, Charlotte has always been one of my favorite racetracks, and we’ll be going there with our J.F. Electric red, white, and blue colors. I think my truck looks very patriotic this year, so to have that connection with Al as a Marine veteran as well as my dad, that military aspect is very cool to me. It’s definitely one that I’ve had on my list because it’s always a very special race for us.”
- Quoting Leonard: Does having a few recent intermediate races before this week give you a good sense of direction on where the program is?
“Yeah, I think you use Vegas, Texas, Kansas, and even Darlington to maintain a similar setup on the mile-and-a-half tracks like Charlotte. We basically use the same box of a package and try to see where our aero balance is at. It’s all about what you need when tires fall off and trying to figure out how to meld all those together to figure out what the best package is. It all ends up being very similar at these tracks, varying slightly depending on how much track position matters compared to tire falloff.”
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.