Section 14.14.2.I-5.H of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rule Book states that all mating surfaces between the truck trailing arm and the U-bolt saddle must be in full contact with one another, which Love and the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet allegedly breached. The official winner of the Rockingham event is Sammy Smith, who drives the No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. The victory is the first of the season and the third for the Johnston, Iowa native in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. It’s awesome. I’ve been in Jesse Love’s shoes, so it’s difficult to win them that way. However, I suppose you have to take them as you can get them,” Smith added. “Clearly, there have been some problems for about two hours now, so me and my crew chief [Phillip Bell] stayed around. I have nowhere else to be except for church tomorrow for Easter, so I decided to just hang around for a little bit. Glad I stayed.”
Thanks to his victory at Rockingham, Smith is now guaranteed a berth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, becoming the third driver from JR Motorsports to do so. Harrison Burton, Brennan Poole, and Taylor Gray complete the top five, while Parker Retzlaff has been promoted. The top 10 was completed by Jeremy Clements, Daniel Dye, Austin Hill, Josh Williams, and Jeb Burton.
