Sammy Smith

Sammy Smith is a driver who races the No. 18 Engine Ice Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing part-time in the ARCA Menards Series East. He finished third in the CARS Super Late Model Tour standings in 2020 with three top-five and six top-10 finishes.

Also in 2020, Smith has earned a top-5 finish in the prestigious Rattler 250 at the South Alabama Speedway. The driver barely old enough to drive an automobile on the street currently sits third in the CARS Super Late Model Tour standings after scoring a pair of top-10 results at the historic Hickory(NC) Motor Speedway and placing second to Bubba Pollard at the Jennerstown(PA) Speedway.

Many might think there is added pressure that comes with driving for Kyle Busch but Smith disagrees. No matter the situation, he knows that performance is what ultimately matters.

Smith’s impressive run in the 2020 version of the World Series of Asphalt came just one year after he had been crowned as the champion in the Pro Late Model division of that same mini-series.

“My dad got me into it,” Smith explained. “I really enjoy racing. It’s a passion I have and I just love to win. I started out in go-karts then went to Legends cars and now this is my second year in Late Models. I was about eight when I started running go-karts and then 12 when I was running Legends Cars and last year is when I started with Late Models.”

But even after having won dozens of Legends Cars races and the previously mentioned Pro Late Model success, how did such a young driver wind up racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports in what is essentially the banner carrier for the NASCAR champion’s Rowdy Manufacturing enterprise?

“Toyota Racing Development has helped me a lot over the last two years,” Smith pointed out. “It kind of just happened through Toyota and they set it up and I can’t thank them and TMC Transportation enough for all they have done to help my career. I’ve talked to Kyle many times and he’s a really good guy. He’s very smart and he helps me out a lot.”