Chandler Smith will drive the No. 5 Ford Mustang for Hettinger Racing in the next two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races, the team announced March 2.
Smith, who competes full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Front Row Motorsports, will compete for Hettinger in the next two NOAPS races at Phoenix Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“It’s been a pretty steep learning curve so far this season and putting Chandler in our racecar will hopefully make the curve a little less steep these next two weeks,” team owner Chris Hettinger said in a team release. “Chandler’s young, but he brings a lot of experience to our organization. He knows how to win, and he just proved it a few weeks back at Daytona. His expertise and his feedback will be a major plus for us so we can get better, faster.”
Chandler Smith Wins Daytona Truck Race With 4-Wide Pass
Smith previously competed in the series in 2024, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.
“I love to race, and with the Truck Series off these next two weeks, the opportunity to race in the O’Reilly Series was an easy one,” Smith said. “Plus, anytime you can step into a new program and help it grow is pretty rewarding.
“It’s impressive to see Chris’ commitment to competing at this level. He wants more and I want more for him. Definitely looking forward to seeing what we can do together.”
Smith currently leads the Truck standings with one win, two top fives and three top-10 finishes through three races.
Luke Fenhaus and Tyler Gonzalez have driven for Hettinger so far this year.
