Niece Motorsports has announced a full-time NASCAR driver for its No. 44 truck ahead of the coming season.
Andres Perez de Lara will return to the team for a full Truck Series schedule in 2026, after entering the No. 44 team for the last eight races of the previous year. Perez de Lara had run the first two thirds of the year with Spire.
The 20-year-old Mexican driver took the 2024 ARCA Menards Series title in bizarre fashion, relying on his consistency to finish in the top five in ten out of 20 races in a year where no full-time, championship-qualified driver won a single race all year.
14 of those 20 races were won by Connor Zilisch and the dominant William Sawalich, whose only finish outside the top three in 14 starts came when he wrecked out at Dover.
Perez de Lara excited for Niece chance
In a release on Tuesday, the team confirmed: "Veteran crew chief Wally Rogers will continue to lead the No. 44 team as Pérez de Lara enters his second NCTS season."
Perez de Lara added: “I’m incredibly excited to partner with Acceptance Insurance for this next step in my career.
"It means a lot to represent a company that supports drivers at every level, and I’m grateful to Acceptance and Niece Motorsports for the confidence they’ve placed in me.”
Cody Efaw, CEO of Niece Motorsports, said: “We’re thrilled to have Acceptance Insurance join our program. Andrés has tremendous potential, and strong partners like Acceptance only strengthen what we aim to accomplish on track this year.”
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