Chandler Smith was fastest in practice for the Corn Belt 150 at Knoxville Raceway. (Toyota Photo)
Chandler Smith. (Toyota Photo)

Chandler Smith Renews With Kyle Busch Motorsports

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Chandler Smith will return full time to drive Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 18 Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2022, the team announced Tuesday morning.

Safelite AutoGlass, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services, returns to KBM for a fifth season and will be the primary sponsor on Smith’s Tundra for 15 races.

Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman will once again be atop the pit box for the No. 18 team.

“I’m really excited to be back partnered with Safelite and KBM for a second full-time season and ready for another run at a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship,” Smith said. “Danny (Stockman, crew chief) and I built something over the course of the year and really hit our stride late in the season. We’re looking forward to carrying that momentum over to starting 2022 strong. I feel that having some form of practice and qualifying at all the races next season will be big for our No. 18 Safelite team.”

Smith earned this year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors and finished eighth in the championship standings after producing two victories in his first full-time season.

He earned his first career Truck Series at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September. Smith’s second career series win then came in the finale at Arizona’s Phoenix Raceway.

“Chandler finished the 2021 season strong by winning twice over the last five races and we’re confident that he and Danny [Stockman, crew chief] will be able to pick up right where they left off next year,” Busch said. “It was awesome for us to be able to get Safelite into victory lane and celebrate with them multiple times in 2021 as they really support their racing program. I know that everyone on the No. 18 Safelite team is working hard to ensure we continue winning and push to be one of the four teams competing for a championship at Phoenix.”

Stockman’s drivers have produced six victories at KBM across his first two seasons, including two with Smith behind the wheel in 2021.

The veteran crew chief captured a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and also won an Xfinity Series championship with Dillon in 2013.

Stockman has totaled 10 career Truck Series victories to go along with seven in the Xfinity Series.