No. 18 TMC Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:
- SMITH AT ATLANTA: Sammy Smith has one previous NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) earlier this season. Smith started from the pole after qualifying was rained out, but struggled with the handling of the car and finished in 17th.
- CHICAGO RECAP: The No. 18 started the inaugural NXS race on the streets of Chicago from eighth place. Smith was happy with his car throughout Stage 1 and earned stage points with a seventh-place finish. Stage 2 was cut short by weather and an attempt to resume the race on Sunday morning was unsuccessful. NASCAR made the call to make the race official at lap 25 giving Smith a sixth-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, 117 top-10 finishes, and 11 pole positions under his leadership.
- JGR AT ATLANTA: Joe Gibbs Racing has recorded five Xfinity Series victories at Atlanta Motor Speedway – all coming in the past ten trips to the track. In 66 combined starts at the track, the organization has picked up 21 top-five finishes, 35 top-10s, five pole awards, and 979 laps led. Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, and Ty Gibbs have all driven JGR Toyotas to victory lane in Atlanta.
- 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 Alsco Uniforms 250 at AMS is scheduled for 8:00 PM EST on Saturday, July 8. The race will be broadcast on USA, PRN, Sirius XM and available to stream on the NBC Sports app.
From the Driver’s Seat:
Sammy Smith: “I feel like I learned a lot in the first race this year at Atlanta that will help me this weekend. We didn’t have a great result in the spring so definitely looking to improve on our finish. The guys at the shop have been working on a setup that we think will feel better on the track, so I feel confident that we will bring a fast car this weekend. Hopefully we’ll keep our car clean and improve on that finish earlier this year.”
Smith’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 17.0 |
Smith’s 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 16 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 153 | 10.6 | 14.8 |
Smith’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 25 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 171 | 9.2 | 15.8 |
About TMC Transportation:
TMC Transportation, celebrated its 50th anniversary 2022 and is the nation’s largest employee-owned open deck transportation company. TMC provides expert transportation services and supply-chain management solutions throughout the 48 contiguous states. Founded in 1972, TMC is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, and is known for its integrity, innovation, superior safety record, and dedication to quality and customer service. The company’s claim-free, on-time delivery record is the best in the business and is consistently recognized by its customers. Visit tmctrans.com.
JGR PR
