Be sure to listen to the entire interview below. Photo by WikiCommons.
I am joined today by NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular Ryan Truex. We talked a little bit about the 2021 season and how everything came together at Niece Motorsports. We also discussed last week's Bristol dirt race, his experience, and what races he looks forward to this year.
SportsMap: I am joined today by one of my favorite drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Ryan how are you?
Ryan Truex: I'm great thanks for having me on!
SM: It's an honor to talk to you. I have been following you since your K&N East days and am glad to see you at Neice Motorsports!
RT: I appreciate it! It's been quite a journey, I am happy to still be doing it.
SM: It's been great to see you sign with Niece Motorsports. Talk a little bit about how that deal came together.
RT: Yeah, the big thing for me was I wanted to go back to racing full-time, and I figured this team would be a good fit for me. I talked to owner Al Niece about it, and they were willing to commit to it and my sponsors were willing to commit to it, so it was good to get a deal done early. Usually deals get done for me in January.
SM: So, I wanted to talk about that Bristol dirt race. What was your take on the race overall?
RT: Yeah, I had a lot of fun. It was really a big unknown for me, I didn't know how I would do. I have never raced dirt, so I really didn't know exactly what the track would do but luckily my spotter, Steve Reeves, is a champion sprint car driver, so he's been a big help with the track conditions. We really had a lot of issues with overheating and had to go to the back twice which really hurt us. And we ended up finishing twentieth but speed wise we had a really good truck, so I had a really good time and things look promising.
SM: Another big story that came to light yesterday was the announcement that NASCAR would be testing the rain tires at Martinsville. Do you think it would be possible to run rain tires on an oval?
RT: It's definitely possible. It just depends on what kind of race you would want to see. If you gotta go out there, and you're going 70 miles and hour and nobody can pass anybody, then I think you can do it anywhere. But that's not really a good show for the fans, but I think Martinsville is flat enough to where they can get it done.
SM: This 2021 truck series schedule is very diverse with many varieties of tracks, is there a race you guys have circled that you look forward to going to?
RT: Well our big focus is the mile and a half stuff as that's the bulk of our schedule and I felt like we had some work to do on those tracks speed wise and handling wise, so that's really been our big focus.
You can hear the rest of the interview below:
Astros get just enough but lose a key contributor late
Jun 12, 2025, 11:22 pm
NFL analyst Albert Breer isn’t buying the quiet offseason surrounding the Houston Texans. In his view, the buzz — or lack of it — isn’t reflective of what this team actually is: a legitimate AFC contender that should be taken seriously in 2025.
Much of the skepticism, Breer believes, comes from surface-level narratives. The Texans went 10-7 in the regular season last year, a step back from the lofty expectations set after C.J. Stroud’s electric rookie year and Houston’s dramatic playoff push. And while the offense didn’t maintain its early-season explosion under Bobby Slowik, people seem to be overlooking how that same Texans team ended the year: as one of the last four teams standing in the AFC — alongside the Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens.
In Breer’s eyes, Houston belongs in that group. The defense is championship-caliber, with rising stars and playmakers at every level. And offensively, the switch to Nick Caley as offensive coordinator could be just what the unit needs. Caley brings a fresh voice and perspective, and paired with a fully settled-in Stroud, the Texans are well-positioned to take another leap forward.
One moment Breer points to as underrated: Houston’s Divisional Round game against Kansas City at Arrowhead. While most remember the Texans bowing out of the playoffs there, many forget they were trailing by just one point going into the fourth quarter — toe-to-toe with the defending Super Bowl champs in one of the toughest environments in football.
The Texans’ current win total is set at 9.5 by oddsmakers — a line Breer believes is too low. His expectation? Twelve wins and another deep playoff run. To him, the narrative that Houston is being “slept on” will disappear soon enough — likely around the time the Texans remind everyone why they’re still a problem in the AFC.
You can watch the video below for the full conversation.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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