NASCAR star Chandler Smith was in Chattanooga as part of BMS media tour

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series star Chandler Smith visited Chattanooga as part of a media tour to promote the upcoming UNOH 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The driver of the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports threw out the first pitch at Erlanger Stadium ahead of a Chattanooga Lookouts and Knoxville Smokies game. He admitted baseball isn’t his specialty but welcomed the opportunity to connect with fans and other administrative staff in a different setting.

“I’m not nervous. Quite frankly, it’s exciting. I’m stoked that the Lord has blessed me with an opportunity to be able to go out network with people that I know nothing about. Truthfully, I don’t watch baseball,” Smith said. “It’s cool for me to kind of step into their space and get to see into their world a little bit.”

Earlier in the day, Smith stopped at a Chattanooga Food City, where he signed fan autographs, shared Bristol-themed cake and surprised six attendees with tickets to various races across Bristol Motor Speedway’s race weekend.

The visit came as Smith prepares for the opening race of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Georgia native has already secured one of the 10 playoff spots and believes there’s no better venue to begin a championship run.

“Just the atmosphere. The Last Great Colosseum. You can’t beat it,” Smith said. “Bristol’s one of my favorite racetracks, specifically because of the atmosphere. Being in such a valley where the racetrack is and how the noise echoes through that valley, then you put on top of that, let’s double down and build it in kind of an arena-type deal. What better place can we start the Chase off than Bristol?”

Smith enters the postseason with plenty of momentum. He’s already made two trips to victory lane so far this season, including a dominant win at North Wilkesboro Speedway that set a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series record for the largest margin of victory on a short track.

After finishing second at Bristol earlier this year, he praised his team’s hard work and expressed excitement about competing in the high-energy, high-g-force atmosphere of Bristol Motor Speedway.

“I actually told my crew chief, Jon Leonard, ‘Listen, we’ve got to beat that record we set at Wilkesboro,'” Smith said. “Bristol’s always been a really good, statistically speaking, racetrack for myself. Got a few victories there. Really looking forward to getting back there here in the fall.”

The UNOH 250 will kick off the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs on September 17, followed by Friday’s Food City 300 and Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

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