Smith to Compete for NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year
LEXINGTON, N.C. (October 5, 2022) – Following the team’s announcement of AJ Allmendinger returning to full-time NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) competition, Kaulig Racing is excited to announce the addition of Chandler Smith to its 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) roster.
The 20-year-old, Georgia native has signed a multi-year deal with Kaulig Racing and plans to compete for Rookie of the Year honors during the 2023 NXS season, as he drives the No. 16 Chevrolet.
“I’m really excited to have an opportunity like this for my rookie year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” said Smith. “Kaulig Racing has grown from a small team to a multi-series, powerhouse team in just a few short years. I’m honored to take over the No. 16 car that has had so much success these last couple of years.
Currently in his second, full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), Smith has recorded five wins, one pole award, 22 top fives, 32 top-10 finishes and has led 746 laps. Smith currently sits second in the NCWTS playoff standings.
“Chandler Smith is a kid who we see a ton of potential in at Kaulig Racing,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “We take pride in giving kids like Chandler an opportunity to compete for wins and be a steppingstone in their career. It’s been exciting to see what Chandler has done in the truck series over two seasons, and we think competing for Kaulig Racing is the perfect next step for both Chandler and our team.”
Since the team’s inception in 2016, Kaulig Racing has recorded 18 wins, 95 top fives, 214 top-10 finishes and has led 2106 laps. Smith will take over the No. 16 Chevrolet currently fielded by the two-time, regular-season champion, AJ Allmendinger.
“Getting to know Chandler has been great, and we are excited to bring more young, talented drivers to Kaulig Racing to help build our program,” said team owner, Matt Kaulig. “We are excited to win many trophies together over the next couple of years!”
Smith will continue to compete for the 2022 NCWTS championship before beginning his rookie season in the NXS with Kaulig Racing beginning with the 2023 season opener at Daytona International Speedway on February 18. 2023 Partner information will be announced at a later date.
About Kaulig Racing™
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. They will continue fielding three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. With multiple wins, Kaulig Racing has come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team made multiple starts in the NCS in 2021 and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The young team has acquired two charters for the 2022 NCS season, with Justin Haley competing as its first, full-time driver in the series. The team’s second entry will be shared by part-time teammates AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.
