Chandler Smith is currently competing in the Snowball Derby, where he has shown strong performances in the two practices, securing second and first places respectively. However, his future in NASCAR remains uncertain. Most recently, Smith piloted the #81 car for JGR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, but he will not be returning to the team in 2025 due to the influx of new, younger talents like William Sawalich and Taylor Gray at JGR.
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Addressing his situation before the Snowball Derby race, Smith discussed the significance of the event in terms of gaining visibility with teams and sponsors.
He opened up about the realities of being a NASCAR driver, underscoring that while he considers it the best job imaginable, actually driving constitutes only 10% of his professional responsibilities. He explained,
“On the NASCAR side, and even a little bit on this side, it’s just the business model. It’s very, very difficult. And if you don’t have a, really big partner with you, it’s hard. It’s really hard to even get into a really good ride nowadays. Just so expensive to do. just with where… We are as a sport now. It’s not where it was in the early 2000s and late 90s. It sucks!”
Continuing, Chandler Smith shared further insights into the complexities of his racing career,
“Another really big piece of that, at least for me, is I’m going out and trying to sell myself and get partners. That’s a bigger piece of the puzzle now than it is to figure out how to make a race car go fast for me. Because… to even make the race car go fast, I gotta have partners to put on that race car.”
🎤 NASCAR Xfinity Series driver @CSmith_Racing is back at the #SnowballDerby for the first time since his win in 2021.
He discussed his return to the race as a father and his future #NASCAR plans in a conversation with our @RobBlount. pic.twitter.com/p5z9b6kmq9
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) December 4, 2024
Despite a successful year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where Smith clinched two victories, finished 17 races in the top-5, and 22 races in the top-10s, he finds himself without a ride for the upcoming season.
Smith discusses his current predicaments
In a conversation with Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, Smith disclosed that without a ride lined up for next year, he might join his father’s construction business and consider stepping away from racing at the end of this year.
The thought fueled his determination not to leave any stone unturned at Martinsville, aiming to clinch victory by any means necessary. But despite his efforts, he crossed the finish line in third place, and in the season’s final race, the former JGR driver secured a fifth-place finish.
Smith also highlighted that, despite his proven track record and capabilities, the major barrier to continuing his racing career in 2025 is the financial sponsorship required.
He openly stated, “It’s not really any seats left open. The only seats left open you gotta bring a big, big pocketbook with you and I don’t have a big pocketbook.”
With most Cup seats already claimed, the future remains uncertain for Smith. The racing community is left to wait and watch to see if he will make a return to NASCAR in 2025.
