Sammy Smith

Sammy Smith — Driver Profile

2026 Season

Sammy Smith is entered in the JR Motorsports No. 8 Chevrolet for Daytona, Race 24 of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Current points, results and Chase status belong in the live standings and results modules.

Career

Smith joined JR Motorsports for the full-time O'Reilly Series campaign and has developed steadily within the organization. The Iowa native is part of a deep JRM roster in 2026 that includes Allgaier, Caruth, and the rotating Carson Kvapil / Connor Zilisch program — one of the strongest multi-car efforts in the series.

The Story

Smith has the numbers of a title contender but not yet the win that would make it official. His 9.1 average finish is elite, and his consistency at road courses and short tracks points to real technical versatility. The ceiling question for 2026 is whether he can turn four top fives into at least one victory before the regular season ends.

Coverage (5 articles)

Carson Kvapil Was Tied for the Most Runner-Ups Without a Win. Indianapolis Fixed That.

Jack Beckett·July 26, 2026

Kvapil came into Indianapolis tied for the most runner-up finishes without a win in series history. He led the last 22 laps to end that, and JR Motorsports finished 1-2-3-4 behind him to reach a mark that had stood since 2010.

Carson Kvapil Has Five Runner-Up Finishes and No Wins. Indianapolis Has Never Been Kind to That.

Jack Beckett·July 25, 2026

Kvapil is tied for the most second-place finishes without a victory in series history, and he has done it in 63 starts. Brent Crews has been passed for the lead late at four tracks this season.

Corey Day Beat Allgaier at Dover. The Pass Came With Four Laps Left, Up Against the Outside Wall.

John Speedway·May 18, 2026

Corey Day, 20, made his first Dover start a winning one. The Hendrick Motorsports No. 17 split lapped traffic against the outside wall with four laps left to pass Justin Allgaier and take the BetRivers 200 by .461 seconds — his second career NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series victory. Allgaier still leads the championship by 155 over Sheldon Creed.

William Sawalich Wins His First at The Rock: The No. 18 Is Back

John Speedway·April 5, 2026

William Sawalich wins his first O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Rockingham, ending a three-year drought for the JGR No. 18. Corey Day led 118 laps but finished tenth.

JR Motorsports Runs Cars at Every Level of Stock Car Racing. That's Not an Accident.

John Speedway·April 2, 2026

JR Motorsports runs programs at every level of stock car racing — Late Models, O'Reilly Series, and selected Cup starts — all under one roof in Mooresville. The development pipeline has already produced three Cup-level champions. The system is the story.

2026 Season — NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series