Sammy Smith / No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra Preview – Call 811.com Before You Dig 250 at Martinsville Speedway - Speedway Digest

No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:

SMITH AT MARTINSVILLE: Sammy Smith will make his second NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. Smith made his Martinsville debut as part of his limited schedule in 2022. He ran solidly in the top-five throughout the race and battled for the lead in the closing laps. On the first green-white-checkered attempt of the race, Smith was spun competing for the lead. The spin resulted in a flat tire and forced the 18 to come down pit road to change tires, ultimately relegating Smith to an 18th-place finish.
RICHMOND RECAP: Smith started the ToyotaCare 250 in second after rain washed out qualifying. He put the No. 18 in the lead on lap three and led until the first caution at lap 37. Smith and teammate John Hunter Nemechek stayed out under the caution while the remaining cars on the lead lap pitted. After the restart, both JGR cars were quickly passed by cars on fresh tires and put a lap down. Smith remained a lap down due to the strategy until lap 242 when he earned the free pass to put him back on the lead lap. Unfortunately, that caution came too late for him to make a charge through the field and Smith finished in 19th.
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 54 top-five finishes, 111 top-10 finishes, and 11 pole positions under his leadership.
JGR AT MARTINSVILLE: Since the Xfinity Series returned to Martinsville Speedway in 2020, Joe Gibbs Racing has won three of the five races, including both events last year. In 19 combined starts at the track, the organization has racked up eight top-five finishes, 15 top-10s, 667 laps led, and a pair of pole awards last season. Harrison Burton, Ty Gibbs, and Brandon Jones each have one win for JGR at Martinsville.
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 Call 811.com Before You Dig 250 at Martinsville is scheduled for 7:30 PM EST on Saturday, April 15. The race will be broadcasted on FOX Sports 1, MRN, Sirius XM and available to stream on the FOX Sports app.

From the Driver’s Seat:

Sammy Smith: “We had a really good car at Martinsville last year so I’m excited to get back there this weekend in the No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra. We ran up front all day in the fall, just didn’t get the finished we deserved. I think we have a great chance to get to Victory Lane on Saturday.”

Smith’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Martinsville Speedway: