Andrés Pérez de Lara will get a second chance to prove his worth in the NASCAR Truck Series. The Mexican driver will compete with Niece Motorsports for the final eight races of 2025, starting this Friday at Richmond Raceway.
The Mexico City native's move to Salisbury comes after parting ways with Spire Motorsports mid-season. In 17 races with the #77, Pérez de Lara recorded an average finish of 18.4, with just two top 10s and no top 5s. His best result was seventh at Martinsville.
Spire granted him permission to explore other options, closing a chapter of mixed results for the 2024 ARCA champion. The Mexican currently sits 16th in the standings with 329 points, outside the playoff cutoff.
Photo By Nascar Media
The numbers don't lie
Pérez de Lara's stats with Spire paint a complex picture. He completed 93.7% of possible laps, but only found the top 10 twice (11.8%). Consistency has been problematic: two DNFs due to mechanical issues and several weekends outside the top 15.
"Making a mid-season change always has its challenges," Pérez de Lara admitted about his situation. "The team and I are working hard to be at 100% when we get to Richmond."
Telcel, Claro and Infinitum continue supporting the 22-year-old driver in his new chapter. Mexican sponsorship was key to securing his seat at Niece, an organization known for giving opportunities to developing drivers.
Niece reorganizes its structure
The signing of Pérez de Lara is part of a broader reorganization at Niece Motorsports. Landon Polinski takes over as crew chief for the #42, while Mike Shiplett returns to the #41, which reappears after several months away.
Wally Rogers remains as crew chief for the Telcel project, providing technical continuity for the Mexican driver. Rogers had worked with Pérez de Lara throughout his Spire campaign.
"Richmond is a track I don't know, but I'm putting a lot of emphasis on pre-race work to get good results," the driver explained about his Niece debut.
The Richmond challenge
Richmond represents a golden opportunity for Pérez de Lara. The Virginia short track has traditionally been favorable for smaller teams, and several drivers have used it to turn around difficult seasons.
Cody Efaw, Niece CEO, sees potential in his new acquisition. "Adding Andrés to our talent arsenal is an exciting addition as we look to finish the year strong," the executive stated.
The pressure is on the Mexican driver to justify both the change and his sponsors' confidence. With eight races ahead, including the playoffs, Pérez de Lara needs to show the form that earned him the ARCA title less than a year ago.
Upcoming Races
Drivers Standings 2026
| POS | PILOTO | PTS | ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chandler Smith | 152 | |
| 2 | Ben Rhodes | 118 | arrow_up1 |
| 3 | Ty Majeski | 102 | arrow_up1 |
| 4 | Gio Ruggiero | 98 | arrow_down2 |
| 5 | Layne Riggs | 96 | arrow_up18 |
| 6 | Kaden Honeycutt | 87 | arrow_up1 |
| 7 | Andres Perez | 85 | arrow_up1 |
| 8 | Stewart Friesen | 70 | arrow_down3 |
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