#81 Toyota driver Chandler Smith brought the heat to the desert track, successfully thwarting off any challenge and acing the 200-lapper to win his first race of the season. The desert track in Arizona witnessed a thriller in the final minutes when Justin Allgaier blew his tire in the final leg of the race, crashing into the turn 2 wall, collecting multiple cars in the process, and bringing the final caution of the day.

Chandler Smith wins the desert race, picking up a win much needed win for Joe Gibbs Racing

The race then went into overtime, with Smith leading the restart with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Sheldon Creed and Jesse Love hot on his heels, looking for an opening to steal the lead.

But, the #81 driver just extended his lead, fending off the challenge from the #18 JGR Toyota and Love’s Richard Childress Racing Chevy to win his second career win in NASCAR’s second-tier faction.

Reflecting on the race, Smith relayed that he hated for Allgaier to go through the wreck, to end his day terribly, but the driver was also grateful for his win, saying, “Glory to god, without him, I wouldn’t be here right now, wouldn’t have a beautiful wife with these amazing kids he has blessed us with, they are my everything, my whole world, can’t wait to get back home but what a day, went from dominating to wasn’t great to we’re dominating again to wasn’t great again.” 

“We’ll take ’em when we can get ’em” – Smith surges to a win after Allgaier loses his way in Phoenix

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Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Smith had a message for his team after snagging his second career win in overtime in Saturday’s Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200. While the JRM ace who was obviously heartbroken after the desert devastation at Phoenix said, “I hate it … it stinks,”  and ecstatic Smith radioed in a cheer after crossing the finish line, “We’ll take ’em when we can get ’em.”

All in all, it was a great day for JGR with two of its drivers in the top 5 including Smith’s teammate Sheldon Creed who is in his first season at the Toyota camp. On the other hand for Dale Jr’s Chevy camp, Brandon Jones and Sammy Smith finished inside the top 10 at P7 and P9 while the Xfinity Series veteran, Allgaier limped back to his garage, ending his day on a sour note with a three-second lead turning awry in a flash after ill-fate got things sideways for him again for the second consecutive time.

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