Matt Mills during pre-race introductions at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Photo Credit: Chloe Gunn | The Podium Finish)
CONCORD, N.C. – Matt Mills entered Charlotte Motor Speedway without a top 10 throughout the first 10 races of the 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season, but he left the 1.5-mile oval with his best showing of the season, scoring a seventh place in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.
It was a night to remember for all of Niece Motorsports as a whole, putting all three of their Chevrolet Silverado’s inside the top 10 as Ross Chastain scored a runner-up finish to race winner Corey Heim, followed by Kaden Honeycutt’s career best finish in third, with Mills capping off the team with seventh.
After starting 16th on Friday night, Mills strategically started to work his way through the field, finding his way into the top 10 towards the back end of the opening and short 30-lap stage, scoring a singular stage point by finishing 10th to begin the night.
Mills maintained his composure after suffering an early speeding penalty, finally falling within the top 15 again during Stage 2, engaging in battles with several other contenders, and ultimately finished just short of earning additional stage points after 60 laps of racing.
Matt Mills (No.42) racing hard against Brandon Jones (No.1) in the 2025 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Photo Credit: Declan Wayman)
During the stage caution, Mills serviced his No. 42 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, restarting in 14th place alongside Brandon Jones for the final 74-lap sprint to the end of the race.
The Lynchburg, Virginia native narrowly missed the chaos that ensued on Lap 70 as pole sitter Gio Ruggiero’s truck broke loose underneath Chander Smith, causing Smith to spin into reigning Truck Series champion, Ty Majeski, with Mills missing Majeski by just several feet, allowing for the veteran driver to regain his breath for the restart.
After restarting 10th, Mills hung back in the back-half of the top 10 as green flag pit stops went underway, he grabbed the top spot with 30 laps to go, leading his only lap on the day before pitting his Chevrolet.
After the field recycled following the green flag stops, Mills drove up to seventh place, while Heim secured yet another commanding victory, marking his fourth win of the 2025 season.
“We were just playing catch-up after Stage 1,” Mills told the Podium Finish after rebounding from an early speeding penalty. “It’s good we got stage points, but an uncontrolled tire during pit stops and had to restart our day, but the truck was really fast.”
Mills additionally spoke about how big it was for Niece Motorsports to put all three of their trucks after 134 laps around the 1.5-mile oval in one of the Truck Series bigger events that the tour visits every season.
“Overall, its a big weekend for us (Niece Motorsports), we got Al Niece in town, Charlotte has just been a really good track for us, it’s really cool I wish I could join them (Ross Chastain and Kaden Honeycutt) up front, we had some speed for them.”
Mills exits Charlotte currently sitting 16th in Truck Series standings as the series heads to Nashville Superspeedway on Friday, May 30.
