Pit Stop Radio News

No. 18 TMC Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:

• SMITH AT POCONO:Sammy Smith will return to Pocono Raceway this weekend in his No. 18 TMC Toyota GR Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS). Smith has one NXS start at Pocono that came just last year. He started the race in fifth and ran in the top 10 throughout Stage 1 collecting an eighth-place finish in the stage. Smith battled handling issues in Stage 2 where he finished 13th. On lap 53, Smith got loose and spun from 11th place. He sustained significant rear-end damage that relegated him to a 31st-place finish. Smith also has one ARCA Menards Series (AMS) start at the track.
• NEW HAMPSHIRE RECAP:Smith qualified seventh for last weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He battled handling issues early and finished 14th in Stage 1. Stage Two saw an improvement in the car and a little bit of strategy that paid off to give Smith his first stage win of 2023 and second of his career. Smith led 18 laps throughout the race and finished in fifth place, his fourth top-five finish of the season.
• 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 AMS 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 57 top-five finishes, 119 top-10 finishes, and 11 pole positions under his leadership.
• JGR AT POCONO: The Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series program has scored one win (June 2018) at Pocono Raceway. In 22 combined starts at the Tricky Triangle, the organization has tallied seven top-five finishes, 12 top-10s, two pole awards, and 174 laps led.
• FOLLOW ALONG: Follow along for updates and a behind-the-scenes look at Smith’s 2023 NXS Season.  

Twitter: @SammySmithSS I Facebook: Sammy Smith Racing I Instagram:  @sammysmithss_ 

• RACE INFO: The NXS Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 at Pocono Raceway is scheduled for 5:30 PM EST on Saturday, July 22. 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: “Last year we were pretty strong at Pocono and had a good run going, but it was only my second Xfinity race ever. I’ve learned a lot since that race and feel like our team has found a lot of speed in the car that will make us a contender this weekend. Hopefully we can go out and get JGR’s 200^th Xfinity win on Saturday.”

Smith’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Pocono Raceway: 

Smith’s 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats: 

Smith’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats: 

JGR PR