Sammy Smith emerged victorious at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, October 24, delivering a dramatic finish to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Progress Group 250.
The JR Motorsports driver edged teammate Carson Kvapil by just 0.084 seconds, taking the checkered flag in the No. 8 Chevrolet after 94 laps around NASCAR’s biggest oval.
It was a particularly impressive result for Smith, who started 11th and led just one lap all afternoon. That one lap, however, was the only one that mattered.
Kvapil, meanwhile, came agonizingly close to victory after leading a race-high 67 laps. He ultimately settled for second as JR Motorsports swept the top two finishing positions.
Sammy Smith Edges Carson Kvapil for Talladega Victory
Saturday’s race came down to a razor-thin margin between two teammates, with Smith prevailing by less than a tenth of a second.
Kvapil appeared to be the driver to beat for much of the afternoon, leading more than two-thirds of the 94-lap contest after starting fourth.
But Smith, who spent the afternoon working his way forward from outside the top 10, ultimately had the better finish.
Jesse Love, who started from the pole in the No. 2 Chevrolet, finished third. Justin Allgaier followed in fourth, giving JR Motorsports three of the top four positions.
Sheldon Creed completed the top five, followed by Corey Day, Blaine Perkins, Dean Thompson, Brandon Jones and Anthony Alfredo.
For Smith, the victory came at one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable tracks, where a driver can spend much of the afternoon outside the lead before making the decisive move when it counts.
NASCAR O’Reilly Series Talladega Race Results
Here are the official finishing results from Saturday’s Progress Group 250 at Talladega Superspeedway:
- Sammy Smith
- Carson Kvapil
- Jesse Love
- Justin Allgaier
- Sheldon Creed
- Corey Day
- Blaine Perkins
- Dean Thompson
- Brandon Jones
- Anthony Alfredo
- Jeb Burton
- Mason Maggio
- Sam Mayer
- Ryan Sieg
- Nick Leitz
- Josh Bilicki
- Rajah Caruth
- Jeremy Clements
- Connor Mosack
- Joey Gase
- Taylor Gray
- Lee Pulliam
- Josh Williams
- Harrison Burton
- Will Rodgers
- Brennan Poole
- Garrett Smithley
- Kyle Sieg
- William Sawalich
- Ryan Ellis
- Parker Retzlaff
- Patrick Staropoli
- Daniel Dye
- Brent Crews
- Austin Hill
- Leland Honeyman
- Caesar Bacarella
- Jake Finch
The series now heads into the final stretch of its 2026 season, with Smith carrying momentum from one of the closest finishes of the Talladega weekend.
Sammy Smith Wins NASCAR O’Reilly Series Race at Talladega in Thrilling Finish