Niece Motorsports arrives at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta eager to build on momentum from Daytona, as the team’s roster of emerging NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series talent looks to secure strong results on the challenging super speedway. This Niece Motorsports Atlanta preview highlights the drivers, their stats, team dynamics, and what fans can expect from this pivotal race weekend.
Drivers Return with Confidence After Promising Daytona Start
Niece Motorsports launched their 2025 NASCAR season with eye-catching speed at the season opener in Daytona, and the team now turns its attention to Atlanta’s Echo Park Speedway, aiming to capitalize on that early promise. Rookie drivers Tyler Reif, Andrés Pérez de Lara, and veteran Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will each look to build on lessons learned, supported by their experienced crew chiefs and dedicated sponsors.
Tyler Reif, who hails from Henderson, Nevada, gets set for his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race of the 2025 campaign, having made an impressive series debut at Phoenix Raceway last October. In his first full NCTS campaign, Reif achieved a top-10 finish in the 2024 season finale and is taking on the anchor driver role for the team’s No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST, guided by crew chief Landon Polinski. The Atlanta race marks both Reif’s and Polinski’s first NCTS starts at Echo Park Speedway.
Reif enters the event backed by primary sponsors AutoVentive and Precision Vehicle Logistics. AutoVentive, a software solutions leader for the automotive logistics sector, is a division of Cincinnati-based Liberty Hill Equity Partners. Precision Vehicle Logistics also provides critical support, leveraging its broad industry background to strengthen the racing operation.
Recap of Daytona: Foundation for Atlanta Ambitions
The team’s Daytona race saw Travis Pastrana pilot the No. 42 BRUNT Workwear Chevrolet to a commendable 15th in his first NASCAR race in three years, maintaining position within the lead pack amid a chaotic closing stretch. This performance placed the No. 42 entry 17th in the owner points standings, trailing Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 by a single point and keeping ahead of ThorSport Racing’s No. 13 by the same slim margin.
Andrés Pérez de Lara, driving the No. 44 Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet, also demonstrated progress at Daytona. Although starting deep in the order, Pérez de Lara advanced through the draft and was running inside the top-10 with only a few laps to go, ultimately crossing the line 13th. He begins his first full-time NCTS season ranked 11th in the points, just two markers behind Chase cutoff driver Ben Rhodes in 10th place. Acceptance Insurance, part of Confie—the largest personal lines agency in the U.S.—continues as the anchor sponsor for the No. 44 effort, providing a foundation of community engagement and service.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. brought added experience to the No. 45 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, managing a methodical drive that resulted in a sixth-place finish in his Truck Series debut. Stenhouse Jr., the 2023 Daytona 500 champion, kept clear of trouble and surged to the front as the checkered flag approached. The No. 45 team now holds eighth in the owner standings, tied with TRICON Garage’s No. 5 and three points ahead of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s No. 18.
Atlanta Stats and New Challenges Await for Niece Lineup
The fast Atlanta track poses new challenges for all three Niece Motorsports drivers. Tyler Reif and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will each be making their first NCTS starts at Echo Park Speedway, with Reif leveraging knowledge gained from the ARCA Menards Series and his brief Truck Series experience. Crew chief Landon Polinski is similarly entering uncharted territory on the Atlanta pit wall.
Andrés Pérez de Lara comes into Atlanta with one NCTS start under his belt at the track—his best finish there to date is 27th. Crew chief Wally Rogers brings a wealth of experience with strong past performances as both crew chief and driver in various NASCAR series, highlighted by a Truck Series win with Ron Hornaday in 2005 and additional success in the NOAPS ranks.
For the No. 45 team, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s Atlanta resume features 18 NASCAR Cup Series starts, a pole in 2013, and a best Truck Series finish of fifth this year. Crew chief Phil Gould brings broader Truck and NOAPS experience to the pit box, having guided trucks to four top-10s in Atlanta, including a best finish of sixth across three different seasons.
Drivers Share Insights and Goals Ahead of Atlanta Race
This Niece Motorsports Atlanta preview would not be complete without the drivers’ perspectives on what the weekend holds. Tyler Reif drew on his existing experience and the importance of adapting quickly on the super speedway:
“I’m really looking forward to racing at Atlanta and am hoping to carry over some of the stuff I’ve learned over the years from the ARCA Menards Series. I learned a lot about the dirty air aspect of Truck Series racing when I ran Phoenix, so I just have to be cautious and aware of where everyone is in front of me. I think our main goal for the whole day is just to execute and make sure we run every lap so we can be there at the end of the race with our Precision Vehicle Logistics Silverado.”
– Tyler Reif, Driver
Andrés Pérez de Lara reflected on his approach after gaining critical experience at Daytona, emphasizing confidence and preparation for Atlanta’s unique demands:
“I think after racing in the pack all day last week in Daytona, I gained a lot of confidence heading into Atlanta. I feel good with the pushes I got, and think it’s prepared me for what we have going on this weekend. Atlanta is a very different style of super speedway, but we’re going to try and put ourselves in the right position. I think we have a good shot at it because my Acceptance Insurance Chevy was strong in Daytona. We showed speed there, but just have to put everything together.”
– Andrés Pérez de Lara, Driver
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. addressed how Atlanta’s track surface has evolved, offering a strategic outlook for race day:
“I don’t know, our Cup races are starting to string out a bit. I think the asphalt is getting aged a little bit, and there are a lot of aspects of it still being a super speedway, but it’s more trending towards an old, worn out surface like Daytona. I was just watching an old O’Reilly Daytona race from 2010 a few days ago and I think it will be similar to what we’ve got in Atlanta just because it’s got another year of sitting there and another cold winter on it.
Talking to Phil (Gould), we’ve got a totally different style truck that we take to Atlanta versus Daytona, so that tells me that handling is a big portion of that. You’ll still need to draft, but you have to have a truck that handles well to be able to do that. I’d rather take a truck that’s a little bit slower that handled well so you could hold the throttle down. I’m looking forward to it.”
– Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Driver
Sponsors Driving Success On and Off the Track
This season’s progress is underpinned by a diverse group of sponsors who provide essential resources for each Niece Motorsports entry. AutoVentive and Precision Vehicle Logistics deliver technology and industry knowledge to Tyler Reif’s campaign, while Acceptance Insurance supports Pérez de Lara with its mission to invest back into communities. J.F. Electric and Utilitra continue their support of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s efforts, ensuring competitive resources are available across the team.
What to Watch as Atlanta Showdown Approaches
With the NCTS season gaining momentum, Niece Motorsports looks to Atlanta as a springboard for its young talent and seasoned veterans to stake a claim among the series’ front runners. Each driver carries lessons from Daytona and prior experiences, and their ability to adapt to the evolving track surface at Echo Park Speedway will play a key role in the team’s fortunes. The owner and driver points battles remain closely contested, and a strong performance at Atlanta could propel any of the three entries higher in the standings. Fans can expect passionate racing and strategic battles as Niece Motorsports continues its push for a top finish this weekend.
