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NNS: JR Motorsports Signs Regan Smith For No. 5 Chevrolet In 2013
Regan Smith to make JRM debut at Homestead-Miami this season...
Tom Jensen  |  Posted October 24, 2012   Mooresville, NC
Regan Smith was in the spotlight at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)
The hiring of NASCAR veteran Regan Smith to drive the No. 5 JR Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevrolet Camaro next year should benefit both team and driver.

It’s been a somewhat tumultuous season so far for the team, which is co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller.

The outfit has not won a race since Jamie McMurray drove a JR Motorsports Chevrolet to victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2010, and disappointing on-track results led the dismissal earlier this year of team competition director Tony “Pops” Eury Sr., Earnhardt’s uncle, and the departure of Tony Eury Jr., who had been serving as Danica Patrick’s crew chief.

The addition of the veteran Smith, who has 163 career starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, combined with the recent hiring of Ryan Pemberton as competition director, should make the team much more competitive next year than it’s been so far this season.

Smith will make his JRM in the season-ending Ford 300 NNS race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 17. There, Smith will drive a third team car with teammates Cole Whitt and Patrick.

On the Cup level, Smith will drive the final two races of the year for Phoenix Racing, piloting the No. 51 Chevrolet. After filling in for two races in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet while Earnhardt recovered from a concussion, Smith will not race this weekend at Martinsville.

For now, Smith’s No. 5 Chevy is the only full-time JRM NNS car for next season, although the team said it hopes to run the No. 7 full time with Whitt behind the wheel, and the No. 88 in select races with Earnhardt driving.

“We feel it is important for our sponsors, our fans, and even Dale to keep his Nationwide Series number consistent with his Cup number,” Earnhardt Miller said. “His brand is associated with the No. 88. That’s what makes him distinguishable on the race track, so it’s only natural that he drives the No. 88 all the time. To do that, we are making our No. 5 Chevrolet our full-time entry. We hope to have Cole in the No. 7 full time in 2013, and we are working hard on securing sponsorship for that.”

Earlier this year, Earnhardt said NNS sponsor deals often don’t get completed until January or even early February, so there could be a significant lag time until the ultimate fate of the No. 7 is known.

As for Smith, even though he is stepping down a series, he could elevate his presence and stature the same way Elliott Sadler has in the last two seasons.

Smith could win races next year, especially since the team will be relying more heavily on Hendrick Motorsports for technology and brain power.

“This is an extremely good opportunity for me,” Smith said in a statement released by the team. “Dale Jr. and I first started talking about this several years ago, but the timing never matched up to where we could make it happen. Now it’s time. I’m happy to be a part of this organization. I don’t want to just win races. I want to be the team that dominates races and contends for the championship.”

Smith, a 29-year-old native of Cato, N.Y., has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series since 2002 and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. He was the Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year in 2008, but it was 2011 when he made his biggest splash. Driving the No. 78 Chevrolet, Smith held off Carl Edwards in a thrilling finish to win the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The popular victory was Smith’s first in NASCAR competition and was part of a storybook season that included two top-fives, five top-10s and 36 laps led.

Smith has not competed in the Nationwide Series since 2007 when he tallied three top-fives, five top-10s, and a pole award at Kentucky Speedway.

“Regan has always impressed me,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. “He gets the most of his car, no matter what he’s driving or who he’s driving for. He takes care of his cars and gets good finishes. With his experience and ability, we feel he can excel in our equipment. He has a super personality, and his ability to work with everyone here at JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports will be important in getting us back to the winner’s circle.”

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
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