With Nothing Left to Lose, Chandler Smith Swings at Cole Custer After Xfinity Martinsville Race

There has been no love lost between Chandler Smith and Cole Custer in this NASCAR Xfinity series, and the frustrations boiled over after Martinsville on Saturday evening. After running near each other all day and racing hard, the two drivers exchanged shots on the track in the final 25 laps.

These hits carried over to pitlane when Smith swung at Custer after a verbal argument on pitlane.

"I was planning to do a lot more than that, to be completely frank with you," Smith told CW Sports. "I was extremely pissed off. I gave him five laps before that caution came out, I beat his bumper off, I never shipped him or anything like that. Finally, the laps were winding down; I’m in a must-win; the No. 20 was starting to drive away; he was really good all day. I can’t waste any more time with him. I finally had a good enough run and pushed him off the race track."

Smith, frustrated with how Custer was racing him late in the race, pointed out all the times it seemed to him that the driver of the No. 00 was making moves just to hurt his chances of a race win and a playoff spot.

Smith finished one spot ahead of Custer, and both drivers collected 46 points, enough for Custer to lock in but not Smith. The No. 81 driver, who is without a ride for the 2024 season, needed a win and couldn't compete against the No. 20 Aric Almirola because of his continued sparring with Custer.

Smith restarted second on a late restart after he bumped Custer out of his way; in retaliation, Custer chose to line up behind him and hit his bumper on the restart, sending the No. 81 up the track.

Sammy Smith made it by the No. 81 to finish second behind Almirola, and Smith lost his chance to contend for the win he needed to make the Championship Four.

Custer believes that all is fair in love and racing, and Smith deserved to have a race ruined for him after costing Custer a win at Kansas earlier this season. He's also not made about the punch.

"It is what it is," Custer told CW Sports. "At the end of the day, he put us in the wall a few times this year. He kept us from winning a race, I feel like, at Kansas. I don’t know how we’re not even. Then he punched me in the face; I wasn’t even sure if he did it was so soft."

To this, the crowd erupted; seemingly, the only thing a crowd loves more than a fight is the trash-talking that follows.

Smith isn't sure he had the car to beat the No. 20 of Almirola, who led 140 of 250 laps, sweeping the stages, but he knew Custer definitely didn't.

"I think he’s full of sh*t if he thinks the No. 20 wasn’t going to pull his doors off after five laps in that race," Smith said about Custer's chances against Almirola.

Next week, only Custer will race for a championship, and Smith will out a spot in the playoffs or a confirmed ride next year, will race with nothing on the line.

"He can think we're even and all, but he’s the one that has more stakes than I do next weekend," Smith said about his motivations at Phoenix.

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