After a couple of tumultuous Xfinity Series campaigns, Chandler Smith returned to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and made an immediate statement with a standout win at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 22-year-old had not competed in NASCAR’s third-tier series since 2022, but his return couldn’t have gone better.
Smith’s win on the half-mile short track marked a return to form and, for many of his longtime supporters, a reminder of the talent that once made him a rising star in the development ranks. It also reignited the conversation around the challenges that young drivers face trying to break into top-tier Xfinity Series rides — a subject Denny Hamlin tackled head-on during a recent episode of his “Actions Detrimental” podcast.
Denny Hamlin Uncovers Brutal Truth About Xfinity Series
Despite a strong 2024 season in the Xfinity Series, Smith found himself without a ride heading into 2025. He won races at Phoenix and Richmond, collected 17 top-five finishes and 22 top-10s, and wrapped up the year fifth in the driver standings driving Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 81 Toyota Supra.
Naturally, the expectation was that Smith would either re-sign with JGR or land another competitive Xfinity seat. But he returned to the Truck Series, signing with Front Row Motorsports in a move that caught many off guard. His decision paid off immediately. At Bristol, Smith held off the 2021 Cup Series champion, who was gunning for a weekend sweep, to earn his first win of the season and remind the garage just how good he can be.
“I think Chandler’s a very good driver and really arguably was the best Xfinity driver that they had last year for probably most of the season,” Hamlin said on his podcast. “He can have fun, and build up his resume, and hopefully get the call in Xfinity one day.”
But then Hamlin got blunt about the state of the Xfinity Series.
“The problem with Xfinity is it’s just 90% pay driver,” he added. “So it’s going to be really, really tough to break through, especially in a top-notch ride. I don’t know, it’s going to be really, really hard with kind of the model of the Xfinity Series.”
Hamlin’s remarks reflect a growing frustration in the industry: Young drivers with speed and talent are often overlooked unless they bring significant funding.
With six races in the books, Smith is sitting second in the Truck Series standings with 252 points. He’s finished in the top 10 in every race, including top-five showings at Atlanta and Martinsville Speedway. His return to the Truck Series may have been unexpected, but it’s quickly turning into one of the best storylines of NASCAR’s 2025 season.