Chandler Smith encountered major playoff trouble at Bristol Motor Speedway when his No. 38 Ford faced a costly electrical issue, threatening his postseason standing in the Craftsman Truck Series. The incident has pushed Smith into a critical points deficit as he heads toward the elimination race, bringing the focus keyword Chandler Smith playoff trouble Bristol to center stage.
Setbacks Hamper Smith’s Bristol Run
Front Row Motorsports has recently shown notable success at Thunder Valley, winning the previous three Craftsman Truck Series races at this Tennessee track. Layne Riggs, also from the team, celebrated his second win at Bristol in three events, officially securing a place in the Round of 8. In contrast, Smith’s evening was marked by a technical malfunction early in the race that ultimately dashed his hopes for a strong finish.
The Georgia driver’s trouble began during Stage 1, when a mysterious electrical problem left his truck multiple laps down. With the field running clean and few cautions for him to capitalize on, Smith completed 250 laps but finished 14 laps behind in 30th place. The issue was perplexing and deeply frustrating for Smith.
“I’m not sure what the issue was honestly,”
Smith said after the race.
“Sounds like it was a sensor that just slowly unplugged itself, which is mind-boggling to me that we’re racing at this prestige of a level and can just have something just start wiggling its way out and completely ruin your day.”
—Chandler Smith, Driver
Playoff Hopes Fade with Technical Troubles
Smith began the race inside the top 10 and made steady progress toward the leaders, capitalizing after his teammate Riggs spun on the opening lap. As Smith moved up inside the top five contenders, his truck unexpectedly powered off, costing him critical positions and momentum.
“After that [Lap 1] caution, after probably about eight laps, I started running the top, and I was passing guys up top, got up to third or fourth and as I was passing somebody, it just cut out,”
Smith said.
“Just stopped, like wow. Just dead. I was like ‘maybe it’s fuel-pressure related’ because I was running the top and went to the bottom, kind of cleaned itself up, but with lapped traffic and stuff, forced me back to the top. Started doing it more and more, and then finally, it just was done.”
—Chandler Smith, Driver
The opening round of the playoffs has been relentless for Smith and his No. 38 crew. Entering as the third seed with a 16-point cushion above the cutline, Smith’s advantage evaporated quickly. At Darlington Raceway two weeks earlier, a hard crash into the wall at the Lady in Black forced an early exit, causing him to lose that points buffer.
By the time Smith arrived at Bristol, he was already two points behind the cutline. The latest setback in Tennessee, resulting in another minimal points finish, now puts Smith 24 points below the cutline ahead of the elimination race in New Hampshire. The upcoming event is critical, as the Truck Series is set to return to the Magic Mile for the first time since 2017, with the stakes higher than ever.
Reflection and Urgency Heading to New Hampshire
The disappointment in Smith’s post-race remarks illustrates the gravity of the moment. With his playoff survival hanging in the balance, he showed both regret and determination.
“Gut-wrenching,” Smith lamented. We had the fastest truck here tonight. Really, really happy that Layne won, though. That’s three in a row here for FRM. Now we’re in a must-win situation, I’m pretty sure, going to New Hampshire. It honestly comes all the way back to making a bonehead move at Darlington that put us in this position. Who knows where we would be points-wise depending on how Darlington went and not stuffing it in the fence?
“But nevertheless, we’re gonna go and do what we were gonna do tonight, and that’s kick their ass.”
—Chandler Smith, Driver
The climactic elimination race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will test Smith and the Front Row Motorsports organization as they fight to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Georgia native’s whirlwind playoff journey has added intensity and intrigue to the Craftsman Truck Series, and all eyes will be on the No. 38 Ford as the field heads back to the historic Magic Mile.
