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Sammy Smith will return to JR Motorsports for 2026 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season

JHby: Jonathan Howard09/08/25Jondean25
Sammy Smith NASCAR Rockingham
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Big news for Sammy Smith. The 21-year-old is returning to JR Motorsports for the 2026 NASCAR season. This will be his third season at JRM as the Xfinity Series turns into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. likes Sammy Smith. He probably likes the funding that he brings with Pilot. That’s no small sponsorship. But Smith is talented, young, and could still develop into a Cup Series driver.

Sammy only has one win this year, at Rockingham. That came after Jesse Love was disqualified as the winner. Right now, Smith is in a playoff battle and has the next seven races to make some noise this season.

Good news for him, he has a job next year. Not everyone in the sport can say that right now, especially in that series.

The career of Sammy Smith is still unfolding. There are drivers, like Connor Zilisch, who find the groove immediately and are ready for Cup right away. Then there are really talented drivers like Sammy. He has the late model background and record to match the hype. He has won at the Xfinity level before. Consistency seems to be a major issue with him right now.

Let’s remember, Smith is only 21. As he enters the 2026 season, he will be a bit of a veteran in the series. It will be his fourth full-time season, third year at JRM. He will be expected to be an example of what this series can be and will likely be expected to be more competitive.

When he is good, he is really good. But there are times when maturity and focus are lacking. Still, there is time for Sammy Smith to meet the expectations that were placed on him as a teenager.

Sammy Smith back at JR Motorsports – who will join him?

This season has been solid for Sammy Smith. He’s sixth overall in the Xfinity Series Playoffs standings going into the first race of the postseason at Bristol. But he only holds a slim six-point lead over the cutline. 3rd to 12th are separated by only 16 points. Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch and Justin Allgaier are at +59 and +30, respectively, to the cutline.

Speaking of JR Motorsports, who will be on the roster next season? Sammy is the first confirmed for 2026. Does Justin Allgaier join him for another year, or does he decide to retire? Zilisch is gone for sure. What about Carson Kvapil? Rumors have swirled recently about his future plans. Does he secretly have a Cup contract for the future?

There could be a lot of change at JRM. Allgaier is older and has won his championship. He’s won a ton of races and been the wily veteran that young drivers have had to prove themselves against for years now. Does he call it quits? Xfinity Series Silly Season is so hard to predict because everything is so fluid and depends so heavily on sponsorship.

Sammy Smith has his ride locked down for 2026. Who will join him at JR Motorsports?