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Matt Mills (racing driver)

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Matt Mills
Mills at Daytona International Speedway in 2024
BornMatthew Robert Mills
(1996-11-14) November 14, 1996 (age 27)
Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2021 position67th
Best finish67th (2021)
First race2021 Buschy McBusch Race 400 (Kansas)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
123 races run over 7 years
2023 position96th
Best finish21st (2019)
First race2017 DC Solar 200 (Phoenix)
Last race2023 Kansas Lottery 300 (Kansas)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
37 races run over 6 years
Truck no., teamNo. 42 (Niece Motorsports)
2023 position34th
Best finish34th (2023)
First race2016 UNOH 200 (Bristol)
Last race2024 Baptist Health 200 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 3 0
Statistics current as of May 24, 2024.

Matthew Robert Mills (born November 14, 1996)[1] is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports. He has also previously competed in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Racing career

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Early years

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Mills started racing at age twelve in go-karts. A year later, he moved up to Junior Champ Karts and spent three years racing those. Mills started racing Open Wheel Modifieds at Midvale Speedway in 2012, winning rookie of the year and moving up to Outlaw Super Late Models in 2013. He attended a rookie seminar for NASCAR at Daytona Beach, Florida the following year and received clearance to race in the ARCA Racing Series and K&N Pro Series,[1] but has yet to race in either of those series, instead running a limited schedule in the JEGS/CRA Pro Series in 2015 as well as continuing his late model career.[2]

Craftsman Truck Series

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On June 29, 2016, it was announced that Mills would join SS-Green Light Racing for "select races" in the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.[3] He made his first start at Bristol Motor Speedway in August,[4] finishing 27th.[5] Mills ran four more races for SS-Green Light in 2016, scoring a best finish of 21st in the season's penultimate race at Phoenix International Raceway.[6]

In 2017, he joined Faith Motorsports for three races because the team primary driver Donnie Levister was unapproved by NASCAR to run intermediate tracks. He ran seventeenth in two of them, career-best finishes,[7] before he joined Martins Motorsports to run in multiple races in the truck No. 42 with sponsorship from Thompson Electric Inc. starting in Iowa.[8] The truck never hit the track at Iowa and was never entered thereafter, however, the truck was included in the original edition of the 2017 video game NASCAR Heat 2.[9] He drove the No. 44 for Martins the following week but fell out due to an accident. He then start and parked with Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing for a few races in the latter part of 2017.[10]

Mills drove the No. 20 truck for Young's Motorsports part-time in 2022 in addition to running the majority of the Xfinity Series season for B. J. McLeod Motorsports in their No. 5 car. He returned to the team in 2023 to drive their No. 20 truck again at Las Vegas in March.

Mills' No. 42 truck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024.

On October 12, 2023, Niece Motorsports announced that Mills will drive the No. 42 full-time in 2024, with Carson Hocevar moving up to the Cup Series in the Spire Motorsports No. 77.[11] At 2024 Baptist Health 200, he was injured after Conner Jones intentionally sent him to the turn 3 wall.[12] Jones was held for two laps during the race, then suspended for the following race at Martinsville, for the contact.[13]

On September 24, 2024, Niece Motorsports announced that Mills would continue on the team for 2025.[14]

Xfinity Series

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In March 2017, Mills was named the driver for B. J. McLeod Motorsports' No. 8 entry at Phoenix[15][16] in what looked to be a one race deal, replacing regular driver Jeff Green who had been signed to run the full season. Mills finished 30th in his debut.[17] He returned to the series over a month later at Richmond, again driving McLeod's No. 8.[18] His next start in the series came at Chicago in September with JD Motorsports, start and parking their fourth car, the No. 15.[19] In the season's final weekend, he failed to qualify with startup team NextGen Motorsports.[20]

On February 2, 2018, it was announced that Mills will drive the No. 15 car for all but one race in 2018, skipping the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.[21] He had previously been in consideration for the team's No. 0 car, which ultimately was driven by Garrett Smithley.[22] He did not qualify for the Texas race in April because of inspection issues. The agreement wound up falling through, as Mills was replaced by Joe Nemechek for the Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.[23] Mills returned for a couple more races but parted ways with JDM after the June Michigan race. He made a start for DGR-Crosley in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Michigan in August, but wrecked, self-admittedly due to inexperience.[24]

Mills returned to B. J. McLeod Motorsports for some fall Xfinity races, eventually becoming the team's full-time driver of the No. 8 in 2019.[25] However, the number changed to 5 after the team agreed to give up their No. 8 for JR Motorsports in a number swap, and McLeod's team received the No. 5, the car number JRM dropped so they could get the No. 8.[26]

Cup Series

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On April 26, 2021, B. J. McLeod Motorsports announced that they would be fielding a Cup Series car in the spring race at Kansas, the No. 55, and that Mills would be the driver. It was his debut in the series. Although BJMM uses Chevrolets or Toyotas in the Xfinity Series, the car in this race was a Ford from McLeod's Live Fast Motorsports team, which he fields in the Cup Series but is a separate entity from BJMM.[27]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series

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NASCAR Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 NCSC Pts Ref
2021 B. J. McLeod Motorsports 55 Ford DAY DRC HOM LVS PHO ATL BRD MAR RCH TAL KAN
38 		DAR DOV COA CLT SON NSH POC POC ROA ATL NHA GLN IRC MCH DAY DAR RCH BRI LVS TAL ROV TEX KAN MAR PHO 67th 01 [28]

Xfinity Series

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NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts Ref
2017 B. J. McLeod Motorsports 8 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO
30 		CAL TEX BRI RCH
31 		TAL CLT DOV POC MCH IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH 109th 01 [29]
JD Motorsports 15 CHI
40 		KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO
NextGen Motorsports 55 Toyota HOM
DNQ
2018 JD Motorsports 0 Chevy DAY ATL
36 		LVS
27 		53rd 43 [30]
15 PHO
38 		CAL
37 		TEX
DNQ 		BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC
27 		MCH
36 		IOW CHI DAY KEN NHA IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR IND LVS
B. J. McLeod Motorsports 78 Chevy RCH
27 		ROV
8 DOV
28 		KAN TEX PHO HOM
2019 5 Toyota DAY
26 		TAL
17 		POC
30 		DAY
10 		21st 372 [31]
Chevy ATL
30 		LVS
29 		PHO
28 		CAL
23 		TEX
27 		BRI
21 		RCH
28 		DOV
31 		CLT
26 		MCH
24 		IOW
26 		CHI
27 		KEN
23 		NHA
20 		IOW
18 		GLN MOH BRI
18 		ROA DAR
31 		IND
25 		LVS
24 		DOV
24 		KAN
20
99 RCH
28 		ROV
78 TEX
18 		PHO
19 		HOM
30
2020 5 Toyota DAY
31 		TAL
38 		KEN
30 		KEN
19 		TEX
26 		KAN
26 		ROA DAY
16 		LVS
30 		TAL
21 		ROV
25 		KAN
25 		TEX
13 		25th 346 [32]
Chevy LVS
25 		CAL
27 		PHO
DNQ 		DAR
34 		CLT
30 		BRI
25 		ATL
30 		HOM
27 		HOM
24 		POC
25 		IRC
30 		DRC
22 		DOV
33 		DOV
30 		RCH
13 		RCH
13 		BRI
22 		MAR
38 		PHO
35
99 DAR
22
2021 5 DAY
16 		LVS
39 		PHO
35 		ATL
34 		MAR
33 		DAR
40 		CLT
35 		NSH
25 		POC
23 		ROA ATL
26 		NHA
32 		MCH
14 		DAR
23 		RCH
21 		LVS
28 		MAR
29 		PHO
29 		29th 271 [33]
Toyota DRC
19 		HOM
29 		TAL
25 		DOV
27 		COA MOH
23 		TEX
26 		GLN
38 		IRC DAY
33 		TAL
23 		ROV
30
99 Chevy BRI
36 		TEX
32 		KAN
25
2022 5 DAY
25 		CAL
23 		LVS
35 		PHO ATL
31 		COA MAR
18 		TAL
31 		DOV
31 		DAR
31 		TEX
37 		ATL
37 		TEX
16 		TAL ROV LVS
35 		HOM
32 		MAR
35 		PHO
DNQ 		96th 01 [34]
55 RCH
DNQ 		CLT
20 		PIR
99 NSH
DNQ 		ROA
78 NHA
22 		POC IRC MCH
38 		GLN
Toyota DAY
24 		DAR KAN BRI
2023 Emerling-Gase Motorsports 53 Ford DAY CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH MAR
22 		TAL DOV DAR
28 		CLT PIR SON NSH CSC ATL NHA POC ROA MCH IRC GLN DAY 96th 01 [35]
Toyota DAR
27 		HOM
DNQ 		MAR PHO
Chevy KAN
19 		BRI TEX ROV LVS

Craftsman Truck Series

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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCTC Pts Ref
2016 SS-Green Light Racing 07 Chevy DAY ATL MAR KAN DOV CLT TEX IOW GTW KEN ELD POC BRI
27 		MCH MSP CHI NHA
23 		LVS TAL MAR TEX
29 		PHO
21 		HOM 42nd 32 [36]
2017 Faith Motorsports 44 Chevy DAY ATL MAR KAN
17 		CLT
24 		DOV
17 		TEX GTW IOW 42nd 50 [37]
Martins Motorsports KEN
29 		ELD
Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing 0 Chevy POC
27 		MCH BRI MSP CHI NHA LVS
25 		TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM
2018 DGR-Crosley 54 Toyota DAY ATL LVS MAR DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN ELD POC MCH
31 		BRI MSP LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 113th 01 [38]
2022 Young's Motorsports 20 Chevy DAY LVS
15 		ATL
35 		COA MAR BRD DAR KAN
34 		TEX CLT
34 		GTW
DNQ 		SON KNX NSH MOH POC IRP RCH KAN BRI TAL HOM PHO 97th 01 [39]
2023 DAY LVS
26 		ATL COA TEX
31 		BRD MAR KAN DAR NWS CLT
30 		GTW
19 		NSH MOH
22 		POC 34th 108 [40]
Kyle Busch Motorsports 51 Chevy RCH
5 		MLW
25 		KAN BRI TAL HOM PHO
Young's Motorsports 02 Chevy IRP
23
2024 Niece Motorsports 42 Chevy DAY
26 		ATL
27 		LVS
31 		BRI
25 		COA
24 		MAR
29 		TEX
26 		KAN
23 		DAR
11 		NWS
18 		CLT
4 		GTW
23 		NSH
8 		POC
11 		IRP
22 		RCH
35 		MLW
24 		BRI
25 		KAN
33 		TAL
31 		HOM
34 		MAR
 PHO -* -* [41]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

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  1. ^ a b E.A.Schaeffer Oil Company (Zoilracing) (October 29, 2014). "Matthew mills racing young guns and legends of ohio". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "Season Preview: Matt Mills". Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  3. ^ Wilson, Steven B. "Late Model Standout Matt Mills to Join SS Green Light Racing". Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "Matt Mills to Make Truck Debut at Bristol". www.onpitroad.com. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  5. ^ "TRUCKS: Matt Crafton scores first career NASCAR last-place finish". brock.lastcar.info. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  6. ^ "Driver Matt Mills 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  7. ^ "NCWTS: Matt Mills Matches Career-Best Finish at Dover – Rubbings Racing". rubbingsracing.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  8. ^ "Martins Motorsports returns to Truck Series competition with Matt Mills in Iowa". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  9. ^ "NASCAR Heat 2 NCWTS Roster – NASCAR Heat". NASCAR Heat. July 19, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  10. ^ "Driver Matt Mills 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  11. ^ "Matt Mills joins Niece Motorsports full time in 2024". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  12. ^ "Matt Mills transported to local hospital after Homestead-Miami crash". NASCAR. October 26, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "Homestead penalties: Conner Jones suspended one race for wrecking Matt Mills". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. October 30, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  14. ^ "Matt Mills to return to Niece Motorsports in 2025". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  15. ^ "Matt Mills Joins BJ McLeod Motorsports At Phoenix » Race Pro Weekly". raceproweekly.com. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  16. ^ Bonkowski, Jerry (March 16, 2017). "Latest young gun makes Xfinity debut: Matt Mills to race at Phoenix". NASCAR Talk. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  17. ^ "03/18/2017 race: DC Solar 200 (NXS) - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  18. ^ "30th Annual ToyotaCare "250" – NASCAR XFINITY Series – Richmond International Raceway – 4/29/2017" (PDF). Jayski's Silly Season Site. April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  19. ^ "XFINITY: Matt Mills finishes last at Chicagoland when JD Motorsports' No. 15 withdrawn, re-entered, then parked". brock.lastcar.info. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  20. ^ "Driver Matt Mills 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  21. ^ Vincent, Amanda. "NASCAR Xfinity: Matt Mills joins JD Motorsports at Atlanta". Auto Racing Daily. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  22. ^ Herbst, Alex (January 16, 2018). "NASCAR: JD Motorsports expanding to four cars in 2018". Beyond the Flag. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  23. ^ "Joe Nemechek to drive for JDM at Bristol". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  24. ^ Catanzareti, Zach. "Matt Mills Striving for Seat Time Following Time Away". KickinTheTires.net. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  25. ^ "BJ McLeod Motorsports announces it is expanding to three (3) full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series teams in 2019". B. J. McLeod Motorsports. January 10, 2019. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  26. ^ "BJ McLeod Motorsports Reveals the Replacement of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Car No. 8". B. J. McLeod Motorsports. February 1, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  27. ^ "Matt Mills to make Cup debut at Kansas Speedway with B.J. McLeod Motorsports". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. April 26, 2021.
  28. ^ "Matt Mills – 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  29. ^ "Matt Mills – 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  30. ^ "Matt Mills – 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  31. ^ "Matt Mills – 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  32. ^ "Matt Mills – 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  33. ^ "Matt Mills – 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  34. ^ "Matt Mills – 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  35. ^ "Matt Mills – 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  36. ^ "Matt Mills – 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  37. ^ "Matt Mills – 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  38. ^ "Matt Mills – 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  39. ^ "Matt Mills – 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  40. ^ "Matt Mills – 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  41. ^ "Matt Mills – 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
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