Matt Mills Bio
Matthew Robert Mills (born November 14, 1996) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Lynchburg, Virginia. He most recently competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Niece Motorsports, while also running a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports in the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Over the course of his career, Mills has worked his way up from short tracks in Virginia to the national NASCAR stage, earning a reputation as a determined, late-model product who built his resume with underdog teams before landing a flagship ride.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Robert Mills was born on November 14, 1996, in Lynchburg, Virginia. Growing up in a region with a strong short-track racing tradition, he was drawn to motorsports at a young age and began turning laps in karts before he was a teenager. That early exposure to competition laid the foundation for the rest of his racing journey, teaching him the basics of car control and race craft that he would lean on for years to come.
Mills started racing at age twelve in go-karts, and a year later he moved up to Junior Champ Karts, where he spent three seasons developing his skills against experienced young drivers across the Mid-Atlantic region. In 2012, he transitioned to Open Wheel Modifieds at Midvale Speedway, where he won the Rookie of the Year award in his first season. The following year, 2013, he stepped up again to Outlaw Super Late Models, broadening his experience on the heavier, faster cars that would later prepare him for stock car competition.
Path to NASCAR
In 2014, Mills traveled to Daytona Beach, Florida, to attend a NASCAR rookie seminar, where he received clearance to compete in the ARCA Racing Series and the K&N Pro Series. Although he never started a race in either of those series, the approval opened the door to NASCAR-sanctioned competition. In 2015, he ran a limited schedule in the JEGS/CRA Pro Series while continuing to hone his late model program, steadily building a reputation as a talented, hard-working driver from Virginia.
His big break came in 2016, when SS-Green Light Racing announced that Mills would join the team for select races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He made his series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in August of that year, finishing 27th. The limited schedule served as his introduction to NASCAR’s national touring series and set the stage for a gradual climb through the organization’s ladder.
Matt Mills Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Mills’ first taste of national NASCAR competition came in 2016 with SS-Green Light Racing in the Truck Series. Across five starts that season, he posted a best finish of 21st at Phoenix International Raceway in the season’s penultimate race, gaining valuable superspeedway and intermediate-track experience.
In 2017, he expanded his Truck Series schedule with several underdog teams. He joined Faith Motorsports for three races, scoring career-best Truck Series finishes of 17th on two occasions, and later made starts with Martins Motorsports and Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing. The same year, he made his Xfinity Series debut at Phoenix Raceway in March with B. J. McLeod Motorsports, finishing 30th. He went on to add starts at Richmond with B. J. McLeod Motorsports and at Chicago with JD Motorsports, continuing to build his resume as a versatile, hard-working driver willing to start and park when opportunities were limited.
Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2018–2019)
On February 2, 2018, it was announced that Mills would drive the No. 15 car for JD Motorsports in nearly the full 2018 Xfinity Series schedule, skipping only the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. Although the agreement fell apart mid-season and Mills parted ways with the team after the June Michigan race, the deal signaled that he had earned a vote of confidence from a national-series operation.
Mills returned to B. J. McLeod Motorsports in 2019 and became the team’s full-time driver of the No. 8 Xfinity entry. After the team agreed to swap car numbers with JR Motorsports, Mills moved to the No. 5 for the bulk of the campaign, cementing his status as a full-time Xfinity Series competitor and laying the groundwork for opportunities in the Truck Series and eventually the Cup Series.
NASCAR Cup Series Debut (2021)
On April 26, 2021, B. J. McLeod Motorsports announced that the team would field a Cup Series entry in the spring race at Kansas Speedway, with Mills tabbed as the driver of the No. 55. The car was a Ford run out of McLeod’s separate Live Fast Motorsports operation, and the Kansas start marked Mills’ official debut in NASCAR’s premier series. Although he did not post a headline result, the opportunity represented the realization of a career-long goal.
Niece Motorsports Era (2023–2025)
On October 12, 2023, Niece Motorsports announced that Mills would drive the No. 42 truck full-time in 2024, taking over the seat vacated by Carson Hocevar, who moved up to the Cup Series with Spire Motorsports. In 2024, he earned his most high-profile moment at the Baptist Health 200, where he was injured after on-track contact with Conner Jones, who was later held for two laps during the race and suspended for the following Martinsville event. The following year, on September 24, 2024, Niece Motorsports confirmed that Mills would return to the No. 42 for the 2025 season, giving him a measure of stability with one of the Truck Series’ most respected underdog operations.
On August 27, 2025, it was announced that Mills would drive the No. 91 DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports Chevrolet at Gateway, returning him to part-time Xfinity Series competition alongside his Truck Series duties. The late-season Xfinity start underscored his continued ties to the Chevrolet camp and his willingness to juggle national-series schedules.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mills has built much of his reputation on short runs and restarts, with particular strength on short tracks where his late-model background shines through. He has consistently extracted strong qualifying efforts from underfunded teams, and his veteran approach to tire and fuel management has made him a steady presence in the mid-field, especially on intermediate ovals.
Notable Races and Milestones
His 2021 Cup Series debut at Kansas Speedway stands as one of the defining moments of his career, as does his 2024 season-opening Truck Series ride with Niece Motorsports. Multiple 17th-place finishes in 2017 with Faith Motorsports marked early career-best results, while his 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series appearance with DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports at Gateway in 2025 served as a milestone reunion with the Xfinity circuit.
Matt Mills Career Wins
Across his time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Cup Series, Matt Mills has been recognized for his perseverance and consistency rather than headline win totals. Publicly verified win figures for Mills are not clearly documented in available sources, and specific victory counts across series cannot be confirmed at this time.
Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Mills’ Truck Series tenure has been defined by steady improvement. His best finishes during 2016 and 2017 came with smaller teams, and his move to Niece Motorsports’ No. 42 starting in 2024 elevated his profile as a consistent top-20 finisher on the national Truck circuit.
Other Wins and Performances
At the regional level, Mills captured the Open Wheel Modified Rookie of the Year award at Midvale Speedway in 2012 and went on to race Outlaw Super Late Models the following season, results that helped him earn his NASCAR clearance and break into the national series ranks.
Matt Mills Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available sources do not provide detailed information about Matt Mills’ immediate family or any multi-generational racing lineage. His early start in go-karts at age twelve and steady climb through regional Virginia racing scenes suggest a supportive upbringing that encouraged his motorsports ambitions.
Personal Life
Verified public details about Mills’ personal life, including marital status and children, are not currently available. Outside of racing, he has maintained an active presence on social media, including accounts on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram under variations of the Matt Mills Racing name.
2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Matt Mills returned to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for a second consecutive full-time season behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Niece Motorsports. The campaign has been a continuation of the stability he found with the team in 2024, and Mills has continued to log consistent finishes while working to elevate the operation’s standing in the Truck Series field.
Alongside his Truck Series duties, Mills was announced on August 27, 2025, as the driver of the No. 91 DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Gateway, signaling a return to Xfinity competition. The dual schedule has allowed him to stay sharp across two national touring series while representing Chevrolet across both efforts.
Heading into the closing stretch of the 2025 season, Mills’ primary focus remains on building momentum with Niece Motorsports and producing stronger runs in the Truck Series playoffs picture. With a familiar team, a proven Chevrolet, and a veteran approach to race craft, Mills enters the final races of the year aiming to convert his experience into his most competitive Truck Series campaign to date.