Chandler Smith

Chandler Smith
Smith at Pocono Raceway in 2023
BornChandler Michael Smith
(2002-06-26) June 26, 2002 (age 21)
Talking Rock, Georgia, U.S.
Achievements2021 Snowball Derby Winner
2018 SpeedFest 200 Winner
2013 INEX Bandolero Bandit National Champion
Awards2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year
2017 Southern Super Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
3 races run over 1 year
2023 position47th
Best finish47th (2023)
First race2023 Toyota Owners 400 (Richmond)
Last race2023 YellaWood 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
31 races run over 2 years
Car no., teamNo. 81 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
2023 position9th
Best finish9th (2023)
First race2022 Ag-Pro 300 (Talladega)
Last race2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race (Phoenix)
First win2023 ToyotaCare 250 (Richmond)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 12 3
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
62 races run over 5 years
2023 position92nd
Best finish3rd (2022)
First race2019 M&M's 200 (Iowa)
Last race2023 Love's RV Stop 250 (Talladega)
First win2021 UNOH 200 (Bristol)
Last win2022 Worldwide Express 250 (Richmond)
Wins Top tens Poles
5 35 1
NASCAR Pinty's Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2019 position46th
Best finish46th (2019)
First race2019 Total Quartz 200 (Mosport)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
ARCA Menards Series career
35 races run over 5 years
Best finish10th (2020)
First race2018 Music City 200 (Nashville Fairgrounds)
Last race2022 Reese's 200 (IRP)
First win2018 Herr's Potato Chips 200 (Madison)
Last win2022 Reese's 200 (IRP)
Wins Top tens Poles
10 30 10
ARCA Menards Series East career
2 races run over 1 year
Best finish21st (2020)
First race2020 Royal Truck & Trailer 200 (Toledo)
Last race2020 Bush's Beans 200 (Bristol)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
Statistics current as of November 11, 2023.

Chandler Michael Smith Sr. (born June 26, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 81 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. He was a member of Toyota Racing Development's TD2 driver development system from 2018 until the end of 2022 but rejoined the program starting in 2024.

Racing career

Early career and ARCA Menards Series

Smith next to his ARCA car before the race at Madison in 2018, which would be his first win in the series
Smith in victory lane at Madison in 2018 after winning for the first time in ARCA
Smith beside his car before the Madison race in 2019, which he would also win
Smith's No. 18 truck at Sonoma Raceway in 2022

In 2013, Smith won the bandoleros national championship after two wins at Atlanta, one at Charlotte and one at Bethel Motor Speedway. In 2018, Smith made his ARCA Menards Series debut at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and won the pole after qualifying was rained out. He led 51 laps and finished 5th in the race. In his fourth ARCA start, Smith dominated at Madison International Speedway and won his first race after leading the most laps.

On September 15, 2018, Smith dominated at Salem Speedway, leading nearly every lap to win his second race. On November 2, it was announced that Smith would return to Venturini Motorsports for the 2019 season for 11 races. Smith would run mostly short track events due to age restrictions.

Smith would return to Venturini part-time in the No. 20 for the third year in a row in 2020, with him in the car for 13 races while Ryan Repko would join the team that year to drive it in most of the races at the larger tracks such as Daytona where Smith was not able to compete at due to being under 18. Ten of Smith's races that year were part of the brand new Sioux Chief Showdown, which put him in contention to win that separate championship within the ARCA Series.

Craftsman Truck Series

On February 21, 2019, Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that Smith would run a four-race NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series schedule in the team's Nos. 46 and 51 Toyota Tundras. In just his first truck series start at Iowa, he would capture the pole after qualifying would be rained out with the starting order based on owner's points. Smith would lead the initial 55 laps and finished 8th in the race.

On March 3, 2020, Smith was announced to return to KBM part-time in the Truck Series for the 2020 season. His original schedule included eight races, all in the No. 51, which were at Richmond, Dover, Michigan, Gateway, Bristol, Las Vegas, Talladega, and the season finale at Phoenix. His schedule was shuffled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; at Texas in November, Smith spun and criticized Tanner Gray for the lack of an ability to drive straight; Smith was later blamed by Ben Rhodes for a last-lap incident, although Smith never publicly accepted blame.

Smith was promoted to a full-time Truck Series schedule for 2021, driving the No. 18 for KBM. He almost won the series' inaugural race at Knoxville, but lost the lead to Austin Hill in the closing laps and green-white-checkered attempts. Smith did barely qualify for the playoffs in the 10th and final spot despite being disqualified in the regular-season finale at Watkins Glen. At Bristol, in a must-win situation to make the Round of 8 in the playoffs, Smith won, beating Grant Enfinger and teammate John Hunter Nemechek as Nemechek overshot turn 1 and race leader Sheldon Creed was put into the wall by Smith and overshot turn 1 and spun finishing 19th. A 35th place finish at Las Vegas and a 19th place finish at Talladega cost Smith a chance at the Championship 4. Despite this, he won at Phoenix and finished eighth in the standings.

Smith began the 2022 season with a 21st place finish at Daytona. He scored wins at Las Vegas and Pocono to make the playoffs. During the playoffs, he won at Richmond and stayed consistent enough to make the Championship 4. Smith finished third at Phoenix and third in the standings.

Smith returned to the Truck Series part-time in 2023, driving the No. 25 for Rackley WAR at Talladega after Matt DiBenedetto parted ways with the team.

Xfinity Series

Smith at Auto Club Speedway in 2023

On October 5, 2022, Kaulig Racing announced that Smith would replace A. J. Allmendinger in the No. 16 in 2023 in the Xfinity Series, as Allmendinger would return to a full-time schedule in the Cup Series. Smith began the season with a 12th place finish at Daytona. Two months later, he scored his first Xfinity win at Richmond.

Cup Series

On January 18, 2023, Kaulig Racing announced that Smith will attempt to make his Cup Series debut in the 2023 Daytona 500, with an additional four race schedule, driving a third car for the team. Smith failed to make the Daytona 500 after finishing 18th in Duel 1 of the 2023 Bluegreen Vacations Duels. Smith made his official Cup debut at Richmond, finishing 17th.

Personal life

Smith attended Pickens High School in Jasper, Georgia and was a part of the graduating class of 2020. Smith's father, Mike Smith, is the owner of Smith General Contracting, a business that sponsors much of Chandler's racing endeavors.

Smith proposed to his girlfriend Kenzie Grams on New Year's Day in 2021; they were married on July 17, 2021. On February 4, 2022, they announced they were expecting their first child and on August 4, 2022, their son Chandler Smith Jr. was born. They announced on May 12, 2023, they were expecting their second son.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 NCSC Pts Ref
2023 Kaulig Racing 13 Chevy DAY
DNQ
CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH
17
BRD MAR TAL DOV KAN DAR CLT GTW SON NSH CSC ATL NHA POC RCH MCH IRC GLN DAY
15
DAR KAN BRI TEX TAL
11
ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO 47th 01
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
2023 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet DNQ

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts Ref
2022 Sam Hunt Racing 26 Toyota DAY CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH MAR TAL
38
DOV
21
DAR TEX CLT PIR NSH ROA ATL NHA POC IRC MCH GLN DAY DAR KAN BRI TEX TAL ROV LVS HOM
7
MAR PHO 87th 01
2023 Kaulig Racing 16 Chevy DAY
12
CAL
4
LVS
3*
PHO
5
ATL
28
COA
12
RCH
1*
MAR
10
TAL
25
DOV
13
DAR
36
CLT
13
PIR
9
SON
14
NSH
12*
CSC
8
ATL
20
NHA
2
POC
20
ROA
37
MCH
20
IRC
34
GLN
8
DAY
22
DAR
12
KAN
32
BRI
5
TEX
4
ROV
12
LVS
4
HOM
34
MAR
36
PHO
8
9th 2219
2024 Joe Gibbs Racing 81 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO COA RCH MAR TEX TAL DOV DAR CLT PIR SON IOW NHA NSH CSC POC IND MCH DAY DAR ATL GLN BRI KAN TAL ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCTC Pts Ref
2019 Kyle Busch Motorsports 51 Toyota DAY ATL LVS MAR TEX DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW
8
BRI
2
MSP LVS TAL MAR 24th 171
46 GTW
4
CHI KEN POC ELD MCH PHO
3
HOM
2020 51 DAY LVS CLT ATL HOM POC KEN
22
TEX KAN KAN MCH
38
DRC DOV
20
GTW
23
DAR
23
RCH
12
BRI
5
LVS
5
TAL
3
KAN
5
TEX
21
MAR PHO
3
19th 312
2021 18 DAY
9*
DRC
12
LVS
19
ATL
35
BRD
34
RCH
4
KAN
11
DAR
27
COA
33
CLT
6
TEX
5
NSH
13*
POC
25
KNX
2*
GLN
40
GTW
28
DAR
7
BRI
1
LVS
35
TAL
19
MAR
4
PHO
1
8th 2230
2022 DAY
21
LVS
1*
ATL
4
COA
5
MAR
6
BRD
19
DAR
21
KAN
4
TEX
8
CLT
8
GTW
3
SON
5
KNX
13
NSH
15
MOH
6
POC
1*
IRP
18
RCH
1*
KAN
6
BRI
9*
TAL
14
HOM
10
PHO
3
3rd 4034
2023 Rackley WAR 25 Chevy DAY LVS ATL COA TEX BRD MAR KAN DAR NWS CLT GTW NSH MOH POC RCH IRP MLW KAN BRI TAL
4
HOM PHO 92nd 01

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

Pinty's Series

NASCAR Pinty's Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 NPSC Pts Ref
2019 22 Racing 26 Chevy MSP JUK ACD TOR SAS SAS EIR CTR RIS MSP
23
ASE NHA JUK 46th 21

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AMSC Pts Ref
2018 Venturini Motorsports 20 Toyota DAY NSH
5
SLM
10*
TAL TOL
4*
CLT POC MCH IOW
2
ELK
6*
POC ISF BLN
7
DSF SLM
1*
IRP
3
KAN 14th 1995
15 MAD
1*
GTW CHI
2019 20 DAY FIF
4
SLM
4
TAL NSH
3
TOL
1*
CLT POC MCH MAD
1*
GTW
16
CHI ELK
1*
IOW
1*
POC
8
ISF DSF SLM
8
IRP
1
KAN 11th 2420
2020 DAY PHO
1
TAL POC
2
IRP
1*
KEN IOW
4
KAN TOL
11*
TOL
2
MCH DAY
9
GTW
2
L44
8
TOL
2
BRI
23
WIN MEM
5
ISF KAN
13
10th 506
2021 25 DAY PHO TAL KAN TOL CLT MOH POC
12
ELK BLN IOW WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW DSF BRI SLM KAN 90th 33
2022 15 DAY PHO TAL KAN CLT IOW BLN ELK MOH POC IRP
1*
MCH GLN ISF MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 68th 48

ARCA Menards Series East

ARCA Menards Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 AMSEC Pts Ref
2020 Venturini Motorsports 20 Toyota NSM TOL DOV TOL
2
BRI
23
FIF 21st 64

This page was last updated at 2024-01-11 02:41 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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