The Martinsville cut-off race nearly all the time ends in drama as drivers combat tooth and nail for the ultimate spots within the Championship 4 throughout all three nationwide divisions of the game — nevertheless it’s merely at one other degree within the NASCAR Xfinity Collection the place rising stars are nonetheless studying the ropes and attempting to make their mark.
In 2022, Ty Gibbs dumped his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Brandon Jones for the win, which was particularly awkward since Gibbs was already going to make the ultimate 4 on factors whereas Jones was not. He did not appear bothered by the showers of boos.
2023 was even crazier as Richard Childress Racing teammates Austin Hill and Sheldon Creed slammed into one another within the battle for the win (and the switch spot). Hill crashed and Creed misplaced in a spectacular picture end with Justin Allgaier, which was adopted by some extraordinarily tense exchanges involving the estranged groups and then-RCR government Andy Petree.
Watch: Justin Allgaier jumps from third to P1 because the race ends beneath chaos
This 12 months, any chaos might contain the motive force of the No. 81 Toyota piloted by 22-year-old Chandler Smith, and for good cause. He’s at present 28 factors in and out a probable must-win state of affairs. There are in fact three different drivers in the identical boat, however all of them have a job for subsequent 12 months. Smith, who has two wins and the very best common end in your entire Xfinity area, doesn’t.
He is a younger racer with a number of victories within the Xfinity and Truck Collection, and was additionally spectacular within the three Cup races he ran final 12 months, however his future in NASCAR is in critical doubt. After Homestead, he made that a lot clear together with one thing else — he doesn’t care about anybody else when NASCAR rolls into Martinsville this weekend.
Chandler Smith, Joe Gibbs Racing, QuickTie Toyota Supra
Photograph by: Gavin Baker / NKP / Motorsport Photos
“For someone that do not have a job subsequent 12 months within the trade and can most likely gonna go be working for my dad on the development facet simply due to how issues are sadly taking part in out, I really feel like I do not owe anyone something going to Martinsville,” he informed NBC.
That is proper. Joe Gibbs Racing has already introduced William Sawalich, Taylor Grey and Brandon Jones as their full-time Xfinity drivers for 2025 — Smith will not be amongst them, and his pockets aren’t deep sufficient to purchase a trip elsewhere. This may really be it for his budding NASCAR profession.
The Speaking Rock, Georgia native went on to say with a smile that he instructed his crew chief, Jeff Meendering, to do the next in preparation for the upcoming cut-off race: “Be certain the entrance bumper on that factor is bolstered for Martinsville.”
Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Collection champion Cole Custer holds the fourth and last spot, simply seven factors behind Justin Allgaier. C. Smith is joined by Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, and Sammy Smith because the drivers who will attempt to win their approach into the Championship 4 on Saturday, however once more, they’re all drivers with a transparent image of their future on this sport.
From the feedback Smith made to NBC and several other media shops final weekend, he has no actual future in the meanwhile and so, zero cause to carry again as he embarks on what might probably be the ultimate two races of his NASCAR profession.
