5 days ago
Perez de Lara Joins Niece After Mid-Season NASCAR Truck Series Exit
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Mexican driver Andres Perez de Lara is joining Niece Motorsports for the remainder of the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Perez de Lara will take over the wheel starting at Richmond Raceway this weekend for Niece.
He completed 17 races with Spire Motorsports over the season, finishing in the top 10 twice, and sits P17 in the Truck Series standings.
Spire released Perez de Lara from his deal, allowing him to explore other options.
Andres Perez De Lara, driver of the #77 Telcel Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 25, 2025 in Indianapolis,...
Andres Perez De Lara, driver of the #77 Telcel Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. More
Photo byNo clear indication was provided as to why the parties split up, but it appears to be mutual, considering Spire Motorsports President Bill Anthony wished the Mexican driver well.
"Andrés has made meaningful progress this season, and we remain confident in his future," Anthony said in a statement.
"While we haven't finalized our 2026 plans for the No. 77 team, we wanted to give him the opportunity to look ahead and pursue other options for the remainder of this year and beyond.
"He's a hard worker, carries himself with humility, and brings a consistently positive attitude to the garage. He comes from a great family, and we fully expect him to continue making strides as part of Chevrolet's driver development program. We're proud to have been part of his journey and will continue cheering him on."
As for the driver, he appears ready for the move, welcoming the challenge of a mid-season change and excited for the prospect of racing with Niece.
"Overall, I'm really excited about the upcoming races with Niece Motorsports," Pérez de Lara said.
"Making a change mid-season always has its challenges, but the team and I are working hard to be 100% by the time Richmond comes.
"I'm really focusing on having a good race there and feel very motivated with how the team has treated me. I feel the team is also motivated with having me there as well."
Who is Andres Perez de Lara?
Born in Mexico City, Perez de Lara is a 20-year-old race car driver who previously competed in Formula 4 before moving on to stock car racing.
He began racing in karting at the age of 11, working his way up the Latin American racing ladder and then coming stateside for NASCAR.
The Mexican was signed by a Chevrolet development team back in 2023 and competed in ARCA before arriving at the Truck Series.
This season, he sits third in the rookie standings before the regular season finale Sunday as he chases the Rookie of the Year award.
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