Niece Motorsports Overview
Niece Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team headquartered in Salisbury, North Carolina. The organization currently fields Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, while also competing in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour with selected entries. Owned by Josh Morris and Greg Fowler, Niece Motorsports has built a reputation as a developmental operation that gives emerging and established drivers opportunities across multiple national platforms.
Since opening its doors in 2016, Niece Motorsports has expanded steadily from a small Truck Series effort into a multi-car organization that has entered more than 230 races across several NASCAR properties. The team is recognized for the No. 42 entry, along with additional trucks numbered 4, 44, and 45, and it has accumulated nine victories in the Craftsman Truck Series without yet securing a series drivers’ championship. That blend of competitive results and driver development defines the team’s identity in American motorsports.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Niece Motorsports was established in 2016 by owners Josh Morris and Greg Fowler, who set out to create a stock car racing team capable of competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The operation was based in Salisbury, North Carolina, giving the team a centralized shop from which to manage its race program, transporter fleet, and personnel. From the beginning, the founders emphasized building a competitive Chevrolet-based program that could attract both young talent and veteran drivers looking for a fresh opportunity.
Early operations were kept lean, with the team running limited schedules while it refined its equipment, hired key crew members, and developed relationships with parts suppliers and engine builders. The decision to field Chevrolet Silverados aligned the team with one of NASCAR’s most popular manufacturers and gave it access to a deep technical support network. Those early years allowed Morris and Fowler to test workflows, build a reliable transport operation, and create a foundation for the larger multi-truck effort that would follow.
Growth Into Craftsman Truck Series Competition
The team’s competitive debut came in 2016 with Casey Smith driving the No. 45 truck in two Craftsman Truck Series events, marking Niece Motorsports’ first laps in NASCAR’s third-tier national series. By 2017, the organization had committed to a fuller schedule, leaning on T. J. Bell for the bulk of the driving duties while expanding its race-by-race presence. The 2018 season added the No. 22 truck with Austin Wayne Self, followed by part-time entries in the No. 38 with a rotating group of drivers, giving the team experience running multiple trucks in a single campaign.
Over the following seasons, Niece Motorsports broadened its footprint with the No. 40 and No. 41 entries, while also adding a brief Xfinity Series appearance at Watkins Glen in 2018 with Victor Gonzalez Jr. Limited forays into the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West expanded the team’s NASCAR exposure beyond the Truck Series. By 2020, the operation was running as many as four trucks, with Ross Chastain, Natalie Decker, Timothy Peters, and others contributing to its growing race count and national visibility.
Niece Motorsports Competitive Journey
Niece Motorsports has evolved from a small 2016 debut effort into a multi-truck Craftsman Truck Series operation that has logged hundreds of starts across NASCAR. The team’s journey has been marked by steady growth in personnel, a rotating cast of talented drivers, and a gradual climb in results that produced nine total Truck Series victories. Although it has not captured a series drivers’ championship, the organization has regularly placed trucks inside the top ten and has been a consistent threat on intermediate and short tracks.
Early Seasons and Development (2016–2018)
The earliest chapter of Niece Motorsports began with limited starts in 2016 and 2017, as the team used the No. 45 entry to learn the rhythms of full-time Truck Series competition. Casey Smith and T. J. Bell handled most of the driving duties during this developmental window, with the team treating each race as an opportunity to refine pit-stop procedures, chassis setups, and engine programs. By 2017, the organization had also experimented with a start-and-park No. 38 truck, signaling a willingness to expand even when full-race competitiveness was not yet realistic.
The 2018 season marked a clear step forward, as Justin Fontaine took over the No. 45 for a full campaign and delivered top-ten finishes at Daytona and Las Vegas. Austin Wayne Self ran a complete schedule in the new No. 22 entry, while Max McLaughlin, Ross Chastain, T. J. Bell, and Landon Huffman split time in the No. 38. An attempted Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen with Victor Gonzalez Jr. gave the team a glimpse of national series expansion and set the stage for the multi-truck programs that would follow.
Breakthrough in the Craftsman Truck Series (2019–2023)
The 2019 season delivered the team’s first major breakthrough, as Ross Chastain took over the No. 45 truck and quickly elevated Niece Motorsports’ profile. He captured the organization’s first win at Kansas Speedway after leader Stewart Friesen ran out of fuel, then added two more victories later in the year to finish second in the final Truck Series standings. Chastain’s three-win, ten-top-five campaign established Niece Motorsports as a legitimate contender and demonstrated that the team could develop equipment capable of contending for race wins and championships.
Building on that momentum, the team fielded additional full-time trucks and continued to invest in personnel. The 2020 season featured Natalie Decker in the No. 44, where she became the highest-finishing female driver in Truck Series history with a fifth-place result at Daytona. Carson Hocevar assumed the No. 42 truck in 2021 and quickly emerged as a future star, scoring his first career win at Texas in 2023 and adding victories at Nashville and Richmond. His late-season surge carried him into the Championship 4 and resulted in a third-place finish in the final standings, cementing Niece Motorsports’ reputation as a championship-caliber operation.
The 2022 and 2023 seasons also produced the team’s first Truck Series pole positions and additional victories, including Ross Chastain’s win at Charlotte in the No. 41 entry. By the end of 2023, the team had reached a new level of competitiveness, with multiple trucks contending for wins, expanded sponsorship partnerships, and a deep rotation of drivers capable of delivering strong results. That progress positioned Niece Motorsports for the next phase of its development, focused on continuity and long-term growth.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2024–Present)
Heading into 2024, Niece Motorsports prepared for a transition as Carson Hocevar moved to the NASCAR Cup Series and Matt Mills was named the new full-time driver of the No. 42. The No. 44 was assigned to Christian Rose, while the No. 45 rotated between Johnny Sauter, Kaden Honeycutt, Connor Mosack, and Ross Chastain, with Chastain adding a victory at Darlington. The team also experimented with part-time entries in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour through Matt Gould, signaling a continued commitment to grassroots development.
In 2025, the program expanded its driver development efforts while balancing the schedules of veterans and rising stars. Kaden Honeycutt ran the No. 45 full-time before departing for a different manufacturer, with Connor Zilisch and Bayley Currey sharing the remaining races. Matt Mills continued in the No. 42 with renewed sponsorship, and Landon Polinski was named crew chief of that entry for the final eight races beginning at Darlington. Looking ahead to 2026, the team has announced Tyler Reif as the anchor driver of the No. 42, with Conner Jones and Parker Eatmon running part-time and Travis Pastrana scheduled for Daytona. The No. 44 will be driven full-time by Andrés Pérez de Lara, while the renumbered No. 4 will field a rotating cast that includes Garrett Mitchell, Ben Maier, Connor Hall, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Shane van Gisbergen, and Stefan Parsons. The No. 45 will see action from Landen Lewis, Ross Chastain, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., reinforcing Niece Motorsports’ reputation as a versatile multi-truck operation ready for its next competitive era.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Niece Motorsports has built its identity around driver development, equipment consistency, and the ability to adapt quickly across different track types. The team is known for preparing trucks that perform well on short tracks and intermediates, and its crews have developed a reputation for fast pit stops and sound race strategy. That flexible approach has allowed the organization to field competitive entries for both rookies and veterans throughout each season.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Among the team’s most important milestones are its first Truck Series victory at Kansas in 2019, Ross Chastain’s three-win 2019 campaign, Natalie Decker’s record fifth-place finish at Daytona in 2020, Carson Hocevar’s three-win 2023 season, and Chastain’s win at Charlotte the same year. Reaching the Championship 4 in 2023 and expanding into the CARS Late Model Stock Tour represent additional benchmarks that illustrate the team’s steady rise within American stock car racing.
Niece Motorsports Achievements and Results
Across more than 230 combined starts in NASCAR’s national and regional series, Niece Motorsports has earned a reputation for consistent performance and opportunistic victories. The organization has accumulated nine wins, two pole positions, and dozens of top-ten finishes in the Craftsman Truck Series, along with additional top results in the Xfinity Series and the ARCA Menards Series family. While a series drivers’ championship has remained just out of reach, the team’s results demonstrate a clear upward trajectory.
Craftsman Truck Series Achievements
Niece Motorsports has scored all nine of its victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, beginning with Ross Chastain’s breakthrough at Kansas in 2019. The team added further wins through Chastain at Charlotte, Carson Hocevar at Texas, Nashville, and Richmond in 2023, and additional trips to victory lane that established the organization as a perennial threat. These results have been supported by two Truck Series pole positions and frequent appearances near the front of the field across intermediate tracks, short tracks, and superspeedways.
Conference Achievements
Although the Craftsman Truck Series does not use a traditional conference structure, Niece Motorsports’ competitive consistency has translated into multiple playoff appearances and a Championship 4 berth in 2023. The team’s ability to place trucks inside the top ten across diverse venues has been central to its growth. Each season has added depth to the program, giving crew chiefs and drivers more data to refine setups and strategy.
Divisional Achievements
Within the Truck Series’ divisional and points structure, Niece Motorsports has posted strong season-long results, highlighted by Ross Chastain’s second-place finish in 2019 and Carson Hocevar’s third-place effort in 2023. Multiple drivers have earned top-ten points finishes, and the team has been a regular contender in individual race segments. These divisional results have reinforced the organization’s standing as one of the most consistent Chevrolet-aligned teams in the series.
Series Achievements
Beyond the Truck Series, Niece Motorsports has recorded one Xfinity Series start, seven ARCA Menards Series starts, two ARCA Menards Series East starts, and two ARCA Menards Series West starts, giving the operation a presence across multiple NASCAR platforms. The team has also entered the CARS Late Model Stock Tour, expanding its footprint into grassroots short-track competition. These additional series appearances reflect a broader strategy of providing competitive seats for drivers at every level of the stock car ladder.
