With his short-term future set, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Sammy Smith can focus on the 14 points he needs to make up Saturday during the Round of 12 finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
Smith, who won at Rockingham in April, agreed recently with JR Motorsports to return to the No. 8 Chevrolet team in 2026. The 2021 and ‘22 ARCA Menards Series East champion, Smith posted three Xfinity wins and 20 top-five finishes in 103 career starts.
“We are thrilled to have (Sammy Smith) back for 2026,” JR Motorsports CEO Kelley Earnhardt Miller said via press release. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know and work with Sammy these past two seasons, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the future will hold next year after our run for a championship with the No. 8 team in 2025.”
Smith drew +1800 odds to win Saturday’s Blue Cross NC 250, according to BetOnline Sportsbook. Regular-season champion Connor Zilisch, who paces the circuit with nine wins, was tagged with the top odds at -175. Already eligible for the Round of 8, Zilisch also drew the favorite status for Friday’s Truck Series race.
.@sammysmithSS is back in the NASCAR #XfinitySeries Playoffs 🙌
Find out what drives the @JRMotorsports standout.
Presented by @bmsnews pic.twitter.com/AhNJm6lYtw
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) September 26, 2025
NASCAR Xfinity Series Blue Cross NC 250 Odds
Here are the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers’ odds for the Blue Cross NC 250 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:
| Driver | NASCAR Xfinity Series Blue Cross NC 250 Odds |
|---|---|
| Connor Zilisch | -175 |
| Sam Mayer | +600 |
| Justin Allgaier | +1000 |
| Sheldon Creed | +1400 |
| Austin Hill | +1800 |
| Sammy Smith | +1800 |
| Aric Almirola | +1800 |
| Taylor Gray | +2000 |
| Nicholas Sanchez | +2000 |
| Jesse Love | +2200 |
| William Sawalich | +2200 |
| Christian Eckes | +2500 |
| Connor Mosack | +2500 |
| Carson Kvapil | +2800 |
| Austin Green | +3300 |
| Daniel Hemric | +4000 |
| Brandon Jones | +10000 |
| Harrison Burton | +10000 |
| Kaz Grala | +10000 |
| Corey Day | +15000 |
| Jeb Burton | +30000 |
| Alex Labbe | +30000 |
| Dean Thompson | +50000 |
| Daniel Dye | +50000 |
| Ryan Sieg | +50000 |
| Anthony Alfredo | +50000 |
| Josh Williams | +50000 |
| Ryan Ellis | +100000 |
| Parker Retzlaff | +100000 |
| Brennan Poole | +100000 |
| Blaine Perkins | +100000 |
| Josh Bilicki | +100000 |
| Austin J. Hill | +100000 |
| Kyle Sieg | +100000 |
| Leland Honeyman Jr. | +100000 |
| Preston Pardus | +100000 |
| Andrew Patterson | +100000 |
| Thomas Annunziata | +100000 |
| Sage Karam | +100000 |
*-Odds current at time of publication
