Phil Gould to Join Niece Motorsports as Crew Chief in 2019
STATESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 22, 2019) – Race-winningcrew chief, Phil Gould will join Niece Motorsports in 2019, serving as the crewchief for the No. 45 TrüNorth™ ChevroletSilverado driven by Ross Chastain and Reid Wilson during the 2019 NASCAR GanderOutdoors Truck Series (NGOTS) season.
Gouldwas most recently with Roush Fenway Racing, as crew chief for Ryan Reed in theNASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS). In threeseasons together, the pair made the Playoffs each year and earned a victory atDaytona International Speedway in 2017.
“I’mexcited for the opportunity to join Niece Motorsports,” said Gould. “Niece Motorsports has really built a strongprogram in the last few years, and the Truck Series has some of the mostexciting racing in NASCAR, so I’m really looking forward to what this seasonhas in store.”
Priorto joining Niece Motorsports, Gould served as crew chief for Elliott Sadlerwhile at Roush Fenway, and Brian Scott while at Richard Childress Racing.
Gould entered the NASCAR scene when he moved to NorthCarolina in 2000, spending his first year in motorsports as a mechanic in theNXS with driver Mike Stefanik.
In 2001, Gould moved to Evernham Motorsports, working onBill Elliott’s No. 9 team as a mechanic and rear tire carrier. Gould helped secure victories with the No. 9team at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2001 and in the Brickyard 400 in 2002.
Gould joined Richard Childress Racing in 2003 as amechanic on the No. 21 NXS Chevrolet. Hewas a valued asset as the team captured the NXS Owner’s title with KevinHarvick and Johnny Sauter.
In 2004, Gould became the car chief of the No. 2 NXSChevrolet at RCR with Ron Hornaday and then with Clint Bowyer in 2005.
Starting in 2006, Gould served as the car chief of theNo. 07 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) Chevrolet at RCR working withClint Bowyer and Casey Mears.
Midway through the 2009 season, Gould transferred over toa new role as the car chief of the No. 29 MENCS Chevrolet with KevinHarvick. Gould was a part of the teamthat earned back-to-back third-place finishes in the Chase for the MENCS Cup in2010 and 2011.
“Philbrings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table – we are fortunate tohave him on board at Niece Motorsports,” said General Manager Cody Efaw. “I was a car chief for Phil in 2016, so I canattest to his team-first mentality and strong work ethic. I think Phil will be a great fit with Rossand Reid this season.”
Last season,Chastain made three starts with Niece Motorsports, at Bristol Motor Speedway,Texas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, earning a best finish of 12that Bristol Motor Speedway.
InSeptember, Chastain broke into the Winner’s Circle in the NXS, after putting ona dominating performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, winning each stage of therace and leading 180 of 200 laps.
Wilson,who will split the No. 45 ride with Chastain, competed in three NGOTS events in2018; at Martinsville Speedway, Iowa Speedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway,with Wilson’s best finish of 16th coming at Martinsville Speedway.
Priorto moving into the NGOTS, Wilson competed in the NASCAR K&N Pro SeriesEast, where he had a 50 percent top-10 rate. In 2018, he was named No. 46 inMotorsportsAnalytics.com’s ranking of the top 75 NASCAR Cup Series prospects. “Reid hasn’t competed regularly in a NASCARladder division, but when he does appear, he’s proven formidable,” stated DavidSmith, president of Motorsports Analytics.
TheNo. 45 Chevrolet driven by Chastain in the season-opening event at DaytonaInternational Speedway will feature a special TrüNorth™/PaulJr. Designs paint scheme. TrüNorth™ is theleading provider of commercial asset related warranty programs and services fordealers, fleets, owner-operators, and commercial finance companies,
TheNASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series season will kick off at DaytonaInternational Speedway on Friday, February 15, 2019.
About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine CorpsVeteran Al Niece. In 2019, Niece Motorsports enters its fourth season inthe NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, with drivers Ross Chastain and Reid Wilson. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which hasfor over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitiveprices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity anddependability. The company provideswater and fuel / lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability inmind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.