Matt Mills - Wright Brand 250 Race Preview
Race: Wright Brand 250 (250 laps / 156.25 miles) | Race 10 of 23
Track: North Wilkesboro Speedway
Location: North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Date & Time: Saturday, May 18th | 1:30 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' North Wilkesboro Stats: Matt Mills will make his first-career start at North Wilkesboro Speedway in Saturday's Wright Brand 250.
- Leonard's North Wilkesboro Stats: Jon Leonard's lone start at North Wilkesboro came last year while working with NASCAR Cup Series driver, Christopher Bell. Bell qualified ninth in the race and showed flashes of speed, even finishing third in stage one. He would go on to finish the race in the 16th position.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
- Recapping Darlington: Mills and the No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra team fought hard to secure their best finish of the season at Darlington. Qualifying in 25th, Mills and the team would hold steady throughout the first two stages. However, with late-race carnage, Mills navigated through several crashes to pick up track position. Skillful driving would lead his team home with an 11th-place finish, just one spot shy of their first top-10 result.
- Points Rundown: Following race nine on the NCTS calendar, Matt Mills gained a spot in the points standings. Mills now sits 26th, chasing Spencer Boyd from four points back of 25th place. He has been on an upward-trend since Kansas, gaining one spot in each race over the past couple of weeks.
- Quoting Mills: With your short track racing background, how fun is it to go back to your roots and race at a track like North Wilkesboro?
“This track will be really cool for me; I’ve had this race circled on my calendar. I haven’t ever been there before, but I’ve always wanted to race there because of all the nostalgia and history that the place has. I didn’t get to run last year on the original pavement, but seeing how fast everything looks to be here now on the new pavement through testing, I think it’s going to be pretty cool. I think short tracks are definitely more in my wheelhouse than other tracks.”
- Quoting Leonard: How aggressive do you anticipate this race will be compared to the other short tracks on the schedule?
“I think this race is going to be a bit of a mix between a Richmond and a Martinsville. The drivers were running about two seconds faster this year at the tire test than where they were last year. With the repave, it’s a lot smoother. I think a lot of the truck races lean on the aggressive side so this probably won’t be much different. We aren’t expecting a huge amount of tire falloff, but I think that the aggression level is definitely going to be on the high side.”
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.