Matt Mills - Toyota 200 Race Preview
Race: Toyota 200 (160 laps / 200 miles) | Race 12 of 23
Track: World Wide Technology Raceway
Location: Madison, Illinois
Date & Time: Saturday, June 1st | 12:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX | 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' Gateway Stats: Matt Mills has made one prior start at WWT Raceway which came in last year's Truck Series event. Mills qualified 29th, and made up 10 spots to finish 19th in the race.
- Leonard's Gateway Stats: Jon Leonard has made a pair of starts on top of the box at Gateway before, both of which came while working with Stewart Friesen. In both races (2021 and 2022), Friesen brought his truck home with a fourth-place finish.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
- J.F. Electric's Home Race: Mills' primary sponsor, J.F. Electric, calls the St. Louis region its home base. Located just over 15 minutes from the racetrack in Edwardsville, IL, J.F. Electric will host a large contingent of its employees at the race on Saturday. On Thursday, Mills will visit the company's headquarters for an employee day showcasing the the No. 42 race hauler.
- Welcoming New Partners: The bedtop of Mills' No. 42 truck this week will feature two new partners that are local to WWT Raceway. Moussalli's Prime, a well-known steakhouse in Edwardsville, IL, will be branded alongside Lux Nova Laser Studio, a beauty salon also located in Edwardsville.
- Mills Secures Best-Career Finish at Charlotte: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team put forth a great effort in Charlotte. Mills started the race from 15th, and quietly finished in 18th position at the conclusion of stage one and two. The team came alive late in the going of stage three, and following a late-race pitstop, Mills rocketed into the top-five. Where he initially crossed the line fifth, a disqualification was made through tech inspection. Mills would later be classified in the fourth position, which is his best-career finish in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
- Points Rundown: With Mills' fourth-place finish at Charlotte, he continued his four-race streak of gaining one spot in the points standings. Entering the 12th race of the season, Mills sits in 24th position, seven points behind Mason Massey in 23rd. He is currently 27 points behind Ty Dillon which would break him into the top-20.
- Quoting Mills: With it being a home race for your sponsors, how much emphasis do you put on running well at Gateway specifically?
“Gateway is definitely a big race for us. J.F. Electric is on our truck all year, but this is a race that they go all-out with on the hospitality aspect. All the men and women that are their employees really want to see their truck run well in their backyard, so we’ve been putting a lot of time in the sim to prepare for it. For us, it’s one of the biggest races of the year.”
- Quoting Leonard: What makes Gateway such a difficult track to set your truck up for?
“I like to think of this track as being pretty similar to Darlington in that both ends are so different, but there’s not as much tire falloff here. You can shift, but you don’t have to. It’s a big flat track, and a big short track. I think getting the truck to turn on the flat end will be important. I think our short track package is pretty good, so we’ll stick to that and roll with it.”
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.