Tag: Chandler Smith

Chandler Smith provides a big update on plans for 2025 NASCAR season

Chandler Smith provides a big update on his plans for the 2025 NASCAR season. Will Smith be racing in NASCAR during the 2025 campaign?

[autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag] still doesn’t have a ride announced for the 2025 NASCAR season. After the 2024 season finale at Phoenix Raceway, Smith was out of a ride at Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and entered the open market. As of December 2024, the world still doesn’t know if Smith will be in NASCAR next year, but what did he have to say?

According to Smith through Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver, he will race in NASCAR during the 2025 season and hopes to share the news in the “next couple of weeks.” There are no indications on where he may end up, but there have been rumors floating around that Smith could join Richard Childress Racing part-time in the Cup Series.

Smith has been one of NASCAR’s best drivers in the lower ranks and was arguably the top driver in the Xfinity Series during the 2024 season. It has been a long process for the former Joe Gibbs Racing driver but he finally has something secured for 2025. Smith’s announcement will generate intrigue, as he remains one of NASCAR’s top prospects.

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NASCAR Xfinity Series starting lineup for playoff race at Homestead in 2024

Check out the NASCAR Xfinity Series starting lineup for the 2024 Credit One NASCAR AMEX Credit Card 300 at Homestead this weekend!

Homestead-Miami Speedway is next for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and Joe Gibbs Racing will lead the field to the green flag. [autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag] won the pole for the 2024 Credit One NASCAR AMEX Credit Card 300 at Homestead this weekend. Sheldon Creed will join Smith on the front row for Sunday evening’s event. It is Smith’s third pole position of the 2024 NASCAR season.

Aric Almirola and Cole Custer will follow the two drivers on the second row. Most notably, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, Ryan Truex, Shane van Gisbergen, and Matt DiBenedetto all qualified 15th or worse for Saturday’s event. DiBenedetto, who will start in 38th place, is the worst of the group.

The full starting lineup is available below.

NASCAR Xfinity Series starting lineup, 2024 Credit One NASCAR AMEX Credit Card 300 at Homestead:

  1. No. 81 Chandler Smith (P)
  2. No. 18 Sheldon Creed
  3. No. 20 Aric Almirola
  4. No. 00 Cole Custer (P)
  5. No. 7 Justin Allgaier (P)
  6. No. 16 A.J. Allmendinger (P)
  7. No. 48 Parker Kligerman
  8. No. 98 Riley Herbst
  9. No. 1 Sam Mayer (P)
  10. No. 8 Sammy Smith (P)
  11. No. 31 Parker Retzlaff
  12. No. 19 William Sawalich
  13. No. 88 Connor Zilisch
  14. No. 2 Jesse Love (P)
  15. No. 27 Jeb Burton
  16. No. 21 Austin Hill (P)
  17. No. 28 Ryan Sieg
  18. No. 5 Anthony Alfredo
  19. No. 44 Brennan Poole
  20. No. 9 Brandon Jones
  21. No. 91 Kyle Weatherman
  22. No. 26 Ryan Truex
  23. No. 51 Jeremy Clements
  24. No. 11 Josh Williams
  25. No. 97 Shane van Gisbergen
  26. No. 42 Leland Honeyman
  27. No. 39 Kyle Sieg
  28. No. 07 Brad Perez
  29. No. 74 Dawson Cram
  30. No. 15 Dylan Lupton
  31. No. 43 Ryan Ellis
  32. No. 45 Mason Maggio
  33. No. 92 Nick Leitz
  34. No. 14 Austin Green
  35. No. 29 Blaine Perkins
  36. No. 53 Thomas Annunziata
  37. No. 35 Armani Williams
  38. No. 38 Matt DiBenedetto

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Chandler Smith linked to shocking NASCAR Cup Series team for 2025

Chandler Smith has been linked to a shocking NASCAR Cup Series team for 2025. Which NASCAR team could sign Smith next year?

[autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag] started the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season on a high note but has tapered off over the summer. In the last 12 races, Smith only has four top-10 finishes and hasn’t led many laps outside of Iowa Speedway. However, could the Joe Gibbs Racing driver leave the No. 81 Xfinity car in 2025? The latest rumor suggests it’s a possibility.

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Smith is among the drivers in the mix to land the third seat for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series. This is a shocking development as Smith has gone from Toyota to Chevrolet and back to Toyota. This would mean a possible move to Ford despite having a solid season in the Xfinity Series.

Front Row Motorsports will only improve its performances over the next few seasons after upgrading its relationship with Ford to a Tier 1 status. Maybe Smith sees the potential in moving to Front Row Motorsports and has put his hat in the ring. It will be interesting to see if Smith lands a ride in the Cup Series or if he’ll return to the Xfinity Series for another season.

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Chandler Smith wins Xfinity Series race at Richmond, full results and race recap

Chandler Smith wins the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Richmond Raceway. Check out the full results, race recap from Phoenix!

The NASCAR Xfinity Series arrived at Richmond Raceway for its first oval race since early March at Phoenix Raceway. However, one thing remained constant in the time between those two races. Joe Gibbs Racing flexed its muscles for a race victory, and the winner wasn’t any different than Phoenix a few weeks ago.

[autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag] won the Xfinity Series race at Richmond over teammates Aric Almirola and Taylor Gray. Toyota finished 1-2-3-4, with Corey Heim and Sam Hunt Racing in fourth place. It was a dominant day for the manufacturer, as Aric Almirola won Stages 1 and 2. Almirola didn’t have enough for Smith at the end of the event.

Smith has two victories during the 2024 NASCAR season and leads the point standings after six races. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has five top-5 finishes and a worst finish of eighth place at COTA. Smith has arrived, and he looks to be the best driver in the Xfinity Series.

ToyotaCare250 finishing order:

  1. No. 81 Chandler Smith
  2. No. 20 Aric Almirola
  3. No. 19 Taylor Gray
  4. No. 26 Corey Heim
  5. No. 2 Jesse Love
  6. No. 88 Bubba Pollard
  7. No. 48 Parker Kligerman
  8. No. 21 Austin Hill
  9. No. 8 Sammy Smith
  10. No. 00 Cole Custer
  11. No. 7 Justin Allgaier
  12. No. 11 Josh Williams
  13. No. 98 Riley Herbst
  14. No. 16 A.J. Allmendinger
  15. No. 97 Shane van Gisbergen
  16. No. 31 Parker Retzlaff
  17. No. 91 Kyle Weatherman
  18. No. 38 Matt DiBenedetto
  19. No. 92 Josh Bilicki
  20. No. 42 Leland Honeyman
  21. No. 6 Garrett Smithley
  22. No. 14 Logan Bearden
  23. No. 28 Kyle Sieg
  24. No. 51 Jeremy Clements
  25. No. 4 Dawson Cram
  26. No. 27 Jeb Burton
  27. No. 43 Ryan Ellis
  28. No. 44 Brennan Poole
  29. No. 5 Anthony Alfredo
  30. No. 1 Sam Mayer
  31. No. 15 Hailie Deegan
  32. No. 39 Ryan Sieg
  33. No. 29 Blaine Perkins
  34. No. 35 Joey Gase
  35. No. 18 Sheldon Creed
  36. No. 07 Patrick Emerling
  37. No. 9 Brandon Jones
  38. No. 32 Ryan Vargas

C. Smith cruises to Xfinity win in an all-Gibbs podium at Richmond

Chandler Smith led a Joe Gibbs Racing sweep at Richmond (Va.) Raceway Saturday afternoon cruising to a 4.495s victory over teammates Aric Almirola and Tanner Gray in the ToyotaCare 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race. It marks back-to-back wins in this …

Chandler Smith led a Joe Gibbs Racing sweep at Richmond (Va.) Raceway Saturday afternoon cruising to a 4.495s victory over teammates Aric Almirola and Tanner Gray in the ToyotaCare 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

It marks back-to-back wins in this race for Smith – answering his first career Xfinity Series victory last Spring – and he led the final 60 laps in the No. 81 JGR Toyota, 76 laps on the day for his third career win, second of the season. It was his teammate Almirola, who won both stages and led a race best 95 of the 250 laps in his No. 20 JGR Toyota, but the former full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver ultimately could not catch Smith, who pulled away in the closing laps.

“Never give up, never give up,” said Smith, who has top-10 finishes in all six races this year. “This car was not good. Stage 1 wasn’t good, but we were able to do some strategy there with this No. 81 Supra in Stage 2.

“Back here winning races on a consistent basis and took over the points lead too, I’m just blessed,” he added.

 

For his part, Almirola acknowledged he just didn’t have what he needed to catch the 21-year old Georgia-native in the closing laps. He’ll have another chance at victory next week as he’s in the car again at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

“We just got a little bit too loose,” Almirola said. “The run before that in Stage 2, when I took off my car was really, really good. At the end, it just felt a little tight and that last run, for whatever reason, different set of tires or what, I let Chandler go and when I started to just creep back to him, I didn’t have anything to go with.

“I was too loose in and couldn’t get throttle down on exit. Hate that to win both stages and feel like we had the dominant car, and then to let it slip away there at the end is disappointing.”

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The JGR team can also take pride in its third-place finish – considering it was the 19-year old Gray’s series debut. NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series full-timer Corey Heim was fourth followed by series rookie Jesse Love.

It was also a big outing for renowned late model racer Bubba Pollard, punctuating his series debut with a sixth-place finish in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet – particularly impressive considering Pollard started 37th.

“I just got behind in qualifying there and it made for a long day,” Pollard said. “But these guys gave me a great race car, JR Motorsports.

“I needed that long green flag run just to get in a rhythm. This place is tough, it’s technical and probably one of the toughest places I’ve been to, and I’ve been to a lot of places.

“I’m happy with it. I enjoyed it and had fun and hopefully the fans enjoyed it too.”

Big Machine Racing’s Parker Kligerman, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill, JR Motorsports Sammy Smith and reigning series champion Cole Custer rounded out the top 10. The 20-year old Parker Retzlaff, who won his first career pole position Saturday, finished 16th in the No. 31 Jordan Anderson Chevrolet and led a career high 27 laps.

With their work, Smith, Almirola, Love and Kligerman have qualified for next week’s Dash 4 Cash event at Martinsville Speedway, and the highest finisher of the four Dash 4 Cash drivers in the race will collect an extra $100,000 bonus.

With the win, Smith takes a 10-point driver standings lead over Hill to next Saturday’s DUDE Wipes 250 (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). John Hunter Nemechek is the defending race winner.

RESULTS

Smith wins Xfinity at Phoenix after heartbreak for Allgaier

Chandler Smith had a message for his Joe Gibbs Racing team after taking the checkered flag in overtime in Saturday’s Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway. “We’ll take ’em when we can get ’em,” Smith …

Chandler Smith had a message for his Joe Gibbs Racing team after taking the checkered flag in overtime in Saturday’s Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway.

“We’ll take ‘em when we can get ‘em,” Smith radioed before celebrating his second career victory with a burnout near the start/finish line.

It was good fortune—combined with Justin Allgaier’s disastrous bad luck—that put Smith in Victory Lane after 205 laps at the one-mile track in the Sonoran Desert.

Allgaier held a lead of nearly three seconds after crossing the stripe on lap 195 of a scheduled 200. But as the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet approached Turn 1, his left rear tire went flat.

Allgaier’s car turned sideways and smashed into the outside wall, ending the race for the veteran driver from Illinois.

 

On the subsequent overtime restart, Smith pulled away from teammate Sheldon Creed and reached the finish line 0.365s ahead of Sunoco rookie Jesse Love, who edged Creed for the runner-up spot by 0.019s.

“Going through the dogleg [on the frontstretch], I felt [the tire] come apart, like I ran something over, and at that point you’re just a passenger,” Allgaier said. “I just hate it that we tore up a race car. We didn’t go to Victory Lane. I hate it for all the guys and gals at JR Motorsports.”

Allgaier’s ill fortune was determinative, but it wasn’t that Smith didn’t deserve the victory. He won the first 45-lap stage wire-to-wire and led a race-high 88 laps to Allgaier’s 52.

“We just lacked a little bit on the No. 7 (Allgaier),” Smith said. “I hate that happened to him—he had that in the bag. I’m so proud of everybody back at Joe Gibbs Racing. It’s good finally to get this first win off our back for these guys.

“So let’s go keep racking ‘em up.”

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Stage 2 winner Cole Custer led 61 laps, but his car suffered from a loose handling condition during the final run.

With Custer fading badly, Smith was in the lead, more than 2.5s ahead of Allgaier, when Hailie Deegan brushed the Turn 2 wall on lap 137. To that point, Smith and Custer had combined to lead all the laps.

The relatively innocent-looking fourth caution, however, set the stage for the chaos that followed. Smith lost three spots on pit road as John Hunter Nemechek took the lead.

On the subsequent restart on lap 144, Smith and Nemechek were racing in close quarters when contact from the right-front of Smith’s Toyota turned Nemechek’s Supra in front of the field.

All told, 11 cars sustained damage, with Nemechek, hard-luck Sam Mayer (third DNF in four races), Hailie Deegan, Parker Retzlaff and Jeb Burton unable to continue.

Smith’s No. 81 Toyota was none the worse for wear and restarted next to Allgaier, the race leader, on lap 152. On the longest green-flag run of the day, Allgaier pulled away and was cruising toward a comfortable victory when disaster struck, opening the door for Smith to secure his first victory since last April’s win at Richmond for owner Matt Kaulig.

Austin Hill came home fourth, with Custer, the defending series champion, claiming the fifth spot. Sunoco rookie Shane van Gisbergen, Brandon Jones, Parker Kligerman, Sammy Smith and Anthony Alfredo completed the top 10.

RESULTS

Chandler Smith wins Xfinity Series race at Phoenix, full results and race recap

Chandler Smith wins the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway. Check out the full results, race recap from Phoenix!

[autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag] needed a little bit of luck, but the No. 81 car was the first to take the checkered flag in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway. Smith held off teammate Sheldon Creed in NASCAR overtime and pulled away. Jesse Love ended up passing Creed on the final lap of the event.

Smith’s victory is his first with Joe Gibbs Racing, but it was Justin Allgaier’s race to lose. Allgaier dominated the Final Stage and blew a tire with under 10 laps to go. Smith was able to inherit the lead after dominating Stage 1. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is the second Xfinity Series regular to win in 2024, joining Austin Hill.

A lot will be said about Smith’s wreck earlier in the race and Allgaier’s shocking incident; however, one thing was made clear today. Smith, who has four top-5 finishes to start 2024, will be a force to be reckoned with for the entire year.

Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 finishing order:

  1. No. 81 Chandler Smith
  2. No. 2 Jesse Love
  3. No. 18 Sheldon Creed
  4. No. 21 Austin Hill
  5. No. 00 Cole Custer
  6. No. 97 Shane van Gisbergen
  7. No. 9 Brandon Jones
  8. No. 48 Parker Kligerman
  9. No. 8 Sammy Smith
  10. No. 5 Anthony Alfredo
  11. No. 42 Leland Honeyman
  12. No. 39 Ryan Sieg
  13. No. 29 Blaine Perkins
  14. No. 78 B.J. McLeod
  15. No. 51 Jeremy Clements
  16. No. 91 Kyle Weatherman
  17. No. 92 Nick Leitz
  18. No. 16 A.J. Allmendinger
  19. No. 14 J.J. Yeley
  20. No. 44 Brennan Poole
  21. No. 43 Ryan Ellis
  22. No. 26 Corey Heim
  23. No. 17 William Byron
  24. No. 98 Riley Herbst
  25. No. 28 Kyle Sieg
  26. No. 6 Garrett Smithley
  27. No. 11 Josh Williams
  28. No. 4 Dawson Cram
  29. No. 7 Justin Allgaier
  30. No. 35 Frankie Muniz
  31. No. 19 Aric Almirola
  32. No. 20 John Hunter Nemechek
  33. No. 15 Hailie Deegan
  34. No. 1 Sam Mayer
  35. No. 31 Parker Retzlaff
  36. No. 27 Jeb Burton
  37. No. 32 Ryan Vargas
  38. No. 07 Patrick Emerling

Joe Gibbs Racing ‘expected’ to pair this young driver next to Chandler Smith in 2024

Joe Gibbs Racing is expected to sign Chandler Smith to its NASCAR Xfinity Series program and pair him with this young driver in 2024.

Joe Gibbs Racing needs to rebuild its NASCAR Xfinity Series program and it appears like they have circled a future star of the sport. According to Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver, Chandler Smith is expected to join Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series once a buyout with his current team, Kaulig Racing, is complete. Smith used to drive for Toyota in the lower ranks.

However, there was another piece of interesting information regarding the organization’s plans. According to Weaver, Joe Gibbs Racing is expected to pair Smith with Richard Childress Racing driver [autotag]Sheldon Creed[/autotag] in 2024. Creed previously announced his departure from Richard Childress Racing at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

Overall, this would be a great move for Joe Gibbs Racing as Smith and Creed are young NASCAR talents. Both drivers are currently facing a must-win situation in the Round of 8 but the opportunity would be better at Toyota due to the equipment. As of now, neither move has become official as the NASCAR season continues to wind down at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.

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Joe Gibbs Racing linked to shocking driver for Xfinity Series in 2024

Joe Gibbs Racing has been linked to this shocking young driver for its NASCAR Xfinity Series program in 2024.

[autotag]Joe Gibbs Racing[/autotag] needs to overhaul its NASCAR Xfinity Series program for the 2024 season after the announcements from its current drivers. Next year, John Hunter Nemechek will move to Legacy Motor Club while his teammate Sammy Smith joins JR Motorsports. Many names would make sense for Joe Gibbs Racing but none would be better than this former Toyota driver.

According to Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver, [autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag] is interested in a move that would see him reunite with Toyota as a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024. Smith would join the Xfinity Series program as a full-time driver; however, it requires a buyout with Kaulig Racing as the young driver signed a multi-year contract last season.

The driver of the No. 16 car would be a major pickup for Joe Gibbs Racing as he represents one of NASCAR’s best prospects. Toyota lost Smith to Kaulig Racing for the 2023 season but could bring him back into the fold. Overall, Smith would be a prime candidate to blossom in his second Xfinity Series season and could be a championship favorite at the end of the day.

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3 options for Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 Cup car for the 2024 season

Kaulig Racing might need a new driver for the No. 16 Cup car during the 2024 NASCAR season so here are three options that make sense.

Kaulig Racing announced last month that Daniel Hemric will drive the No. 31 Cup car on a full-time basis starting in 2023. However, there is another question involving Kaulig Racing’s future as A.J. Allmendinger’s status in the No. 16 car is unknown. So, which three drivers would represent a good option for the NASCAR organization if it is not Allmendinger?

[autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag] would be the most logical option since other drivers, such as Zane Smith, are off the table. Smith drives for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has one win at Richmond Raceway during his rookie season. The driver of the No. 16 Xfinity car may not be fully ready but he would likely represent the best internal option for the race team.

If not Smith, former Legacy Motor Club driver [autotag]Noah Gragson[/autotag] would be a good selection as well. Gragson was suspended for liking an offensive social media post in August but has been reinstated for some time now. The former NASCAR driver has run for Kaulig Racing in the past and could rebuild his career with an organization that would help him grow as a person.

Finally, [autotag]Ty Majeski[/autotag] would be an out-of-the-box idea that could make sense for the organization. Majeski has run well at ThorSport Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series and could be looking for an upgrade sooner rather than later. The driver of the No. 98 truck may not have any Cup Series experience but he could be a great addition down the line.

Overall, Smith, Gragson, and Majeski are all great options for Kaulig Racing. It will depend on whether Allmendinger returns to the No. 16 Cup car or not but with options dwindling, an answer should be coming soon. Kaulig Racing is looking to grow its footprint in NASCAR and any of these drivers would help accomplish that goal.

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