MARTINSVILLE, Va.: Coming into the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway, Chandler Smith was determined to do everything he could to make it into the Championship 4.
“Today, I’ll fight, I’ll claw, I’ll drive like my life depends on it. Regardless of the outcome, this has been one of the best, most fun I’ve had in racing in years. Let’s Ride 81 Team.”
Starting the National Debt Relief 250 in the third position, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver would take over the top running place by Lap 20.
When the caution flag flew on Lap 38, the driver of the No.81 Quick Tie Toyota GR Supra would look to his team for encouragement.
When he asked the team for their opinions on his strengths and weaknesses in the race, he was told that his exits were his strengths.
Coming to pit road, Smith would take on a new set of Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel and return to the track in 10th place.
Several cautions later, the Talking Rock, Georgia native, communicated to his team that he believed that he had front nose damage from the latest caution, but the team relayed to him that there was very little damage and that they were not concerned about it.
Ending Stage 1 in sixth place, Smith told the team that he was concerned about the water temperature, which was higher than before that last incident on the track.
With no future job plans for 2025, Chandler Smith knew that he had to have a good showing at Martinsville Speedway, so he once again started on the front row in Stage 2, and by Lap 82, he was once again the leader of the race.
Unfortunately, his woes began at that point. Smith would tell the team that he needed more lateral grip and a little front turn, both grip and bite.
“I was struggling when the track rubbered up. I was sliding the rear,” stated Smith.
With caution number six coming out, the team would bring him down pit road for another set of tires, fuel, and adjustments, dropping him three spots in the lineup.
By the end of Stage 2, Smith continued to tell the team that his car was not handling correctly.
“It feels like something broke in the front left headlight, ” he says, but the team continues to tell him that there isn’t a concern there.
Going green for the third and final stage of the race and starting in the sixth position, Chandler Smith knew that his only chance at the Championship 4 was to get to the front of the field and win this race.
Multiple cautions seemed to help the driver with position on the track, but the real battle began when Chandler Smith moved Cole Custer’s No. 00 car, which was also running for the championship.
Lining up for the restart, Chandler Smith would have Custer in his rearview mirror with a mission.
Not only once did this happen, but twice. Clearly frustrated, Smith would say, “Granted, I moved him the lap before, but I’m beating his bumper off for the five laps before that.”
Finishing in third place was not good enough for Chandler Smith to get into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship and left him upset and frustrated.
“I gave him grace before I finally shipped him, and then he doesn’t even try to give me a chance going into turn one,” said Smith.
“I’m a driver. I’m in a must-win situation. He was not at that moment, and he didn’t even try to make the corner.”
After the race, the two drivers would converse, and many words and a light slap were shared.
“He thought he was in a must-win for the owners – which he was –, but at the end of the day, I get that his dad has some high-up role at SHR (Stewart-Haas Racing), so he probably values that a lot.”
Chandler Smith’s next event is the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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