When the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series came to Iowa Speedway in June earlier this year, it was 16-year old Chandler Smith leading the field to green.
He was given the pole thanks to owners points holding the No. 46 Kyle Busch Motorsports truck in the lead.
Smith, now 17 years old, did it again on Saturday for the ARCA Menards Series Fans With Benefits 150 and this time he got to earn the pole on the track.
Chandler Smith on the pole at Iowa Speedway for Second time in 2019
“[Racing at Iowa in the trucks series] was tremendous and considering I didn’t have a spotter for the first 55 laps, and I was spotting for myself for a bit…” Smith said. “I’ll of that experience is going to pay off.”
Smith ran a 24.182 lap at the 7/8th’s-mile oval, edging out ARCA points leader Michael Self who was one thousandth of a second slower than his Venturini Motorsports teammate.
Although Smith’s age restricts the type of tracks he is allowed to race at in the ARCA Menards Series, it is his fourth pole of the season.
“Venturini Motorsports puts out such good race cars, and you have to come to the racetrack with good cars just to get these poles,” Smith said. “That shows how much as an organization they are doing a great job. It’s definitely showed all season.”
The pole is Venturini Motorsports’ 13th in the 14 races that the series has run this season, setting an unprecedented pace in the series this season.
With the hot temperatures at the track, the asphalt was described as super slick by Smith, but he thinks that will change tonight when the sun sets and the lights are on.
“[The track] is slippery,” Smith said. “Extremely slippery. I’m glad we’re racing at night and not during the day where we would be burning up and just slipping all over the place. I think overall we have a really good race car tonight.”
Tonight’s ARCA Race is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. CT and will be televised by MAV TV.
Fans With Benefits 150 Starting Lineup
1. Chandler Smith
2. *Michael Self
3. *Christian Eckes
4. Corey Heim
5. Ty Gibbs
6. *Travis Braden
7. Carson Hocevar
8. Colby Howard
9. Kaden Honeycutt
10. Gavin Harlien
11. Scott Melton
12. *Joe Graf Jr.
13. Eric Caudell
14. Tim Richmond
15. Rick Clifton
16. Brad Smith
17. Dick Doheny
18. Jason Miles
TBD. *#Brett Holmes
*-Denotes ARCA Menards Series points championship contender
#-Brett Holmes sits second in the series points standings, but did not run laps in qualifying, It is undetermined as to if he will start the race on Friday night. (UPDATED 5:04 p.m. CT)
| ARCA Menards Series Standings | |||
| Position | Driver | Points | Behind |
| 1 | Michael Self | 3045 | |
| 2 | Bret Holmes | 2980 | -65 |
| 3 | Travis Braden | 2945 | -100 |
| 4 | Christian Eckes | 2930 | -115 |
| 5 | Joe Graf Jr. | 2820 | -225 |
