Niece Motorsports confirmed that Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will drive the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway. This marks Stenhouse’s first-ever start in the Truck Series despite his long NASCAR career.
Experienced NASCAR Competitor Steps into Truck Series
Stenhouse, a seasoned NASCAR Cup Series driver with more than 400 starts and four victories, is well known for his success on superspeedways. His most notable achievement came in 2023 when he won the Daytona 500. Originating from Olive Branch, Mississippi, the 38-year-old also secured back-to-back championships in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series during 2011 and 2012. Even though he has almost 600 combined starts in the top NASCAR divisions, the Truck Series had remained uncharted territory—until now.
Stenhouse Shares Enthusiasm for Truck Series Competition
“I’ve always wanted to run a truck, but never had the opportunity to put something together,”
said Stenhouse Jr.
“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.”
Team Support and Future Races on the Schedule
Stenhouse’s effort will be supported by J.F. Electric as a sponsor. Niece Motorsports also intends to have him compete in the second race of the Truck Series season at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, another draft-heavy track where his superspeedway skills can be showcased.
Niece Motorsports CEO Expresses Confidence in Stenhouse
“We are all very excited to welcome Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to our team for his first time racing in the Truck Series,”
stated Cody Efaw, CEO of Niece Motorsports.
“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.”
Anticipated Impact of Stenhouse’s Truck Series Debut
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s entry into the NASCAR Truck Series brings a fresh and determined contender to the field, particularly on superspeedways like Daytona and Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway. His proven track record in the Cup and Xfinity Series, coupled with Niece Motorsports’ competitive machinery, suggests he could challenge for victories early on. Fans and teams alike will be watching closely to see how Stenhouse adapts to this new racing environment, potentially opening the door for more Cup veterans to race in trucks in the future.
