Sammy Smith Makes NASCAR History at Phoenix

The NASCAR Xfinity Series has a new driver locked into the playoffs. Sammy Smith won at Phoenix Raceway on March 11, and he made NASCAR history in the process.

The two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion suited up for the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix at the age of 18. He went out and led 92 of the 200 laps before crossing the finish line ahead of teammate Ryan Truex. Smith officially became the youngest-ever Xfinity Series winner at Phoenix Raceway, and he broke a record set by William Byron (19) during the 2017 season.

Smith clearly had the Toyota to beat at Phoenix Raceway. He started 11th overall, but he finished Stage 1 in the third position. He then went on to finish Stage 2 in the fourth position.

Smith took the lead during the final stage after passing Kyle Busch, and he went on to hold off several contenders during multiple restarts. He survived a caution-filled event, learned as the race progressed, and showed that he can be a true contender in what was only his second-ever Xfinity Series start at Phoenix Raceway.

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Smith Gained an Advantage in Another Battle

Heading toward the 2023 Xfinity Series season, there were three main rookie drivers — Parker Retzlaff, Chandler Smith, and Sammy Smith. All were eligible to win Rookie of the Year, but the two with the Smith surname stood out as the top options due to their spots at Joe Gibbs Racing and Kaulig Racing.

Retzlaff impressed during the 2022 season as he made select starts for RSS Racing and Our Motorsports. However, Jordan Anderson Racing continues to grow as a two-car operation while JGR and Kaulig Racing have already become championship contenders.

Chandler drew attention early in the 2023 season. He finished 12th at Daytona, fourth at Auto Club Speedway, and third at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He also led 118 laps during the trip to Nevada.

The younger Smith, for comparison, posted three consecutive top-20 finishes to start the year, but he did not crack the top 10 until the trip to Phoenix Raceway. This is when he delivered a winning performance and took the lead in the Rookie of the Year battle.

Chandler had a 49-point lead in the Rookie of the Year battle entering the Phoenix weekend, and he will still have the advantage heading toward Atlanta Motor Speedway after a fifth-place finish in Arizona. However, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver will become the de facto leader now that he has a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.

The reason is that the points reset once the postseason begins. If Chandler misses the playoffs — highly unlikely based on his early production — he will not be able to make up the points deficit.

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Smith Will Now Compete at a New Track

The 18-year-old is only 13 races into his Xfinity Series career — four into his first full-time season. He has delivered standout performances for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he has put himself into the playoffs alongside teammate John Hunter Nemechek and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill.

Smith’s next challenge is a trip to Georgia. The Xfinity Series season continues with a mini-superspeedway in Atlanta Motor Speedway. This is a new track for Smith considering that he has no previous starts on the reconfigured surface.

Smith’s previous superspeedway starts have been limited to Daytona International Speedway. He competed in one Craftsman Truck Series race and two Xfinity Series races while driving for Tricon Garage and JGR, respectively.

Smith did not crack the top 10 in either start. He finished 14th in the Truck Series race and 19th in the 2023 Xfinity Series season opener. His first-ever start at Daytona resulted in a crash. Now, he will try to surpass these performances during the trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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