After winning last week at Richmond Raceway, Joe Gibbs Racing star Chandler Smith saw his fortune turn upside down as he crashed his Xfinity Series car into thre wall ahead of qualifying at Martinsville. The 21-year-old race car driver has had an elite season so far and this is a significant set back given his high standards.
Chandler Smith has won 2 races already this year and his lowest finishing position was P8 so far. These are unbelievable numbers even for a racer of his caliber. But he will have a mountain to climb on Saturday as he starts from P37. However, on race day, Smith is expecting a good performance despite starting from the back of the pack. It will be intriguing to see how he goes about things on Saturday.
Brake issues cost Chandler Smith heavily at Martinsville
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Speaking about his pre-qualifying adventure into the wall, the Joe Gibbs Racing star said that there was an issue with the brakes and there was nothing he could have done to prevent the accident. He said, “Brake definitely locked up. I’m not sure why it locked up that bad especially for how much brake pressure I used. …… We’ll go back to the shop tonight, get it fixed up, go kick their a** tomorrow.”
Chandler Smith said after looking at the car, the left front brake locked up. They will take the car back to the JGR shop in NC and repair it for the race Saturday night here at Martinsville. pic.twitter.com/V0hj4SlrS9
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 5, 2024
Given his form this year, the former Kaulig Racing driver will hope to make up for what he lost in qualifying and finish in the top 10 on Sunday. He has been decent on short tracks ever since his Truck days and will be looking to replicate those performances at a time when it is required the most.
Joe Gibbs Racing prodigy has a good record but the odds are against him
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The 21-year-old has taken part in 2 Xfinity and 2 Truck Series races at the iconic venue. He has never won a race but more often than not, he has finished in the top 10. In the Truck Series, Smith 2 top 10 finishes, one of them in the top 5. In the Xfinity Series, the JGR prodigy finished in the top 10 once. A finish that high up seems unlikely for a driver starting from P37 but in NASCAR with cautions and everything, you never know.
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The #81 car going into the wall at Martinsville came as a bit of a shock for a lot of people involved. Even the commentators seemed perplexed about what went down. Brake lockups are quite unpredictable and can take anyone off guard and that’s what happened to the #81 car and its driver. The car has been taken to the Joe Gibbs Racing garage and hopefully by tomorrow, things will be all good for Chandler Smith to do what he does best.
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Where do you think the 2-time race winner this year will finish after starting from the back of the pack in Martinsville? Let us know your thoughts?
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