Chandler Smith crossed the line in fourth place Friday night at Rockingham Speedway, but he did not keep the result. NASCAR disqualified the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford after post-race inspection.
Officials ruled that the truck failed to meet rear body height requirements. The penalty moved Smith to 36th in the final order. He lost 33 points for the top-five finish and earned one point instead. Smith entered the race as the series points leader. The decision changed the standings and erased a strong recovery drive from the rear of the field.
NASCAR Post-Race Inspection Wipes Out Strong Run for Chandler Smith
Smith started from the back of the 36-truck field after his team changed a shock during qualifying. NASCAR rules treat that change as an unapproved adjustment, so he had to drop to the rear before the start.
He drove forward through the field. By the end of Stage 2, he had reached 16th place. In the final stage, he moved into the top five and finished fourth on track.
After the race, officials checked the truck in the inspection area. NASCAR measured the rear body height and found it out of specification. The series applies an automatic disqualification for this violation, and there is no appeal. The ruling removed Smith’s finish and points from the race.
Corey Heim Wins as the Podium is set
Corey Heim won the race in the No. 11 truck for Tricon Garage. It marked his second victory of the season.
Kaden Honeycutt finished second in the No. 75 Chevrolet. Layne Riggs finished third for Front Row Motorsports. Riggs’ result gave the team a podium finish in the same race where Smith lost his result in inspection.
Heim runs a part-time schedule and has missed races this season. Because of that, he is not eligible for the championship. The finishing order on track stands, but the points battle follows eligibility rules.
Points Shift Ahead of Bristol Race
The disqualification changed the standings after the race. Smith no longer holds the points lead. He fell outside the top three and now trails the new co-leaders by 17 points based on updated totals.
Honeycutt moves into a share of the lead after his second-place finish. The margin between the top drivers remains small after five races in the season.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will race next at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 10. The event is the Food City 250 and will air on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Teams will arrive at a short track where track position and execution often decide results. Smith and the No. 38 team will return with a chance to regain points after the Rockingham disqualification.
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