Chandler Smith sealed a thrilling win at Daytona International Speedway driving the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, marking a pivotal moment in his Truck Series career on Saturday night. The race, filled with intense competition and strategic drafting, saw Smith emerge victorious through an unexpected surge and crucial teamwork that pushed another Ford into Victory Lane.
The Unlikely Surge to the Front and Crucial Teamwork
Smith admitted he did not expect to charge to the front as he ran fifth heading into the final turns.
“The truthful answer is no. I thought they were just going to start wrecking in front of me, truthfully, because the 62 was extremely aggressive all night. 17 threw some interesting blocks, as well,”
he said, highlighting the intense battle behind him.
He credited the victory largely to the help from the No. 88 truck, describing how their drafting partnership was key to the surge:
“Yeah, it’s just crazy, the seas parted, the 88 stayed committed to me, and I know everybody at the blue oval right now is smiling ear to ear because another Ford pushed another Ford to Victory Lane. We’ve been trying to get that to happen in the Truck Series for the past few years on an OEM standpoint. Super happy that we were able to — myself and obviously Ty is a huge, huge testament to this win. Without him pushing us, we don’t win this race.”
Smith’s appreciation extended to his entire team for delivering a fast truck capable of such a run:
“Very, very grateful for him and very thankful for this No. 38 team. That truck that we had tonight was really fast.”
A Calculated Approach Amidst a Chaotic Race
Adopting a more conservative strategy, Smith raced with the new points format in mind, differing from his usual aggressive style.
“Played it a lot more conservative than I usually do, especially with the new points format. The mentality for racing is a little bit different than it was with the playoff format. I think we ended up having the fastest lap tonight, we won a stage and we won the race, so I’m pretty happy.”
The final moments were intense, as Smith described the critical pass that sealed his victory:
“No, I actually knew because I expected the 62 to cover bottom because that would have been his best shot, but he went to side draft whoever was on his outside, and when he did, the 88 was hooked to me and pushed me straight to that hole, and I looked to my right, and they were all stalling each other out, and I just blew past. I was like, Oh, my gosh, we just won Daytona. It was instant, just like that.”
Breaking Through After Near Misses at Superspeedways
Smith reflected on his previous close calls at superspeedway events, emphasizing the personal significance of this breakthrough:
“Man, I’ve been so close. I personally feel like I’ve been so close to being in such good spots. A few years ago when I was at JGR here, came really close to winning that race when Truex won. I believe I finished second or something like that. I feel like I’ve came so close to winning one of these superspeedway races in a few different divisions, and to finally get one, get that monkey off my back, they always say once you get that first win, the floodgates open. So I’m curious to see if that will transfer over superspeedway racing with my career.”
Reflections on the Race’s Unusual Intensity and Cleanliness
Acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the event, Smith commented on the high level of chaos combined with surprising order on track:
“Kind of, but I would say this was easily the most chaotic superspeedway race I’ve been a part of in my career for a very long time.”
He contrasted this with previous years, noting how three wide racing and lane strategy evolved: “Last year me and Layne were able to control this race really easily because we just went to the third lane and knew it was going to work and everybody was — you look from last year, the year before that, the past five years, it was just a two-lane race, it was never three lanes, and it was bottom and middle.
Last year obviously we made the third lane coming in, and everyone caught onto that, and you had three lanes all night much pretty. We’re not Cup racing. We don’t have to save fuel. So once we get staggered three by three, it’s really hard to go anywhere, truthfully.”
Smith highlighted the need for careful driving, especially with aggressive competitors mounting pressure:
“It was a lot more challenging tonight. There was a few times we came from the back and was able to finally shuffle our way to the front. But you had to be so, so precise with your moves and your runs you were taking, try not to be too aggressive. The 77 and the 7 specifically was just so aggressive tonight.”
In the end, Smith reminded listeners that persistence until the very end is crucial:
“You’ve seen it tonight. You’re never out of it until you get to the checkered flag.”
The Thrill and Challenge Behind the Wheel
Despite the race’s challenges, Smith expressed that the experience was exhilarating:
“It was fun. I was thoroughly impressed with how out of control I seen so many trucks tonight, how out of control those trucks were tonight, and we didn’t have as many wrecks. I bailed I think halfway through the first stage specifically because I was like, these jokers are about to junk it. I want to make it to the end of this thing. And they were able to keep it all going straight. So I was pretty impressed by it.”
He believed that the racers’ ability to maintain control and fairness led to the widespread enjoyment:
“I think that’s why everybody has got a smile on their face, because everyone noticed we were all out of control and somehow kept it off each other, raced each other fairly clean, and I’m sure going back and watching the race, it was such a cool product to watch. I’m excited to go back and watch it.”
Smith also reflected on how his team remained under the radar but ultimately took the spotlight where it mattered most:
“We were probably a quiet dark horse the entire race in the sense of just we weren’t probably making headlines. I’m glad we made the most important one, and that’s sitting here in Victory Lane.”
Faith and Perspective on Racing Fortunes
Smith shared a deeply personal perspective on his career trajectory and the role of faith. He described a prayer he says before every race, accepting a higher plan:
“Truthfully, I pray a certain prayer before every race, and most of my prayers are very consistent in the certain sense of I’m always going to submit myself to the Lord’s plan and whatever His will is for me. And I am a firm believer that I wasn’t meant to be in the Daytona 500, 110 percent.”
He elaborated on how faith has guided him through highs and lows:
“Once again, like I said, it’s a consistent thing that I pray about is I just want to submit myself to God and His divine will for me. When I reflect back from my career from start to finish, all the trials and tribulations, all the highs I’ve been through, when I reflect back and look, I see God’s hand, His provident hand in every single thing that that I’ve done, all the lessons that I’ve learned, even in life.”
Smith viewed his recent success in light of previous disappointments, emphasizing trust in the process:
“Once again, tonight is even more of a testimony. I could sit back and reflect back, you could even say this is maybe — we didn’t make it to the second round of playoffs last year, we had such a crappy first round and came down to New Hampshire in a must-win, and we finished second. And everyone was like, man, how are you not hanging your head by that?”
“Once again, I believe that God has a certain plan, and I’m going to submit myself to that plan. And when I reflect to tonight, I could definitely see His hand in it. A lot of people call this racing luck. I don’t believe in luck.”
The Significance of a Four-Wide Finish and Race Legacy
When asked about the dramatic four-wide finish, Smith admitted the magnitude of the moment hadn’t fully sunk in:
“You know, when you put it that way, it kind of sits a little differently than it has, truthfully. Because it still hasn’t really — it just registered to me that we won, not how we won. All I know is the 88 pushed me to it and that’s it. I keep forgetting we were four wide, and I don’t know how close the finish was either.”
He acknowledged the special nature of his first superspeedway victory coming under such intense circumstances:
“Yeah, it’s really special. To have my first superspeedway win come in a fashion like it did, especially with the highlight of how last night went, I just want to circle back to the testimony of God’s hand working in my life and my career.”
Despite his win, Smith had not yet seen the race replay and joked about its nature:
“No, have no idea what it looked like.”
When reminded the finish resembled a “C Fixed race,” he replied,
“I don’t know that that’s good. I don’t know that that’s really that good.”
Winning Against a Star-Studded Field Adds to Achievement
Competing among a stacked field featuring Cup Series stars, veterans like Tony Stewart, and celebrities such as Travis Pastrana, made the victory even more meaningful for Smith. He explained:
“Yeah, sure, for sure. Truthfully, my goal tonight — don’t get me wrong, I love when Cup guys come and race with us, and it was cool racing with Travis and Tony Stewart and whatnot.”
Yet he maintained his focus was on his own team’s goals rather than the competition:
“But I’ve been laser-focused on my 38 team and focused on the goal at hand. Changing the mentality of playoff racing, how you approach each race, knowing how the playoffs are formatted so now we’re in the Chase, it’s just so much different.”
Smith noted that the only Cup drivers who factored heavily in the race were a few exceptions and took pride in a Truck Series regular prevailing amidst such talent:
“The only one I really thought about was Cleetus because he started right behind me, and I was curious on how he was going to push me. So yeah, anyways, with that being said, the only Cup guy that I even seen really all night that was up there would be like Hocevar, McDowell and John Hunter. But it’s super cool to see a Truck Series regular still win, even with all the iconic names and all the flashy titles and all that good stuff. Still cool.”
He anticipated that Duke Thorson would be especially pleased with the outcome:
“I know Duke Thorson will be very, very happy. He’ll say the Cup guys came down to the truck level. He’s got some saying. I’m sure he’s going to be pretty tickled to death about that himself.”
Massive Aerodynamic Runs Define the Race’s Intensity
Smith confirmed the unusually large drafting runs shaped much of the race strategy and dynamics:
“Yeah, I’d say so. These trucks punch such a big hole in the air. When you’re consistently three wide like that, your runs are going to be ginormous because each lane is pulling each lane back constantly pretty much. It just creates such a big aero effect.”
He explained the difference from Cup racing fuel strategies and aero effects on the track:
“Once again, I’m going to say we’re not Cup racing; we don’t ever have to save fuel, so everyone is running wide open, so you’re going to see those runs a lot bigger. You’ll watch Sunday when people are saving fuel and they go wide open, man, that guy has got a huge run. The air is a lot different from a truck to a Cup car, but these trucks punch such a big hole like that. When you’re three wide like that, yeah, the runs are going to be huge.”
Implications for Smith’s Career and Truck Series Racing
Chandler Smith’s victory at Daytona signals a significant milestone in his racing career, breaking through after near misses and underlining his team’s capability. His win over a loaded field of veterans and Cup drivers demonstrates the competitive depth within the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
This result may boost Smith’s confidence and momentum in the new playoff format era, potentially opening doors for more success on superspeedways. The thrilling finish, coupled with his faith-driven perspective and calculated driving style, adds a compelling narrative to an already gripping race.
As the Truck Series continues to evolve with changing race strategies and diverse driver lineups, Smith’s Daytona triumph serves both as personal validation and a testament to rising talent within the sport’s ranks. Fans and competitors alike will be eagerly following his progress in forthcoming races.
