With just one race remaining until the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Series postseason, which he will begin somewhere between fourth and ninth in the point standings following the post-regular season playoff reset, Sammy Smith has confirmed that he will not be back for what would have been a fourth season behind the wheel of the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet next year.
Smith is one of four full-time drivers for JR Motorsports in 2026, but he is one of only two to have been in the same car all season thus far, along with Justin Allgaier.
Carson Kvapil is the primary driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet but has also spent time in the team's part-time No. 9 Chevrolet, as well as the No. 91 Chevrolet for DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, while Rajah Caruth is the primary driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet but has also spent time behind the wheel of the No. 32 Chevrolet for Jordan Anderson Racing.
Sammy Smith out at JR Motorsports, future plans unconfirmed
Smith is still seeking his first victory since winning at Rockingham Speedway in April 2025. His only other win since joining JR Motorsports came in October 2024 at Talladega Superspeedway, en route to a 11th place finish in the point standings. He finished eighth in the 2025 standings.
The 22-year-old Johnson, Iowa, native has been consistent throughout the 2026 season, having placed no lower than 19th since February, and finds himself eighth in the standings again with just one race remaining on the regular season schedulde this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
Smith's plans for the 2027 season have not yet been confirmed, and JR Motorsports have not announced his replacement behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet.
The team have been rumored to bring back Sam Mayer, who competed for them from 2022 to 2024 before leaving for Haas Factory Team in 2025, to take Smith's place, while the rest of their lineup is expected to remain the same, although whether Kvapil and/or Caruth become full-time drivers for their respective primary entries, like Kvapil was during his rookie season a year ago, remains to be seen.
Allgaier's contract extension has already been confirmed for 2027 and beyond as he seeks to capitalize on a dominant regular season and win his second championship in three years this fall.
Friday night's Winn-Dixie 250 is set to be shown live from Daytona International Speedway on the CW Network starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series regular season finale!
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