Stefan Parsons - NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race Preview
Race: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship (150 laps / 150 miles) | Race 23 of 23
Track: Phoenix Raceway
Location: Avondale, Arizona
Date & Time: Friday, November 8th | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | Motor Racing Network (MRN) | Sirius XM Ch. 90
No. 44 PopSells.com Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Stefan Parsons | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
- Parsons Joins for Finale: As announced last Wednesday, Niece Motorsports tabbed the experienced driver Stefan Parsons to make his debut with the team at Phoenix Raceway. Parsons has made a total of 21 NCTS starts and 66 Xfinity Series starts in his career. The driver from Cornelius, North Carolina is looking to finish out an impressive part-time 2024 schedule which has garnered three top-10 finishes for the No. 75 team fielded by Henderson Motorsports.
- Parsons' Phoenix Stats: Stefan Parsons has competed in two prior NCTS events held at Phoenix Raceway. Parsons earned his track-best finish in 2018 with a 20th-place run, and was credited with 30th in last year's finale after getting swept up in a crash. In five Xfinity Series starts, Parsons' best result came in the spring of 2021 when he finished 18th.
- Leonard's Phoenix Stats: Jon Leonard has an impressive track record at Phoenix Raceway, where in three NCTS starts he has made two top-five finishes. In the 2021 series finale, Leonard called Stewart Friesen to a runner-up finish as his personal best. Additionally, Leonard made two Cup Series starts at the 1.0-mile flat track in 2017 and 2018.
- On the Truck: Parsons' No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from PopSells.com. Pop is the world's largest online, full-service marketplace for recreational vehicles and boats.
- Double Duty: In addition to his Truck Series efforts, Stefan Parsons will also race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season finale driving the No. 45 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Alpha Prime Racing. Parsons has only driven in one other NXS race this year which came at Bristol Motor Speedway back in September.
- Owner Points Outlook: Following Matt Gould's 27th-place finish in Martinsville last weekend, the Niece Motorsports No. 44 entry remains 34th in owner points. Having only ran for less than half of the season, the No. 44 team will likely finish the year in the same position.
- Quoting Parsons: What will the biggest benefit be of running both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series races this weekend?
“Track time for sure. Normally, I would say that the truck and Xfinity car don’t really correlate all that much, but at a track like Phoenix, I’d say they are a lot more similar to each other. I like racing here, it’s a fun track that allows us to try some different lanes as the race goes on, and I know that the Niece trucks tend to be pretty good here. I’m really looking forward to seeing what it’s like to drive one of them when we unload for practice on Thursday. Hopefully the added time will help us bring home solid finishes in both races.”
- Quoting Leonard: Were you impressed with how quick Stefan was able to get up-to-speed in the simulator?
“Yeah, Stefan and I have worked together in the past. Him and I have done some work in the simulator before, so that relationship helped make everything easier starting from the beginning. We took Phil (Gould)’s model and started from there, which helped us get a solid baseline to work off of. I think his background in the sim was very helpful to us progressing for this week.”
About PopSells.com: Founded in 2009, Pop (PopSells.com) has grown to be the world's largest online, full-service, marketplace for boats and recreational vehicles.
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.
