Chandler Smith

Chandler Michael Smith Sr. (born June 26, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 38 Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports and part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Garage 66.

He was a member of Toyota Racing Development's TD2 driver development system from 2018 until the end of 2022 but rejoined the for 2024, before leaving at the end of the year again.

Racing career

Early career and ARCA Menards Series

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 W.A.R. at Talladega after Matt DiBenedetto parted ways with the team.

On December 20, 2024, Smith announced his return to the Truck Series full-time, driving for Front Row Motorsports in 2025. He would drive the No. 38 as Layne Riggs would move over to the No. 34 after FRM expanded to two full-time trucks. Smith started the season with a sixth-place finish at Daytona. He scored wins at Bristol and North Wilkesboro.

Xfinity Series

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. In October of that year, it was revealed that Smith, who originally signed a multi-year contract, would part ways with the team at the end of the season.

On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Smith will join Joe Gibbs Racing and drive the No. 81 Toyota full-time in 2024 after the team bought out Smith's contract from Kaulig. Smith started the season with a fifth place finish at Daytona. He later scored wins at Phoenix and Richmond. Smith was eliminated from the playoffs at the conclusion of the Round of 8 at Martinsville. In addition, he was fined 10,000 for slapping Cole Custer in a post-race altercation. At the end of the season, Smith parted ways with JGR.

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.

On January 22, 2025, MBM Motorsports announced that Smith will attempt to make the 2025 Daytona 500 in their Garage 66 Ford entry. He would fail to qualify after experiencing a hard crash in Duel 1 while running 3rd.

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. On April 14, 2025, it was announced that Kenzie Grams filed for divorce.

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

=Daytona 500

=

Xfinity Series

Craftsman Truck Series

Season still in progress

Ineligible for series points

Pinty's Series

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 East

References

External links

*

Official profile at Front Row Motorsports
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Chandler
2002 births
Living people
NASCAR drivers
ARCA Menards Series drivers
Racing drivers from Georgia (U.S. state)
CARS Tour drivers
Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers
Trans-Am Series drivers
21st-century American sportsmen