Matt Mills - Zip Buy Now Pay Later 200 Race Preview
Race: Zip Buy Now Pay Later 200 (200 laps / 105.2 miles) | Race 22 of 23
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Location: Ridgeway, Virginia
Date & Time: Friday, November 1st | 6:00 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 Approved for Martinsville: Following a scary incident in last week's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Matt Mills was transported to the Jackson South Medical Center where he stayed two nights for further evaluation after suffering smoke inhalation. A group of doctors from both the NASCAR medical team and the hospital released Mills on Monday and later approved him to compete in Friday's race at Martinsville Speedway.
- Mills' Martinsville Stats: Back in April, Matt Mills made his first-career NCTS start at Martinsville Speedway. After getting involved in a late-race crash, Mills was forced to settle with a 29th-place finish. Mills has made a total of six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 0.526-mile short track, posting a best finish of 18th in the spring of 2022.
- Shiplett's Martinsville Stats: Mike Shiplett called his first Truck Series race at Martinsville in the spring, where he finished 24th with Bret Holmes. Shiplett has made 12 Cup Series starts here, posting a best run of 12th in the fall of 2010 with AJ Allmendinger. Last year, he nearly won his first Xfinity Series race at the half-mile short track with Austin Hill before getting involved in a last lap crash.
- STEM Appearance: Last Wednesday, Niece Motorsports drivers Matt Mills, Bayley Currey, and Matt Gould spent the day at Martinsville Speedway teaching a group of students from the local Patrick Henry Elementary School the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) within the NASCAR industry. The drivers helped students build rubber band cars, hosted a Q&A, and partook in local media interviews ahead of the race weekend.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
- Recapping Homestead-Miami: Matt Mills and the No. 42 Utilitra / J.F. Electric team's race was cut short following a hard crash on lap 74 at Homestead-Miami. The team had to start at the rear of the field with a transmission change, but Mills climbed to 18th in stage one and 15th in stage two. While battling with another competitor for position, contact sent Mills careening into the outside wall, resulting in a 34th-place finish.
- Points Rundown: Mills remains 23rd in the NCTS driver points standings following his 34th-place finish at Homestead-Miami. Directly ahead of Mills in 22nd is Timmy Hill, who currently has a 20-point gap above him. Behind sits Lawless Alan in 24th, who has a 13-point deficit.
- Quoting Mills: Were you able to take any positives away from the spring Martinsville race to bring it into this weekend?
“Yeah, we were pretty good in Martinsville, just kind of kept getting buried on track position and our strategies didn’t play out that well. Overall, we had a fast truck and that day should have been a lot better than what it was. I’m going there with some redemption hope.”
- Quoting Shiplett: What is the key to staying up front at Martinsville?
“The biggest thing with Martinsville is understanding your braking points and how far you can drive into the corners on new tires versus old tires. The way the truck race plays out, you should only pit one time and then you have to stay out, manage your tires, and play defense. It’s not really about rolling the center of the corner as it is with your drive off, so you have to try and keep your track position all race long. Nobody is going to pass in the middle, and it’s very seldom that the outside lane gets going. Just being able to hold your position and get good drive off is the key to success here.”
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.
