No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:
SMITH AT MICHIGAN: Smith has made one previous start at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). He started fifth in his MIS debut in 2022. Smith finished third in Stage One and led the first lap of his NXS career on lap 101 just before coming down pit road for a green flag pit stop. Smith sped on the entry to pit road and had to serve a penalty, ultimately finishing the race in 12th.
ROAD AMERICA RECAP: Smith started in the rear of the field after an accident in qualifying forced the team to a back-up car. Smith made his way through the field and earned stage points in both Stage One and Stage Two, finishing 10th and ninth, respectively. Smith was unable to continue after an accident with four laps remaining in the race, relegating him to a 31st-place finish.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Smith is eligible to compete for the 2023 NXS Sunoco Rookie of the Year (ROTY). The other drivers competing for the title are Chandler Smith, Parker Retzlaff, and Blaine Perkins.
ARCA EAST CHAMPION x2: Smith defended his 2021 ARCA Menards Series East (AMSE) Championship in 2022 on the strength of five wins and a top-five finish in all of the AMSE races. He also won four ARCA Menards Series races and one ARCA Menards Series West race in 2022.
ON THE PITBOX: Crew Chief Jeff Meendering will head up the No. 18 team during the 2023 season. He has visited Victory Lane seven times as a NXS crew chief, most recently with Smith at Phoenix in March 2023. His teams have collected 56 top-five finishes, 114 top-10 finishes, and 11 pole positions under his leadership.
JGR AT MICHIGAN: The Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series program has recorded six victories at Michigan International Speedway, including Ty Gibbs’ win last season. In 56 combined starts at the track, the organization has posted 22 top-five finishes, 36 top-10s, two pole awards, and 470 laps led. Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, and Daniel Suárez join Gibbs on the list of drivers who have won Xfinity Series races for JGR at Michigan.
FOLLOW ALONG: Follow along for updates and a behind-the-scenes look at Smith’s 2023 NXS Seasons.
Twitter: @SammySmithSS I Facebook: Sammy Smith Racing I Instagram: @sammysmithss_
RACE INFO: The NXS Cabo Wabo 250 at MIS is scheduled for 3:30 PM EST on Saturday, August 5. The race will be broadcasted on NBC, MRN, Sirius XM and available to stream on the NBC Sports app.
From the Driver’s Seat:
Sammy Smith: “Michigan is a place where I felt pretty comfortable last year. We had a fast car and were running well before the pit road penalty. I know the guys at JGR will bring another fast car this year so as long as we stay out of trouble and run a clean race, I feel confident in our ability to have a great day on Saturday.”
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
