Sammy Smith said Wednesday he will leave JR Motorsports after the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, ending a three-year run in the No. 8 Chevrolet. He made the announcement on social media while still focused on the Chase and the final stretch of the current season.
The move gives Smith a confirmed path beyond JR Motorsports, even if the next stop is not yet named. He said Pilot Flying J will ensure he has a ride in 2027, which means the question is no longer whether he will be back on the grid, but where he will land next.
Smith’s three seasons with JR Motorsports have produced 89 starts, two wins, 15 top-five finishes, 34 top-10 finishes, one pole and a 13.8 average finish. He has made the Chase in each season with the team, and he said the No. 8 car gave him plenty to be proud of as he called the last three years with the organization a source of gratitude.
That run included one of the defining moments of his career in March 202, when he won at Phoenix Raceway in his 13th career start after leading 92 of 200 laps. It also came after he began his NASCAR career with Joe Gibbs Racing before moving to JR Motorsports, a stretch that helped establish him as a regular presence in the series.
What makes this exit notable is the split between certainty and uncertainty around it. Smith knows he is leaving after 2026 and says he is excited for what is next, but the team for 2027 has not been identified, even as rumors continue to point toward Haas Factory Team. JR Motorsports will move forward without him, with Justin Allgaier and likely Carson Kvapil set to remain in the lineup and Rajah Caruth taking the No. 88 Chevrolet for the final nine races.
For Smith, the immediate job is unchanged. He said his full focus is on the championship run, and that is the piece that still matters most before the calendar turns to 2027.
