Garrett Smithley Bio
Garrett Kirk Smithley (born April 27, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 14 Chevrolet Camaro SS for SS-Green Light Racing with BRK Racing. Across his career, Smithley has also made starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series.
Known for persistence and an independent approach to sponsorship and team building, Smithley has carved out a long career in NASCAR’s national touring divisions. He has frequently balanced part-time schedules with off-track business ventures, including a personal limited liability company designed to help manage sponsor relationships and team finances.
Early Life and Background
Smithley was born on April 27, 1992, in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, but grew up primarily in the South. He moved to Virginia when he was six years old and later relocated to Georgia in the sixth grade, where he finished his school years. His father and both of his grandfathers served in the United States military, instilling in him a sense of discipline that he has often credited in interviews.
As a child, Smithley played baseball and football before turning his attention to the performing arts. He became active in dance, chorus, and theater, and was eventually cast as the lead in a school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at McIntosh High School. He was also an active member of the Boy Scouts of America. Smithley has said that his theater and drama experiences gave him the confidence he needed to take chances later in his racing career.
Path to NASCAR
Smithley began his racing career in 2007, his sophomore year of high school, in Bandolero cars at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lanier National Speedway. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2008 and soon progressed to Legends car racing, a step made possible by a relationship with Peachtree City Golf Carts. Smithley has credited that connection with keeping him in the sport, noting that his family did not have the financial resources to move up from the Bandolero ranks on their own.
During his formative years, Smithley looked up to NASCAR Cup Series champions Dale Jarrett and Carl Edwards. Jarrett’s patriotic paint scheme first attracted him to the sport at a young age. After high school, Smithley was selected to participate in the Richard Petty Driver Search, an experience that helped him break into NASCAR’s developmental ladder.
Garrett Smithley Career
Early Career (2007–2014)
Smithley’s earliest stock car experience came in the ARCA Menards Series, where he made his debut at Pocono Raceway in 2013 driving for Derrike Cope. That race at Pocono was his first competitive event in a stock car after years in Bandolero and Legends divisions. He added a single start at Talladega Superspeedway in 2014 for car owner Wes Gonder, finishing 18th, and returned to ARCA in 2015 with Rick Ware, where an engine issue hampered his lone outing of the season.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2015–2020)
Smithley made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at his home track, Atlanta Motor Speedway, driving the No. 63 Chevrolet Silverado for MB Motorsports. He made three additional starts that season and posted a high finish of 14th at Michigan International Speedway. Smithley returned to Atlanta with MB Motorsports for his first Truck Series start of 2016, finishing 18th.
After a multi-year absence from the Truck Series, Smithley re-entered the division in 2019 with Chad Finley Racing at Texas Motor Speedway. The effort was part of a broader plan to compete in all three of NASCAR’s national series in a single weekend. He later signed with Niece Motorsports for the Charlotte Truck race in 2020, continuing his steady path through the touring series.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2015–2023)
Smithley made his Xfinity Series debut in the 2015 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, driving the No. 70 Chevrolet Camaro for Derrike Cope Racing. He started 34th and finished 28th. In 2016, he moved to JD Motorsports in the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro to compete for NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and although the deal was originally for only three races, he ran nearly the entire schedule and finished 18th in series points.
Smithley returned to JD Motorsports full-time in 2017, scoring his first two Xfinity Series top-10 finishes at Daytona International Speedway and Iowa Speedway, and leading his first Xfinity lap at Talladega. In the 2018 season opener at Daytona, he overcame a spin to capture his first NASCAR top-five result, finishing fifth, and brought on Wayne Carroll as his crew chief. Over the following seasons, Smithley drove for SS-Green Light Racing, DGM Racing, B. J. McLeod Motorsports, and JD Motorsports on a rotating basis.
In late 2022, Smithley was announced for a full-time ride with B. J. McLeod Motorsports in the No. 78 Chevrolet, but later moved to the No. 99 entry. After failing to qualify for Daytona and Auto Club Speedway and finishing 36th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he was released from the team. He made additional starts with DGM Racing and JD Motorsports in the No. 4 Chevrolet for the remainder of the schedule.
SS-Green Light Racing Era (2024–Present)
On February 13, 2024, Smithley was announced as the driver of the No. 6 for JD Motorsports for the first four races of the 2024 season. He remained with the team until it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy following the race at Pocono Raceway. He completed the year on a limited schedule, driving the No. 45 for Alpha Prime Racing and the No. 53 for Joey Gase Motorsports.
On December 19, 2024, it was announced that Smithley would drive the No. 14 for SS-Green Light Racing full-time during the 2025 season. On January 24, 2025, SS-Green Light Racing announced that Beth and Randy Knighton, owners of Knight Fire Protection, would hold an ownership stake in the No. 14 entry through BRK Racing. On February 24, 2025, Smithley announced that he would step out of the car at Circuit of The Americas so that Carson Hocevar could replace him, a decision Smithley said he made to help the car qualify and to give his team the best chance at a successful season. He returned to the car at Phoenix.
NASCAR Cup Series Debut (2018–2022)
On June 1, 2018, reports surfaced that Smithley would make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut at Michigan International Speedway with StarCom Racing in the No. 99, and he retired from the race after just one lap due to a transmission issue. He made two additional Cup starts that season, including one with Premium Motorsports.
In 2019, Smithley picked up a part-time ride with Spire Motorsports in the No. 77 Chevrolet, beginning at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He posted a 28th-place finish at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Ford at the South Point 400 at Las Vegas, he drew heavy criticism from Kyle Busch, who blamed Smithley and Joey Gase for costing him a strong run. Smithley returned to Rick Ware Racing for an expanded 2020 schedule beginning with the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas, and also made starts with Spire Motorsports and B. J. McLeod Motorsports. In 2021, he attempted to qualify for the Daytona 500 for the first time with MBM Motorsports in the No. 13. He remained with Rick Ware Racing for the 2022 season, this time in the No. 15 Ford, posting a best finish of 21st at Auto Club Speedway across six races. Smithley competed in the 2025 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, driving the No. 66 Ford for Garage 66.
Driving Style and Strengths
Smithley has built his reputation as a determined and self-reliant competitor, often serving as his own publicist by calling potential sponsors before race weekends. His restrictor-plate performances at Daytona and Talladega have produced his strongest results, and he has shown consistency on intermediate tracks while navigating the financial realities of running part-time with smaller teams.
Notable Races and Milestones
Smithley’s signature moments include his first NASCAR top-five finish in the 2018 Xfinity Series opener at Daytona and his first Xfinity Series laps led at Talladega. He has also competed in prestigious Cup Series events such as the Brickyard 400, the Pennzoil 400, and the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Garrett Smithley Career Wins
Smithley has not recorded a victory in any of NASCAR’s three national series. His strongest results include a fifth-place finish in the 2018 Xfinity Series opener at Daytona and top-10 runs at Daytona and Iowa in 2017.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights
Across his Xfinity Series career, Smithley has recorded two top-10 finishes and one top-five, all of which came during his JD Motorsports tenure. He has also led laps at Talladega Superspeedway and has competed in marquee events including the season-opening Daytona race and the playoff-style rounds at Talladega.
Garrett Smithley Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Smithley comes from a family with deep military roots. His father and both of his grandfathers served in the armed forces, and he has frequently mentioned the discipline that heritage provided as he pursued a racing career away from the major teams.
Personal Life
After his driving days, Smithley has expressed an interest in becoming a television announcer, drawing on his early theater and public-speaking experience. He has credited his high school drama background with giving him the confidence to pursue sponsorship calls and handle the public demands of a NASCAR career.
2025 Season Performance
Smithley entered the 2025 season with a full-time ride in the No. 14 Chevrolet Camaro SS for SS-Green Light Racing, bolstered by an ownership partnership with BRK Racing. The arrangement with Beth and Randy Knighton of Knight Fire Protection added both sponsorship and a business stake in the team’s performance.
Midway through the season, Smithley made the unusual decision to step out of the car at Circuit of The Americas so that Carson Hocevar could attempt to qualify the entry, an effort Smithley described as putting the team first. He returned to the driver’s seat at Phoenix Raceway, and the season has reflected the steady, part-time rhythm that has defined much of his NASCAR tenure. His outlook remains focused on completing the schedule and building momentum for future opportunities.
