HAMPTON, Ga. – After a frustrating finish in last weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway, Sammy Smith rebounded impressively, securing a fourth-place finish in Saturday night’s Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Despite no practice, Smith immediately showcased the speed of his No. 8 Pilot Travel Centers Chevrolet Camaro by qualifying 12th on Friday afternoon.
When the green flag dropped, Smith wasted no time charging forward, breaking into the top 10 early. He remained there for most of Stage 1, but a lack of momentum in his lane shuffled him back to a 14th-place finish.
In Stage 2, adjustments helped Smith overcome a tight handling condition, allowing him to climb back into the top 10 and finish seventh—earning valuable stage points in the process.
As the race entered its final stage, Smith positioned himself inside the top 10, knowing that staying in contention until the end would be key to chasing his third career Xfinity Series victory.
A late-race caution inside the final 10 laps reset the field, allowing Smith to work with his JR Motorsports teammate, Justin Allgaier, in a bid to overtake race leader Austin Hill.
On the restart with less than five miles to go, Smith pushed Allgaier forward, hoping to propel both JR Motorsports Chevrolets to the front. However, they struggled to stay connected long enough to generate enough momentum to challenge Hill.
As the pack roared down the backstretch on the final lap, chaos erupted when Parker Retzlaff’s Chevrolet was turned by Sheldon Creed, triggering a multi-car crash.
