Chandler Smith will pilot a Chevrolet Silverado RST for the first time on Saturday when he enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. He will drive the #25 Silverado of Rackley WAR.
Rackley WAR parted ways with Matt DiBenedetto with three races left in the season, leaving the team needing someone in the seat for the remaining events. Despite making the playoffs, DiBenedetto announced August that he intended to leave the team for other opportunities. He departed Rackley WAR after recording twelve top-ten finishes in 2023, and won his and the team’s first race the previous year at Talladega.
“I’m super grateful for Rackley WAR giving me the opportunity to run their truck this weekend at Talladega,” said Smith. “Being able to represent Rackley Roofing, WAR Shocks, and this entire organisation is extremely cool. I’m definitely proud of and looking forward to the opportunity.”
Smith raced in the Truck Series for Toyota and Kyle Busch Motorsports from 2019 to 2022, including the full campaign in the last two years. He won two races in 2021 en route to Rookie of the Year honours followed by a three-win 2022 campaign to reach the Championship Round, where he finished third in points.
He switched to Chevrolet and graduated to the Xfinity Series for 2023. Driving for Kaulig Racing, he sits fifth in points as the highest ranking rookie with a win at Richmond. Smith has also run two Cup races with Kaulig.
“We are really excited to have Chandler in the truck this weekend at Talladega,” Rackley WAR co-owner Willie Allen commented. “I’ve known Chandler and his family pretty much his whole life. They’re really good people and Chandler is a great driver. We’re looking forward to the weekend.”
Despite beginning each season with a full-time driver, the #25 will now have had six different pilots since its début in 2021. Timothy Peters was released midway through 2021 and replaced by a rotation of Allen, Josh Berry, and Brett Moffitt before DiBenedetto took over for 2022.
The team has not announced who will drive the truck for the final two races at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
