DARLINGTON, S.C. — Sammy Smith’s Apology Tour
NASCAR driver Sammy Smith has spent the week issuing apologies following a controversial incident at Martinsville Speedway last week. The Xfinity Series racer, who faced significant backlash for a reckless move that wrecked race leader Taylor Gray, admitted during an interview with The Athletic that he made a mistake, contrasting his earlier defiant stance.
“Ultimately, I made a mistake, and hopefully I can be forgiven and move past it,” Smith expressed with remorse during a meeting with NASCAR officials and fellow Xfinity Series drivers at Darlington Raceway, a meeting mandated after a chaotic race at Martinsville that featured over 100 caution laps. Some drivers reported waking up as early as 4 a.m. to attend the gathering.
While NASCAR officials did not provide comments after the meeting, an unnamed driver revealed that NASCAR threatened suspension for any driver who behaved similarly in October’s Martinsville race, which would exclude them from the championship event at Phoenix Raceway. Officials urged drivers to help curb reckless driving by avoiding in-race penalties.
Smith bore the brunt of the criticism following his intentional crash of Gray, which denied the latter his first NASCAR victory. Austin Hill, who finished fifth before the incident, ultimately took the win. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Smith’s team owner, expressed his disappointment on his podcast, stating he had never left a racetrack feeling so let down.
As a result of his actions, Smith was penalized with a 50-point deduction and fined $25,000. NASCAR mandated a meeting between Smith and Gray before the start of the race weekend on Friday, followed by additional discussions on Saturday at Darlington.
Smith acknowledged that he realized his move was wrong “immediately after” executing it, admitting that his earlier aloof postrace interview only deepened the backlash from veteran racers, crew members, and fans alike. He stated, “I’ve made a lot of apologies this week to many people…and I hope to regain everyone’s respect.”
Justin Allgaier, a veteran driver and Smith’s teammate at JRM, advised that the only way to move forward is to improve one’s actions, highlighting that how Smith handles this situation could define his career. Both Allgaier and Hill emphasized the need for accountability and respect among racers, aiming to create a better racing environment for all.
While Hill described the Martinsville incidents as an anomaly in what is otherwise a thrilling racing series, he acknowledged that further reminders from officials may be necessary before their next visit to the track. Smith recognized that he crossed a line and accepted his penalties, hoping it would lead to cleaner racing in the future.
