Championship contender Sammy Smith earns first NASCAR pole
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Midwest phenom Sammy Smith earned his first NASCAR pole at the right time as he must win at Martinsville Speedway to stay in the title hunt.
Smith and Justin Allgaier will lead the field to the green flag Saturday for the Dead-On Tools 250.
While Allgaier is just -3 points to the cutline heading into elimination Saturday, Smith is -49.
“We just have to go out and win. I feel like that is the biggest thing for us and I feel like we can do that. I feel like we need to do whatever it takes,” Smith said.
Playoff drivers Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill will also start inside the top 10.
The top-10 starters are as follows: S. Smith, Allgaier, Custer, Riley Herbst, Nemechek, Brandon Jones, C. Smith, Creed, A. Hill, Parker Retzlaff
Daniel Hemric, who is vying for the owner’s title for the Kaulig Racing No. 10 team, starts 14th.
Sam Mayer, who is already locked into the Championship Four with a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway, starts 17th.
Blaine Perkins was fastest in practice and second-fastest on the 10-lap average. However, he will start 31st.
Other notables: Myatt Snider (11th), Josh Bilicki (18th), Layne Riggs (19th), Akinori Ogata (36th), Devin Jones (37th), Jeb Burton (38th), Timmy Hill (DNQ)
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Dead-On Tools 250 goes green at Martinsville Speedway just after 3:30 p.m. ET (Broadcast: USA, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, MRN affiliates).
PLAYOFF STANDINGS
- Sam Mayer: WIN
- John Hunter Nemechek (+44)
- Cole Custer (+3)
- Austin Hill (+3)
- Justin Allgaier (3110 pts, -3)
- Sammy Smith (-49)
- Chandler Smith (-54)
- Sheldon Creed (-65)
