Chandler Smith Leads 31 Laps, but Finishes 20th at Dover After Mid-Race Accident - Speedway Digest

Stage One Recap:

Smith started from the 23rd position after a performance matrix based off the No. 51 team’s finishing position from the previous race, ranking in owner points standings and the ranking of the fastest lap turned from the previous race on the road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
The JBL Tundra was scored in the 21^st position when the competition caution flew after the completion of Lap 20. Playing a strategy move to improve track position later in the race, veteran crew chief Danny Stockman summoned his young driver to pit road for four tires and full load of fuel and also made major chassis adjustments to improve the handling of this Toyota.
The Georgia native would gain four positions over the final 15 laps of the stage and come home in the 16^th spot.

Stage Two Recap:

Having already pitted for tires, Stockman kept his young driver on track while the top 16 trucks pitted, giving Smith the lead for the start of Stage Two.
After a two lap, side-by-side battle for the lead, Smith cleared Grant Enfinger and then set sail at the front of the field. Eight laps into Stage Two, he had opened up a one-second lead over second place.
Smith would remain out front until he got mired in traffic and checked up allowing Derek Kraus to maneuver around him on lap 79.
The Toyota Racing Development driver began to feel the effects of worn out tires and began to fall back. KBM teammate went to maneuver around him for the third spot when the two drivers approached a lap truck. The two drivers went for the same piece of real estate at the same moment and made contact.
Smith was on the wrong end of the contact as he went spinning and the back of his JBL Tundra ricocheted into the outside wall causing damage to the back-rear quarter panel, decklid and the spoiler.
The Georgia native would bring out the caution and be credited with a 12^th-place finish in Stage Two.

Final Stage Recap:

Before pit road opened, Smith brought the JBL Tundra to the attention of the over-the-wall crew. The crew put four fresh tires on the No. 51 Toyota and began damage repairs.
Due to pitting when pit road was not open, Smith had to start at the tail end of the field in the 20^th position when the Final Stage went green on Lap 98.
He made his way into 19th quickly despite having a battered JBL Tundra and then progressed to 18^th with 70 laps remaining. Battling tight-handling conditions due to the damage he would be forced to battle to remain on the lead lap with just over 60 laps remaining.
On Lap 138, he went a lap down and would remain there when he hit pit road under green-flag conditions on lap 169.
Smith would be scored in the 20^th position when pit stops cycled through and would cross the stripe two laps down in the same position.

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