{"id":37291,"date":"2022-03-05T00:40:21","date_gmt":"2022-03-05T06:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=37291"},"modified":"2022-03-05T21:29:12","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T03:29:12","slug":"chandler-smith-drives-to-front-in-closing-laps-to-win-at-las-vegas-motor-speedway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2022\/03\/05\/chandler-smith-drives-to-front-in-closing-laps-to-win-at-las-vegas-motor-speedway\/","title":{"rendered":"Chandler Smith drives to front in closing laps to win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chandler Smith, driver of the #18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Holly Cain<\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Wire Service <\/em><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS \u2013 Nineteen year-old Chandler Smith took the lead with two laps remaining and held off 2021 championship contender Zane Smith and the winningest driver in NASCAR national-series history, his team owner Kyle Busch, to win the Victoria\u2019s Voice 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n

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Chandler Smith, driver of the #18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Dylan Buell\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

It was a deservedly dramatic ending for a hugely competitive race at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas track \u2013 marking the ninth consecutive truck series race won by a driver 23 years of age or younger. Smith\u2019s .289-second win over Zane Smith was his first of the season and third of his career and good enough to propel him to the championship points lead by five points over Tanner Gray.<\/p>\n

The move for the win came after a restart with three laps remaining. Smith, of Talking Rock, Georgia, got around his team owner Busch, then pulled alongside Zane Smith at the finish line with one lap to go and finally drove out front for the final of the 134 laps to take the win.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you guys tune into me halfway through the race, \u2018how did he get up there?\u201d\u2019 Smith said motioning toward the sky. \u201cIt\u2019s the good Lord man, he performs miracles all day. He\u2019s given me this talent, this opportunity to drive this truck for Kyle Busch Motorsports and for [sponsor] Safelite.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Chandler Smith, driver of the #18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Dylan Buell\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just beyond thankful for this whole opportunity. All the glory goes to him, my guys, my wife, all the guys part of this deal. I\u2019m just super thankful right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were five different leaders in the final furious 11 laps that included a caution for Christian Eckes, who was tagged from behind by Busch while leading the race with eight laps remaining. The final restart produced a wild \u2013 sometimes three-wide contest to the checkered.<\/p>\n

Behind Smith, who led a race-best 32 laps, Busch, Stewart Friesen, Ryan Preece and Gray rounded out the Top five. Preece, making only his third Truck Series start, was leading when the final caution flag came out but was penalized five positions for not maintaining speed behind the pace car. Zane Smith originally finished second, but was disqualified following post-race inspection. Smith\u2019s No. 38 truck was found to not conform to NASCAR rule book specifications per the following rules: 14.16.1 \u2013 1-4 Lug Nuts.<\/p>\n

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Chandler Smith, driver of the #18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Dylan Buell\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Matt DiBenedetto, Matt Crafton, Bret Holmes, Austin Wayne Self and Ty Majeski rounded out the Top 10.<\/p>\n

Defending series champion Ben Rhodes won both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and led nine laps on the night, but a collision with his ThorSport Racing teammate Majeski with 30 laps remaining badly damaged his No. 99 ThorSport Toyota, eliminating him from competition. Instead of contending for the win, the race favorite took his first DNF since the 2020 Daytona season-opener.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t speak to what happened with my teammate there, I\u2019m just going to try to stay positive,\u2019\u2019 said Rhodes, who was credited with a 32nd-place finish. \u201cCan\u2019t imagine my teammate trying to wreck me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a bummer,\u2019\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n

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Kyle Busch, driver of the #51 JBL Toyota, John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Toyota, and Chandler Smith, driver of the #18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota, race during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Dylan Buell\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Sentimental favorite, Todd Bodine, a two-time series champion who last raced in 2013, finished 22nd in the first of his six scheduled starts for 2022 in an effort to reach 800 NASCAR national series starts.<\/p>\n

Bodine had an eventful night in the No. 62 Toyota, including two pit road speeding penalties, a penalty to his crew for being over the wall too soon and even surviving a pair of on-track incidents to finish on the lead lap.<\/p>\n

With his win Smith takes a six-point lead over Zane Smith in the championship standings.<\/p>\n

The Camping World Truck Series returns to action March 19 in the Fr8Auctions 200 (2:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Atlanta Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n

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AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Action Industries Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

NOTES<\/b><\/p>\n

*Kaulig Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger won the pole position for Saturday\u2019s Alsco Uniforms 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas, his No. 16 Toyota just edging JR Motorsports\u2019 Josh Berry. The two drivers were the 2021 race winners at the track \u2013 with Allmendinger picking up his first win at the 1.5-miler last March. Las Vegas natives Riley Herbst and Noah Gragson will start third and fourth with Kaulig driver Landon Cassill fifth best in qualifying.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a little bit unexpected,\u2019\u2019 Allmendinger said, crediting his teammate Cassill with showing that good pace in the cars during an earlier qualifying run.<\/p>\n

\u201cKind of shocked looking at the lap time how quick it was,\u2019\u2019 he added with a smile.<\/p>\n

Interviews:<\/h3>\n

NCWTS Race Winner Chandler Smith (No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota) – <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NXS Post-Qualifying: Pole Winner AJ Allmendinger (No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) –<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AllmendingerLVMS.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – 5th Annual Victoria’s Voice 200 presented by Westgate Resorts<\/b><\/p>\n

Las Vegas Motor Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

Las Vegas, Nevada<\/b><\/p>\n

Friday, March 4, 2022<\/b><\/p>\n

                    1. (3)  Chandler Smith, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    2. (2)  Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    3. (17)  Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    4. (5)  Ryan Preece(i), Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                    5. (8)  Tanner Gray, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

                    6. (15)  Matt Dibenedetto, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    7. (7)  Matt Crafton, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    8. (32)  Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    9. (18)  Austin Wayne Self, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    10. (10)  Ty Majeski, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    11. (29)  Dean Thompson #, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    12. (21)  Tate Fogleman, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    13. (12)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    14. (19)  Chase Purdy, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    15. (27)  Matt Mills(i), Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    16. (14)  Tyler Ankrum, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    17. (16)  Kris Wright, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    18. (28)  Timmy Hill, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    19. (26)  Lawless Alan #, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    20. (36)  Loris Hezemans, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    21. (23)  Todd Bodine, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    22. (33)  Matt Jaskol, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    23. (11)  Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    24. (13)  Derek Kraus, Chevrolet, 134.<\/p>\n

                    25. (1)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 134.<\/p>\n

                    26. (34)  Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, Accident, 133.<\/p>\n

                    27. (35)  Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, Accident, 132.<\/p>\n

                    28. (9)  Christian Eckes, Toyota, Accident, 126.<\/p>\n

                    29. (31)  Thad Moffitt, Chevrolet, 114.<\/p>\n

                    30. (25)  Kaz Grala, Chevrolet, Engine, 113.<\/p>\n

                    31. (4)  Ben Rhodes, Toyota, Accident, 103.<\/p>\n

                    32. (24)  Jack Wood #, Chevrolet, Accident, 71.<\/p>\n

                    33. (20)  Hailie Deegan, Ford, Accident, 44.<\/p>\n

                    34. (22)  Colby Howard, Chevrolet, Accident, 28.<\/p>\n

                    35. (30)  Blaine Perkins #, Chevrolet, DVP, 21.<\/p>\n

                    36. (6)  Zane Smith, Ford, 134.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  93.223 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 9 Mins, 22 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.289 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  10 for 52 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  21 among 10 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   J. Nemechek 1;K. Busch(i) 2-10;Z. Smith 11-24;C. Smith 25-27;B. Rhodes 28-32;T. Gray 33-36;C. Hocevar 37-45;K. Busch(i) 46-55;T. Gray 56-58;B. Rhodes 59-62;K. Busch(i) 63-71;J. Nemechek 72-91;T. Hill 92;J. Nemechek 93-94;C. Smith 95-101;C. Eckes 102;C. Smith 103-122;C. Eckes 123-125;R. Preece(i) 126-128;K. Busch(i) 129-131;Z. Smith 132;C. Smith 133-134.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Chandler Smith 4 times for 32 laps; Kyle Busch(i) 4 times for 31 laps; John Hunter Nemechek 3 times for 23 laps; Zane Smith 2 times for 15 laps; Carson Hocevar 1 time for 9 laps; Ben Rhodes 2 times for 9 laps; Tanner Gray 2 times for 7 laps; Christian Eckes 2 times for 4 laps; Ryan Preece(i) 1 time for 3 laps; Timmy Hill 1 time for 1 lap.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 99,18,15,24,42,88,51,4,66,17<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 99,51,66,4,15,18,88,98,52,19<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain NASCAR Wire Service  LAS VEGAS \u2013 Nineteen year-old Chandler Smith took the lead with two laps remaining and held off 2021 championship contender Zane Smith and the winningest driver in NASCAR national-series history, his team owner Kyle Busch, to win the Victoria\u2019s Voice 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":37305,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[858,67,16,160],"class_list":["post-37291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-chandler-smith","tag-las-vegas-motor-speedway","tag-nascar","tag-nascar-camping-world-truck-series"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-1379831714-1-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-9Ht","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37291"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37308,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37291\/revisions\/37308"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}