Garrett Smithley

Garrett Smithley
Smithley at Richmond Raceway in 2018
Born (1992-04-27) April 27, 1992
Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career
3 races run over 1 year
Car no., team No. 99 (StarCom Racing)
No. 7 (Premium Motorsports)
First race 2018 FireKeepers Casino 400 (Michigan)
Last race 2018 Consumers Energy 400 (Michigan)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
95 races run over 4 years
Car no., team Nos. 0/4/15 (JD Motorsports)
2017 position 21st
Best finish 18th (2016)
First race 2015 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead)
Last race 2018 Bar Harbor 200 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 4 0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
7 races run over 2 years
2016 position 98th
Best finish 36th (2015)
First race 2015 Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 (Atlanta)
Last race 2016 Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 (Kentucky)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of October 6, 2018.

Garrett Smithley (born April 27, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the Nos. 0, 4, and 15 Chevrolet Camaros for JD Motorsports, and part-time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for StarCom Racing, and the No. 7 Camaro ZL1 for Premium Motorsports. Smithley has also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series.[1]

Racing career

Smithley began his racing career in 2007, his sophomore year in high school, in Bandolero cars at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lanier National Speedway, and won the rookie of the year in 2008. He credits being cast in a school play as a freshman as giving him the confidence needed to go and race.[2] He moved up to Legends car racing with Peachtree City Golf Carts after having his golf cart stolen and buying a new one there. Smithley credits that relationship as what kept him in racing past Bandoleros, as his family didn't have money to advance to Legends.[2] He was chosen to be part of the Richard Petty Driver Search in his first year after high school.[3]

Growing up, Dale Jarrett and Carl Edwards were two of Smithley's role models. Smithley was attracted to Jarrett at a young age because of his paint scheme, which depicted an American flag.[2]

ARCA Racing Series

Smithley competed in three events in 2013, driving Derrike Cope's cars. His first start, at Pocono Raceway, was Smithley's first ever stock car race.[4] His one start in 2014 was an 18th at Talladega for Wes Gonder. In 2015, his one start for Rick Ware was hampered by engine problems.[5][6][7]

Camping World Truck Series

Smithley made his Truck series debut at his home track, Atlanta Motor Speedway, driving the No. 63 Chevrolet Silverado for MB Motorsports. He made three more starts in the 2015 season, scoring a high finish of 14th at Michigan.[8] He returned to Atlanta with MB Motorsports for his first start of 2016, finishing 18th.[9]

Xfinity Series

Smithley at Road America in 2017
Smithley at Road America in 2016

Smithley made his Xfinity Series debut in the final race of 2015, at Homestead driving the No. 70 Chevrolet Camaro for Derrike Cope Racing, started 34th, and finished 28th.[10]

In February 16, 2016, it was announced that Smithley would race for JD Motorsports, driving the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro, and would also compete for the NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors.[11] He ran every race except the PowerShares QQQ 300. Finishing 18th in series points, he finished in the top 15 in both restrictor plate races, including one at Talladega Superspeedway. Smithley cracked the top 20 five times outside of plate tracks, but troubles at road courses (such as running the bus stop at Watkins Glen, resulting in an engine failure) put a slight damper on his season.[12] Another incident at Talladega left Chris Cockrum mad at Smithley; Smithley turned Cockrum off Turn 2, collecting Joey Gase in the process. Cockrum in the infield after the wreck accused Smithley of not knowing how to race at restrictor plate tracks.[13] Smithley, discussing his Wikipedia page in a 2018 podcast, shared his side of the story, claiming Cockrum moved up and there was only "slight contact" that led to the wreck.[14]

Smithley returned full-time to JD Motorsports in 2017. He ran all the races so far except Chicagoland, where Smithley ran in MBM Motorsports' No. 40 car to make room for Vinnie Miller, who was making his series debut.[15] He scored his first two Xfinity top-ten finishes, at Daytona and Iowa, and led his first Xfinity Series lap at Talladega.[16] The rest of the season didn't go as well in a self-described "sophomore slump".[17] Besides driving, Smithley has also undertaken a publicist-like role within his team, calling companies before races each week seeing if they would like to sponsor him.[4] He has opened a personal LLC to help with the finaces of sponsorship, mainly taxes.[17]

It was announced on February 7, 2018 that Smithley would return in the 0 car for the 2018 season. In the season opener, Smithley overcame a spin to score his first NASCAR top five, coming in fifth.[18] He also switched crew chiefs, bringing Wayne Carroll on boad.[2] It was then announced two days after the race that Smithley would switch numbers with fellow JD Motorsports driver Matt Mills for the next two races; Smithley taking Mills' No. 15 and Mills taking Smithley's No. 0.[19] Talking about life at-track in summer 2018, Smithley said that he doesn't like to make friends with other Xfinity Series regulars since in previous experiences making friends had made him less aggressive and more willing to cut other racers breaks.[17]

Monster Energy Cup Series

On June 1, 2018, reports surfaced that Smithley will make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2018 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway with StarCom Racing in the team's No. 99 entry, though the reports weren't immediately confirmed by Smithley.[20] Smithley retired from the race after just one lap with a transmission issue.[21]

Personal life

Smithley's father and both of his grandfathers were military servicemen. He was born in Pennsylvania but later moved to Virginia when he was six and Georgia in the sixth grade.[3] When he was a child, Smithley played baseball and football but also was active in dance and chorus, eventually becoming a theater participant at his high school, even being named as the lead in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory[2] along with being an active member of the Boy Scouts of America.[17] He credits his theater and drama experience as giving him the confidence necessary to take chances in his racing career.[3] Smithley's musical tastes also step from his childhood; after his parents steered him away from hip-hop/rap, he likes classic rock, pop and EDM.[17]

After racing, Smithley hopes to become a television announcer.[2]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Monster Energy Cup Series

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 MENCC Pts Ref
2018 StarCom Racing 99 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV KAN CLT POC MCH
39		 SON CHI DAY KEN
36		 NHA POC GLN -* 01*
Premium Motorsports 7 Chevy MCH
32		 BRI DAR IND LVS RCH CLT DOV TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts
2015 Derrike Cope Racing 70 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL IOW CLT DOV MCH CHI DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM
28		 109th 01
2016 JD Motorsports 0 Chevy DAY ATL
24		 LVS
24		 PHO
31		 CAL
23		 TEX
23		 BRI
29		 RCH
20		 TAL
12		 DOV
24		 CLT
15		 POC
27		 MCH
17		 IOW
22		 DAY
13		 KEN
24		 NHA
23		 IND
23		 IOW
22		 GLN
39		 MOH
24		 BRI
23		 ROA
40		 DAR
22		 RCH
31		 CHI
19		 KEN
17		 DOV
26		 CLT
25		 KAN
18		 TEX
25		 PHO
34		 HOM
29		 18th 544
2017 DAY
8		 ATL
27		 LVS
29		 PHO
24		 CAL
26		 TEX
30		 BRI
34		 RCH
29		 TAL
21		 CLT
24		 DOV
27		 POC
35		 MCH
29		 IOW
10		 DAY
28		 KEN
26		 NHA
23		 IND
21		 IOW
35		 GLN
24		 MOH
30		 BRI
34		 ROA
27		 DAR
26		 RCH
32		 KEN
25		 DOV
29		 CLT
23		 KAN
28		 TEX
24		 PHO
25		 HOM
24		 21st 348
MBM Motorsports 40 Toyota CHI
37
2018 JD Motorsports 0 Chevy DAY
5		 PHO
28		 CAL
23		 TEX
27		 BRI
17		 RCH
27		 TAL
10		 DOV
32		 CLT
14		 POC
26		 MCH
26		 IOW
25		 CHI
19		 DAY
28		 KEN
19		 NHA
32		 IOW
25		 GLN
23		 MOH
28		 BRI
16		 ROA
15		 IND
20		 LVS
18		 RCH
24		 CLT
25		 DOV
23		 KAN TEX PHO HOM -* -*
15 ATL
25		 LVS
23
4 DAR
20

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCWTC Pts
2015 MB Motorsports 63 Chevy DAY ATL
18		 MAR KAN CLT DOV TEX GTW IOW KEN ELD POC
16		 MCH
14		 BRI MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM
28		 36th 100
2016 DAY ATL
18		 MAR KAN DOV 98th 01
SS-Green Light Racing 07 Chevy CLT
29		 TEX IOW GTW KEN
21		 ELD POC BRI MCH MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Racing Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 ARSC Pts
2013 Derrike Cope Racing 74 Chevy DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK POC
17		 MCH ROA WIN CHI NJE POC
14		 BLN ISF MAD DSF IOW SLM KEN
26		 KAN 64th 405
2014 Wes Gonder 11 Ford DAY MOB SLM TAL
18		 TOL NJE POC MCH ELK WIN CHI IRP POC BLN ISF MAD DSF SLM KEN KAN 111th 140
2015 Rick Ware Racing 10 Chevy DAY
34		 MOB NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH CHI WIN IOW IRP POC BLN ISF DSF SLM KEN KAN 136th 60

References

  1. ↑ "Garrett Smithley Career Statistics". Racing-Reference.info. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Garrett Smithley Checks In!". Bump N' Run Podcast. Spreaker. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  3. 1 2 3 Crandall, Kelly (2016-09-01). "Xfinity Series Spotlight: Garrett Smithley, actor, singer and racer". NASCAR Talk. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  4. 1 2 Gluck, Jeff (2017-03-08). "12 Questions with Garrett Smithley". JeffGluck.com. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  5. ↑ "Garrett Smithley 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference.info. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Garrett Smithley 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference.info. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Garrett Smithley 2015 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference.info. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Garrett Smithley 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference.info. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Garrett Smithley 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference.info. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Garrett Smithley 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference.info. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  11. ↑ McCubbin, Ashley. "Garrett Smithley Gets Opportunity with JD Motorsports". Popular Speed. Popular Speed. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Garrett Smithley 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
  13. ↑ "Watch as violent wreck unfolds early in 'Dega XFINITY race". FOX Sports. 2016-04-30. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  14. ↑ Off Axis Podcast S2E12 - Garrett Smithley, 2018-03-01, retrieved 2018-03-17
  15. ↑ "Entry list for TheHouse.com 300 - Motorsports One". www.motorsportsone.com. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  16. ↑ "Driver Garrett Smithley 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Crandall, Kelly (2018-08-09). "Podcast: Xfinity racer Garrett Smithley". RACER. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  18. ↑ Jordan, Jerry (2018-02-18). "Garrett Smithley brings home Top 5 at Daytona for JD Motorsports". Kickin' The Tires. Retrieved 2018-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Garrett Smithley and Matt Mills to swap numbers". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-02-23.
  20. ↑ Jordan, Jerry. "Garrett Smithley taking step up to Cup Series with Michigan start". Kickin The Tires. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  21. ↑ "2018 FireKeepers Casino 400". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
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