WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – NASCAR on NBC’s Dave Burns revealed during the closing stages of Saturday’s Zippo 200 telecast from Watkins Glen Int’l that Regan Smith will drive the No. 18 Toyota in next weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Smith, who won at Mid-Ohio for JR Motorsports in 2015, will be making his debut for Joe Gibbs Racing in the XFINITY Series after four years of competition for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s operation.

The Mid-Ohio Challenge on Aug. 12 will also mark Smith’s first XFINITY start of the season.

Smith, a Cato, N.Y. native, spent two races this season subbing for Aric Almirola at Richard Petty Motorsports in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, after Almirola was injured in a crash at Kansas Speedway on May 13.

In addition, Smith made seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts for team owner Ricky Benton earlier in the year, scoring two top-10 finishes.

He is also on standby for Denny Hamlin in the Cup garage this weekend, with Hamlin on baby watch as Hamlin’s long-time girlfriend Jordan Fish is expecting the birth of their second child.

Smith is a veteran of 205 NASCAR XFINITY Series races, with six wins, 30 top-fives and 79 top-10s to his credit alongside one career pole at Kentucky Speedway in 2007.

His Mid-Ohio track record stands at one win (2015) and two top-fives in three starts, with an average finish of sixth and 19 laps led, all coming during his winning effort in 2015.

Smith’s last XFINITY start came at Kansas Speedway last October, where he finished sixth for JR Motorsports.

The Mid-Ohio Challenge kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET next Saturday, with live coverage on NBCSN, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

About the Writer

Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.

Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.

The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.

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