TC Daily Pit Stop: Andres Perez Released from Spire and Joins Niece; Cole Butcher Tapped for Bristol Truck Debut

TC Daily Pit Stop: Tuesday, August 12th, 2025

Aug 12, 2025

It’s been another crazy week in the NASCAR Truck Series garage.

Andres Perez de Lara has been released from Spire Motorsports ahead of Friday’s regular-season finale at Richmond Raceway, the team confirmed on Monday. Corey LaJoie will take over the No. 77, as the team shuts down the No. 07 Chevrolet.

Perez de Lara, the defending champion of the ARCA Menards Series, will head to Niece Motorsports for the remaining eight races of the season, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST.

Niece will re-open its No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado for Matthew Gould, Josh Bilicki, and Conner Jones to run on a part-time basis. Mike Shiplett will crew chief that entry, while veteran race engineer Landon Polinski will serve as crew chief for Matt Mills.

Cole Butcher Tapped for Bristol Truck Debut with Halmar Friesen Racing

Cole Butcher, a standout driver in the Super Late Model ranks, is set to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut later this season at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The Porter’s Lake, Nova Scotia-native will join forces with Halmar Friesen Racing for his NASCAR National Series debut, piloting the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in the UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics.

Atlantic Tiltload and TOP Construction Ltd. will back Butcher in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut. Both companies have served as a long-time partner of the 29-year-old driver’s Super Late Model racing efforts.