NCTS Lucky 13: Bayley Currey – Richmond

Lucky 13 rides along with the driver who qualifies 13th, keeping an eye on how their race unfolds. This driver could be sent to the back of the pack and still pull off a victory, or their luck could take a nosedive early in the race. With luck on their side – or against them – anything can happen! So, grab your four-leaf clovers, your lucky horseshoes, and maybe even a rabbit’s foot for the latest Lucky 13! Will it be fortune or misfortune? Let’s find out!

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Driver: Bayley Currey
Organization & Number: Niece Motorsports, #45
Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Spotter: TJ Bell

Stage 1

Bayley Currey lined up in the Lucky 13 spot for the final race of the regular season and thanked the Niece Motorsports team for the opportunity. He immediately found himself three-wide and working on gaining ground. Within those opening laps, he gained two spots and was sitting just outside the top 10.

Despite some trouble for other drivers, Currey held his ground in P11 throughout the opening stage. About halfway through the stage, spotter TJ Bell encouraged Currey to move around and look for speed in other lanes.

With 29 to go in the stage, he fell to P12 as he continued to search the lanes. He lost one more spot with 23 to go, and Currey was encouraged to get back to his original line. The leader, Ty Majeski, was closing in as the stage wound down, and with 13 to go, Currey was put a lap down.

Before the stage came to a close, he lost a few more spots and took the green-white-checkered in P19.

Currey radioed in at the stage end, “I’ve got nothin’ left. Killed my rears trying to get [the truck] to turn.”

Stage 2

To start the second stage, Currey lined up P15 and focused on getting his truck into the Lucky Dog spot.

The first caution for incident came on Lap 91 when Luke Fenhaus and Spencer Boyd got into each other. Currey neither gained nor lost any positions and went back to work from 15th.

Unfortunately, after a three-wide battle, Currey was running P19. Another spot was lost after Fenhaus, on fresh tires, worked around him.

Ten laps later, the caution waved again as Dawson Sutton came to a stop near the entrance of pit road. Currey took the opportunity to pit during the caution and returned to the track in P18 with 23 to go in the stage.

A wild restart saw Currey gain a few spots. However, he settled back in at P18 and finished the stage in the same position.

Stage 3

After stating he was still tight, Currey apologized to his team and said, “I’m trying.” Crew chief Phil Gould recognized Currey’s efforts and informed him they would take the wave around and hope for an early caution.

With 100 to go, Currey was back on the lead lap, and eyes were forward from P18. Eighteen laps later, Currey was lapped again.

As drivers took 75 to go, green-flag pit stops began. Five laps later, Currey took to the pits from P17. He returned to the track in P26, down three laps.

With 52 to go, the caution waved as Majeski, who was dominating the race, was wrecked by Matt Crafton.

Currey was sitting P20 awaiting pit stops to cycle.

NASCAR told the No. 45 team they were leaking fluid and forced them to pit road to check on things. Currey disagreed, but came to his team. Sure enough, he was not leaking fluid, and NASCAR allowed Currey to return to his position of P19.

He lost one more position, and with nine to go, the leader put Currey down another lap. With that, Currey brought it home P20. He offered more apologies to his team, and Gould confirmed they didn’t “have the right stuff.”

The Truck Series takes next week off, then heads to Darlington to kick off Round 1 of the Playoffs!

Sponsor Shout-out + Social Round-up

NASCAR fans know sponsors make the sport go ’round. We want to give a shout-out to DQS Solutions & Staffing. They played a huge part of the weekend for Bayley and the No. 45 team.

Be sure to give Bayley Currey (Facebook, Instagram, X) and Niece Motorsports (Facebook, Instagram, X) a follow to keep up with the latest news from the driver and team.