Following a ‘record-breaking’ debut season in 2023, Sammy Smith burst into the NASCAR scenes with Joe Gibbs Racing, as he was named the Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, his short tenure in the Craftsman Truck Series with Tricon Garage was only a shadow of his Xfinity endeavors.
However, Sammy Smith will once again get a shot in the Truck Series after penning with Spire Motorsports this season.
Sammy Smith agrees to drive in four NASCAR Truck Series races
Sammy Smith, a full-timer in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports, previously competed in only one race in the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series after replacing Taylor Gray at Tricon Garage. But, this one-match stint in the Tricon colors was pretty exciting for him, as he finished in P14 at the Daytona International Speedway.
Sammy Smith, 19, has now agreed to start his second season in the Truck Series with Spire Motorsports. This former two-time ARCA East champion will now drive Spire’s No. 07 Chevrolet Silverado in four select Truck Series events, starting next weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
“I am looking forward to these four races with Spire Motorsports. These tracks are good tracks for me, and I know that Spire knows how to bring fast trucks, capable of winning,” Smith said, talking about his agreement with Spire.
“I am thankful for the support of TMC Transportation, Pilot Flying J, Golden Harvest, and all of my partners. We hope to make them proud of our results,” he concluded.
The native of Johnston, Iowa, will drive wearing Spire’s suits alongside Rajah Caruth’s No. 71 and Chase Prudy’s No. 77 Silverado trucks. “Sammy Smith is a versatile talent who is a great addition to our all-star driver lineup for Spire Motorsports’ No. 7,” said Spire president Doug Duchardt.
“He’s a remarkably talented short-track racer who has already won at the Milwaukee Mile and North Wilkesboro, so he’s a perfect fit for this four-race schedule. We’re excited to see him in the seat in a couple weeks at Martinsville”, Duchardt concluded.
After next Sunday’s race, Smithe will again race on May 18 at North Wilkesboro, July 19 at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Aug. 26 at the Milwaukee Mile.
This agreement with Spire Motorsports in Truck Series comes at a time when Sammy Smith is having an impressive start to his second season in the Xfinity Series.
Sammy Smith’s performance this calendar year
Sammy Smith, the ‘record-breaking’ debutant with Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2023 Xfinity Series, signed up for the 2024 edition on September 6, 2023. This 19-year-old made his JR Motorsports’ debut at the season-opening United Rentals 300 race, where he earned the P23 spot and 23 total points.
In the 2024 season, Smith has managed 3 top-10 finishes in his first 5 starts with his No. 8 JR Chevy Camaro: P10 at Atlanta, P8 at Las Vegas, and P9 at the Phoenix Speedway. Last weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity COTA marked his worst Cup Series race so far, where he finished in the third-last spot at P35, failing to finish the whole race.
| Race | Track | Position | Points |
| United Rentals 300 | Daytona International Speedway | 23 | 23 |
| Raptor King of Tough 250 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | 10 | 34 |
| Spring Race at Las Vegas | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 8 | 29 |
| Race at Phoenix | Phoenix Speedway | 9 | 28 |
| NASCAR Xfinity COTA | Circuit of the Americas | 36 | 10 |
This former two-time ARCA East champion is currently sitting in the 11th spot in the Drivers’ Standings of the 2024 Xfinity Series with a total of 124 points.
As for now, Sammy Smith will make his debut with Spire Motorsports on April 5th (07:30 PM ET) at the Martinsville Speedway.
Can Smith deliver a ‘record-breaking’ debut with Spire Motorsports as well? Can he take a shot at the Truck Series championship this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
