Sammy Smith Facing NASCAR Xfinity Series Penalties; Justin Allgaier Earns Top Drivers Championship Odds

Emersed in the grind of competing at Martinsville Speedway last Saturday, NASCR Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill screamed into the team radio, expressing his dissatisfaction with the bumper-car style of short-track racing. 

“I actually said in the race I hated this place with all the beating and banging going on,” Hill told CW after winning his second race of the season after leading only one lap. 

His attitude of the 0.526-mile oval quickly changed after benefitting from the Sammy Smith-fueled late-race chaos. 

“This is awesome,” he said. 

Maybe not for Sammy Smith, though. Engulfed in criticism for taking out Taylor Gray on the final lap, Smith on Wednesday was penalized 50 points and fined $25,000 for initiating the collision. The ending was a stark contrast to the start, featuring 54 caution-free laps. 

Gray and Jeb Burton were fined $5,000 for their roles in confronting Smith for his actions along Turn 3 in the care center area after the race. 

JR Motorsports announced it would not appeal the penalties, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not pleased. The co-owner waited a day to calm down before contacting the embattled pilot. 

“I called Sammy (Smith) on Sunday and I talked to him for a while and told him everything that I needed to tell him after I’d calmed down,” Earnhardt said during the “Dale Jr. Download” podcast. “You don’t know whether it sinks in yet. I can’t sit here and tell you, ‘Oh yeah, man, he’s sorry. He’s really sorry and, man, he’s going to do better.’ 

“But he says all those things. He says that he understands that he screwed up. He knows it gives himself a black eye, he gave JR Motorsports a black eye. He knows that we’re very disappointed in him.”

Justin Allgaier (+250), who won the previous two outings, placed P3 at Martinsville and remains the sports-betting favorite to capture the circuit title, according to BetOnline Sportsbook. Hill (+400) ranks second. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. discussed the Sammy Smith incident at length on today's Dale Jr Download. Said he spoke to Smith on Sunday and more than anything talked him through the damage his actions did to his reputation.

"I told him 'hey, everybody thinks you're a spoiled punk. …… pic.twitter.com/QAwzfAmzfc

— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) April 2, 2025

NASCAR Xfinity Series Drivers Championship Odds

Here is a Week 5 look at the drivers’ odds for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:

*-Odds current at time of publication