Smith Does It Again, Repeats As North Wilkesboro Truck Series Winner

Chandler Smith celebrates in victory lane Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. (Scotte Sprinkle/SWN photo)

By Scotte Sprinkle, SWN Staff Writer

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (July 18, 2026) – Chandler Smith dominated Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series FaithFest 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, going back-to-back at the historic five-eighths-mile oval in the process.

Polesitter Layne Riggs and NASCAR Cup Series star Carson Hocevar dominated the race in the first two stages, combining to lead 99 of the first 122 laps, but a lap-119 caution for a spinning Luke Baldwin in turn four opened the door for a few teams to get off strategy.

One of those teams was Smith’s. He pitted on lap 122 and stayed out under the ensuing stage-two break, giving him the lead ahead of what turned out to be the final restart of the race.

The final stage went green all the way after resuming with 99 to go, and no one was able to come close to challenging Smith.

With just three laps to go, Tyler Reif and Nathan Nicholson made contact on the frontstretch and the pair slid into the outside wall, creating a nervous moment for Smith and his Front Row Motorsports team. However, both drivers kept going and the race stayed green.

Smith ultimately won by 8.479 seconds, the largest margin of victory on a short track in Truck Series history, for his ninth career win in 102 starts and his first triumph since the Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway season opener in February.

“I was just like, ‘Come on boys. Just keep it straight. It ain’t that deep. I’m already right here,’” Smith said in victory lane regarding his mindset during the closing laps. “All glory goes to God. We’ve been in the valley the past few weeks and I was telling these guys, ‘God is good in the mountains, but he’s also good in the valleys.’ We’ve been in the valleys. Today we’re on the mountaintop. 

“Either way, whether if we’re on the mountaintop or in the valley we’re gonna keep raising Him. I just want to give all glory to him. He’s the source of where all blessings and all the trials flow, so I’m just grateful.”

Smith won at North Wilkesboro last year after Riggs and Corey Heim made contact. He was happy to win this year cleanly and in dominating fashion.

“We won last year and were really good and my truck wasn’t good,” Smith said. “This year, our truck was good and it reflected that.”

Riggs ultimately finished runner-up behind his teammate after looking like the truck to beat for most of the weekend. Despite missing out on an elevator ride again, Riggs was very happy with the day he had.

“No, it doesn't,” Riggs said when asked if the second-place finish stung at all. “I mean, we won the first stage. We didn’t get any stage points in the second stage with the way that everybody flipped it. But, hey, I haven't finished outside of the top three here yet. I don't think there’s any heartbreak anywhere around here.”

It was also a good points day for Riggs. His championship rival Kaden Honeycutt had some issues in stage two, and ended up finishing 11th, one lap down.

That ballooned Riggs’ regular season point lead to 59 over Honeycutt in the race for the top seed in the Chase.

“I didn’t know where [Honeycutt] finished,” Riggs said. “I mean, that’s really the only person we’re racing directly with these next few races for the number one seed in the Chase. That’s our ultimate goal at the end of the day, and I think we gained some points today.”

Shane van Gisbergen, making just his fourth career Truck Series start, tied his career-best mark on an oval in any of NASCAR’s top three divisions by finishing third in the Spire Motorsports No. 71.

Truck Series young guns Christian Eckes, Landen Lewis, and Gio Ruggiero crossed fourth through sixth, respectively. Past Cup Series champion Chase Elliott ran seventh in the Spire Motorsports No. 7.

Stewart Friesen, reigning Truck Series champion Corey Heim, and Ty Majeski closed the top 10.

The next race for the Truck Series field comes July 24 with the running of the TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Riggs is the defending event winner.