Kaulig Racing announce Chandler Smith’s departure from the Xfinity team, new lineup to be revealed soon

Kaulig Racing has confirmed that Xfinity Series rookie, Chandler Smith, will not be returning for another season with the team.

The announcement, made on Sunday, brings an end to Smith's inaugural season with Kaulig, where he commanded the wheel of the no. 16 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Chandler Smith, at the young age of 21, had been a promising prospect in the Xfinity Series. Prior to his stint with Kaulig Racing, Smith had also made his mark as a part-time driver in the Truck Series for Rackley WAR.

Notably, he was a member of the Toyota Racing Development program until the year 2022. Kaulig Racing, in an official statement, said:

"Kaulig Racing announced today that Chandler Smith will not return to the organization's NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) program next season. The November 4th event at Phoenix Raceway will serve as Smith's final race with Kaulig Racing. The 2024 driver lineup will be announced in the coming weeks."

During his time with Kaulig, Smith demonstrated his potential on the track, securing one victory, three pole awards, along with eight top-five and twelve top-ten finishes throughout the season.

Despite these commendable statistics, Smith currently finds himself in seventh place in the playoff standings. He trails by 54 points from the final transfer spot for the Xfinity title race.

This weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway marked a challenging turn for Smith, who finished in the 34th position in Saturday’s playoff race. As the season winds down, he holds a total of 3059 points.

Chandler Smith set to join Joe Gibbs Racing as a return to Toyota in sight

With his departure from Kaulig, Chandler Smith is poised to transition to Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series for the upcoming season.

Although not yet officially confirmed, this move signifies a return for Smith to the Toyota racing family. Previously, Smith had been a driver under the Toyota banner while competing with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the 2022 Truck Series season.

Notably, it's been suggested that Smith was required to fulfill a contractual buyout clause with Kaulig Racing. Despite originally signing a three-year deal with the team, Smith's journey with Kaulig Racing will conclude after just one season, leaving two years remaining on his initial agreement.

As the NASCAR community anticipates the unveiling of Kaulig Racing's 2024 Xfinity Series driver lineup, it remains to be seen what comes next in Chandler Smith's promising racing career.