MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS OF THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225 AT TALLADEGA
SAMMY SMITH CELEBRATES IN VICTORY LANE WITH THE RACE SPONSORS OF LOVE’S RV STOP 225 AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS BY FRED HANYON
NASCAR Wire Service – Only a few hours after announcing he’ll be competing full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next year, Sammy Smith went out and delivered a strong message to the competition — leading the final lap of NASCAR Overtime to claim the win in Friday afternoon’s Love’s RV Stop 225 on the famed Talladega Superspeedway high banks.
It marks Smith’s first career win in the series in his 11th start and sends a strong message to the competition that the 22-year-old Iowa native will be a force for the title when he moves from his current full-time job competing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for JR Motorsports.
The first large multitruck crash was early and intense – and it involved two of the race’s biggest names — NASCAR Hall of Famer and former multi-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, as well as media personality and NASCAR newcomer Cleetus McFarland, who was hoping to collect laps in only his third series start.
Both were collected in the melee that started mid-pack on Lap 17 when Stewart Friesen’s Toyota wiggled in Turns 1 and 2 and received contact from Andrés Pérez, triggering a chain-reaction wreck. Eight trucks were involved, including championship-eligible driver Hemric.
Stewart, who was making his second start of the season in the No. 25 Ram truck, was understandably frustrated to only get 16 laps of racing in. “Definitely wanted to make it a lot further in the race today than that,” Stewart said. “Everyone started wrecking and they came across the track and got me. That’s just hard restrictor plate racing at Talladega. I wanted to get a chance to race, because I really enjoy working with Kaulig Racing and Ram. Kaulig is making progress and Ram is doing a good job marketing this sport.”
McFarland, making his third truck start of the season (and his career), was equally as frustrated. He said earlier Friday he was trying to get some track time in hopes of NASCAR granting him permission for more races in other series. His No. 4 Niece Motorsports Chevy was officially scored last in the 36-truck field.
“It just sucks,” McFarland said. “I just honestly saw the wreck and started slowing down heavily and was getting called down, was trying to get down out of the way, and I don’t know how or where, but I just lightly got tapped in the back left and it sent me on a trajectory that bent up the front of my hot rod, and I was just so mad.”
Chandler Smith entered Friday’s race fourth in the Chase standings but wound up with multiple issues, including a flat right-rear tire, a speeding penalty and getting collected in a Lap 57 crash with Jake Garcia and Conner Jones. Smith ultimately rebounded to finish 14th.
MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS BY FRED HANYON
CLEETUS McFARLAND & SQUIRREL McNUTT OF THE BLUES HOG RACING TEAM CHAT ON PIT ROAD WITH ONE OF HIS COMPETITORS AT TALLADEGA. CLEETUS RECENTLY SIGNED ON TO DRIVE FULL TIME WITH THE ARCA MENARDS SERIES FOR RICHARD CHILDRESS RACINGLEGENDARY RACE CAR DRIVER, WINNER OF THREE NASCAR CHAMPIONSHIPS, THE 1997 INDY CAR SERIES CHAMPION AND 1995 USAC TRIPLE CROWN WINNER IS ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE AND ACOMPLISHED DRIVERS IN MOTORSPORT HISTORY. THE NASCAR HALL OF FAMER WAS MAKING HIS 2ND TRUCK SERIES APPEARANCE OF THE SEASON, DRIVING THE No. 25 RAM 1500 FOR KAULIG RACING, AS A PART OF RAM’S FREE AGENT DRIVER PROGRAM. TONY STEWART CURRENTLY DRIVES A TOP FUEL DRAGSTER FOR TONY STEWART RACING IN THE NHRA NATIONAL HOT ROAD ASSOCIATION.NASCAR TRUCKS ON PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGAMARIETTA, GEORGIA’S COREY HEIM WON THE 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TRICON GARGAGEKADEN HONEYCUTT’S TRICON TOYOTALAYNE RIGGS FORD ON PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGAPIT ROAD AT TALLADEGA BEFORE THE START OF THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225TONY STEWART CHECKS OUT THE COMPETITION AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAYTONY STEWART TAKES TIME TO TRADE AUTOGRAPHS WITH A YOUNG KAULIG RACING FAN THAT GAVE HIM A T-SHIRT ON PIT ROAD.TONY STEWART’S RAM TRUCK AT TALLADEGATONY STEWART PREPARES TO QUALIFY FOR THE TRUCK RACE AT TALLADEGATRICON GARAGE DRIVERS GIO RUGGERIO & COREY HEIM. GIO & COREY FINISHED 1st & 2nd AT LAST YEARS FALL RACE AT TALLADEGASAMMY SMITH & TYLER ANKRUM ON PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGA USATYLER ANKRUM & CREW KEEP AN EYE ON THE QUALIFYING LEADERBOARD AT TALLADEGATYLER ANKRUM SUITS UP AT TALLADEGA USATRICON DRIVER KADEN HONEYCUTT & SPIRE MOTORSPORTS’ AUSTIN GREEN DURING QUALIFYING AT TALLADEGACOREY LAJOIE IS JUST ONE OF KAULIG RACING’S STABLE OF DRIVERS IN A MOPAR RAM 1500CORY LAJOIE’S RACING HELMET AS KAULIG’S RACING PRESIDENT MATT KAULIG GIVES HIS SMILE OF APPROVAL.CLEETUS McFARLAND ALWAYS IS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION AS CROWDS GATHER AROUND HIS NIECE MOTORSPORTS BLUES HOG CHEVYCHRISTIAN ECKES DRIVES THE No. NAPA ACCU-FIT CHEVROLET FOR McANALLY HILGEMANN RACINGGRANT ENFINGER KEEPS AN EYE ON THE LEADERBOARD DURING QUALIFYING AT TALLADEGAGIO RUGGIERO AWAITS HIS TURN AT QUALIFYING AT TALLADEGATY MAJESKIE CLIMBS FROM HIS TRUCK AFTER WINNING THE POLE AWARD FOR THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225 AT TALLADEGATY MAJESKI GIVES FRED HANYON A BIG THUMB’S UP AFTER WINNING THE POLE FOR THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225 NASCAR TRUCK RACE AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY WITH A SPEED OF 177.389mph.PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY BEFORE THE START OF THE NCTS LOVE’S RV STOP 225RACING LEGEND TONY STEWART’S No. 25 KAULIG RACING RAM 1500FRANKIE MUNIZ DRIVES A FORD FOR REAUME RACING. FRANKIE IS KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE IN THE HIT TV SERIES “MALCOMB IN THE MIDDLE”. MUNIZ, DRIVING THE No. 30 TECHSPORT RACING FORD MUSTANG GT4 FOR FORD RACING, SECURED THE GT AMERICA AM CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP AT SEASON FINALE EARLIER THIS MONTH AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY.BUTTERBEAN QUEEN’S No. 12 RAM CUMMINGS DODGE 1500 ON PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGANCTS DRIVERS ON THE PRE-RACE PIT ROAD CALIBRATION SPEED LAP AT TALLADEGANCTS DRIVERS ON THE PRE-RACE PIT ROAD CALIBRATION SPEED LAP AT TALLADEGANo. 19 DANIEL HEMRIC & No. 4 CLEETUS McFARLAND ON THE PRE-RACE PACE LAP AT TALLADEGASTART OF THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225 AT TALLADEGA LED BY TY MAJESKI & SAMMY SMITH AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAYLAP 5 AT TALLADEGA, AS THE NCTS FIELD SPREADS OUT THREE-WIDE ON THE TALLADEGA FRONTSTRETCHNASCAR TRUCKS AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY GO FOUR-WIDE DOWN THE FRONTSTRETCH!No. 5 THOMAS ‘HOLLYWOOD’ ANNUNZIATTA, No. 10 COREY LAJOIE AND No. 14 MINI TYRELL ON THE TALLADEGA FRONTSTRETCHLAP 10 – No. 77 AUSTIN GREEN LEADS IN HIS TRUCK SERIES DEBUTLAP 15 – CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER CHRISTAIN ECKES HEADS TO PIT ROAD. HE BOUNCE OFF THE WALL, LOSING A RIGHT-SIDE TIRE.LAP 16 – JUSTIN HALEY WITH A FLAT AND HE HEADS TO PIT ROAD FOR TIRESLAP 25 – LAST YEARS NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES CHAMPION, MARIETTA, GEORGIA’S COREY HEIM HAS A FLAT AND NEEDS TO PIT.THORSPORT RACING’S JAKE GARCIA FROM MONROE, GEORGIACHANDLER SMITH FROM TALKING ROCK, GEORGIA ON PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGATIMMY HILL DRIVES THE No. 56 TOYOTA FOR HILL MOTORSPORTS. HE IS THE SON OF FORMER NASCAR DRIVER JERRY HILL, AND THE BROTHER OF CURRENT NASCAR DRIVER TYLER HILL.POLE SITTER FOR THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225 TY MAJESKI DURING THE RACE AT TALLADEGALANDON LEWIS DRIVES THE No. 45 J.F. ELECTRIC FOR NIECE MOTORSPORTNIECE MOTORSPORTS No. 42 CONNOR JONESNo. 7 SAMMY SMITH STAYS OUT AS TRUCKS COME TO PIT ROADBEN RHODES GET A PUSH-OFF FROM HIS PIT ROAD CREW MEMBERS AT TALLADEGASAMMY SMITH & TIMMY HILL HEAD TO PIT ROAD. No. 76 SPENCER BOYD STAYS OUT.No. 15 TANNER GRAY FROM ARTESIA, NEW MEXICO DRIVES FOR TRICON GARAGENo. 5 THOMAS ‘HOLLYWOOD’ ANNUNZIATA & No. 88 TY MAJESKINo.18 TYLER ANKRUM DRIVES FOR McANALLY HILGEMANN RACINGTRICON GARAGE DRIVER No. 11 KAYDEN HONEYCUTT & No. 88 THORSPORT RACING’S No. 99 BEN RHODESLAP 58 WRECK CAUSED BY No. 98 JAKE GARCIA GOING HARD INTO THE OUTSIDE WALL, ALSO COLLECTED NIECE MOTORSPORTS DRIVER No. 41 CONNOR JONES.No. 76 SPENCER BOYD & No. 38 CHANDLER SMITH COME TO PIT ROAD AS No. 56 TIMMY HILL STAYS ON THE TRACKNo. 76 SPENCER BOYD’S PIT CREW PREPARES TO PUSH HIM OFF AS HE TOPS OFF WITH SUNOCO RACING FUELNo. 95 CLAY GREENFIELD LEADS No. 17 GIO RUGGERIO ONTO PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGANo. 91 CHRISTIAN ECKES NAPA ACCUFIT WIPERS TRUCK HEADS TO PIT ROADNo. 56 TIMMY HILL ON PIT ROAD AT TALLADEGALAP 65 – 20 LAPS TO GO AS No. 99 BEN RHOADES IS LISTED AS THE LEADERLAP 75 – 10 LAPS REMAINING IN THE RACE AS No. 7 SAMMY SMITH LEADS No. 34 LAYNE RIGGS AT THE LINELATE IN THE RACE IT’S No. 7 SAMMY SMITH & No. 34 LAYNE RIGGS. MAJESKI AND RHODES FOLLOW.CHANDLER SMITH HAS CONSTANT TIRE RUBBING ISSUESCHANDLER SMITH’S SHREDDED TIRELAP 84 RESTART AS No. 7 SAMMY SMITH & No. 88 TY MAJESKI LEAD THE PACK THROUGH TO THE GREEN FLAGLAP 84 AS No. 56 TIMMY HILL ADVANCES HIS POSITION & No. 12 BUTTERBEAN QUEEN MAKES A MOVELap 85 – BIG WRECK ON THE LAST LAPS AS THE FIELD STAYS GREEN. SAMMY SMITH EYES VICTORY AS THE HEAD TO THE CHECKERED FLAG.UNDER THE SETTING SUN OVER TALLADEGA, SAMMY SMITH MAKES A DASH FOR THE FINISH. TYLER ANKRUM COLLECTS 2nd PLACE AS AUSTIN GREEN TAKES THE LAST SPOT ON THE PODIUM FINISH. MAJESKI, HONEYCUTT, LEWIS, QUEEN, RIGGS, BOYD & HEIM ROUND-OUT THE TOP 10.No. 99 BEN RHODES WAS A VICTIM OF THE LAST LAP CRASH, HEADS TO THE GARAGE AS No. 7 SAMMY SMITH PREPARES TO DO HIS VICTORY BURNOUTSAMMY SMITH SHREDS HIS TIRES IN HIS VICTORY BURNOUT AS RUBBER GOES FLYINGSAMMY SMITH DOES A BURNOUT AS THE WINNER OF THE LOVES RV STOP 225 AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAYSAMMY SMITH SHREDS RUBBER ON HIS VICTORY BURNOUTSAMMY SMITH’S INCREDIBLE BURNOUT IN FRONT OF FANS AT THE START-FINISH LINE AT TALLADEGASAMMY SMITH LEAPS FOR JOY IN VICTORY LANE AT TALLADEGASAMMY SMITH CELEBRATES IN VICTORY LANE WITH THE RACE SPONSORS OF LOVE’S RV STOP 225 AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAYSAMMY SMITH AND HIS SPIRE MOTORSPORTS CREW CELEBRATE WINNING THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225 AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAYSAMMY SMITH CELEBRATE HIS WINNING THE LOVE’S RV STOP 225 IN THE MOBIL 1 VICTORY LANE AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY.
