Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut driving the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. This marks the first time the accomplished NASCAR Cup Series veteran will compete in the Truck Series, adding another chapter to his distinguished racing career.
Veteran Driver Prepares for New Challenge
Stenhouse Jr., a native of Olive Branch, Mississippi, brings an impressive resume to the Truck Series, having competed in over 400 NASCAR Cup Series events with four victories, all on superspeedways. His most notable recent achievement is winning the Daytona 500 in 2023. Stenhouse has also tasted success in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, where he won back-to-back championships in 2011 and 2012. Despite nearly 600 combined starts in the Cup and Xfinity divisions, he has yet to start a race in the Truck Series—until now.
“I’ve always wanted to run a truck, but never had the opportunity to put something together,”
said Stenhouse Jr.
Stenhouse emphasized the significance of making his debut at Daytona, a venue that has been pivotal in his career. He will have sponsorship from J.F. Electric in this endeavor. Niece Motorsports has further plans for Stenhouse, with a second scheduled Truck Series appearance set for EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), also known for intense drafting battles.
“When Cody (Efaw) called me, I definitely had a lot of interest to see what all they have been building here at Niece Motorsports, especially looking at their level of competition. With it being at Daytona, obviously winning the 500 was awesome, and I’d love to win a Truck Series race there, too. I’ve always wanted to race a truck, but I wanted it to be competitive – and this checks all of those boxes.”
– Ricky Stenhouse Jr., NASCAR Cup Series Winner
Niece Motorsports Confident in Stenhouse’s Abilities
Niece Motorsports CEO Cody Efaw expressed enthusiasm about Stenhouse joining the team for his long-awaited Truck Series debut. Efaw, who has a previous connection with Stenhouse from their days at Roush (now RFK Racing), believes the decision gives the team a strong chance at immediate success, especially at superspeedway events.
“We are all very excited to welcome Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to our team for his first time racing in the Truck Series,”
said Cody Efaw, Niece Motorsports CEO.
“I’ve known Ricky for several years now dating back to our time at Roush (now RFK Racing), and he’s always been a natural on super speedways. I believe he will have a true shot at contending for the win at both Daytona and Atlanta.”
– Cody Efaw, Niece Motorsports CEO
What This Means for the Season Ahead
Stenhouse Jr.’s entry into the NASCAR Truck Series highlights a season of exciting crossovers, as other veterans such as Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart are also scheduled to make rare starts in the series. For Niece Motorsports, adding a driver of Stenhouse’s caliber positions the team to be contenders on drafting tracks like Daytona and Atlanta, where experience and strategic racing are crucial. Fans and analysts will watch closely to see if Stenhouse can convert his proven superspeedway skills into immediate success in the Truck Series.
