No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:
- CHICAGO: The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) takes on the Windy City as NASCAR hosts its first street race in downtown Chicago this weekend. The course is a 12-turn, 2.2 mile configuration laid out near Chicago landmarks Buckingham Fountain and Grant Park.
- NASHVILLE RECAP: Sammy Smith started last week’s NXS race at Nashville in third place. The No. 18 ran in the top-10 throughout the first stage and finished the stage in fifth, collecting stage points. Smith was still running in the top-10 during Stage 2 before being spun on lap 64. The spin resulted in heavy damage to the No. 18 and ended Smith’s day at Nashville relegating him to a 34th-place finish.
- 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 56 top-five finishes, 114 top-10 finishes, and 11 pole positions under his leadership.
- 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 The Lop 121 at Chicago Street Race is scheduled for 5:00 PM EST on Saturday, July 1. The race will be broadcast on USA, MRN, Sirius XM and available to stream on the NBC Sports app.
From the Driver’s Seat:
Sammy Smith: “This weekend is going to be interesting. I’m excited to try out a new track, but since the Xfinity race will be the first one on the track, we are just going to have to see what happens. I think the race will be one of survival and figuring the track out as we go, but hopefully we can be there at the end with a shot to put the No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra in Victory Lane.”
Smith’s 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 15 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 153 | 10.7 | 15.4 |
Smith’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 24 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 171 | 9.3 | 16.2 |
Joe Gibbs Racing PR
