"I did hold helmet bags": Mamba Smith shuts down NASCAR fan doubting his legitimacy after playoff controversy

Mamba Smith, a well-known NASCAR personality and current analyst, found himself at the centre of a social media storm after defending the current NASCAR playoff format. But when a fan questioned his legitimacy in the sport, Smith didn’t get defensive or hesitant; instead, he got real.

The debates on social media began when Smith took a stance supporting the playoff format, arguing that the championship's goal is not to crown the best driver, but rather the best team in the sport. Amid all the flak and debates around the topic, a fan questioned the legitimacy of Smith in NASCAR, to which the driver didn't hold back.

"I did hold helmet bags at one point, I went from being a mechanic to Comms & PR for MDM Motorsports. We won a ton of races with: Harrison Burton, Zane Smith, Sheldon Creed, Anthony Alfredo, Brandon Jones, Bubba Wallace. I’m not defending myself I’m just letting you know who I am." Mamba Smith wrote via X

Mamba Smith

@MambaSmith34

I did hold helmet bags at one point, I went from being a mechanic to Comms & PR for MDM Motorsports. We won a ton of races with: Harrison Burton Zane Smith Sheldon Creed Anthony Alfredo Brandon Jones Bubba Wallace I’m not defending myself I’m just letting you know who I am.

It was more than just a clapback; it was a glimpse into the grind behind his success. Before stepping in front of the camera, Mamba was behind the scenes, deep in the trenches of the sport. His journey through NASCAR has included hands-on roles that most people never see, such as turning wrenches, loading cars, and sweating every detail to get drivers to Victory Lane.

Mamba Smith currently works as a NASCAR analyst for NASCAR.com and FOX Sports. Smith has competed in the ARCA Menards Series and in late model racing during his racing days.

---

Freddie Kraft shares his opinion on Mamba Smith's controversial playoff take.

NASCAR analyst Mamba Smith recently made an interesting take on the current format of the NASCAR playoffs. He implied that the point of the championship isn't to crown the best driver, but to crown the best team. Fans and people around the motorsports community were quick to react to this statement, with the latest ones being NASCAR Insiders Bob Pockrass, Freddie Kraft, and Tommy Baldwin.

Freddie Kraft shared his opinion on Smith's statement, calling it a " moment of poor decision-making" while talking on a podcast.

"Mamba had a moment of poor decision-making, I think, at this point. You never want to say the point is not to crown the best driver as the champion. I didn’t see many people agreeing with him. Yes, the idea is to crown the best team as the champion. But at the end of the day, the driver is the champion, and you want to see the best driver in your series be your champion.” Kraft said via the Door Bumper Clear podcast

Amidst all the criticism, the Cup Series playoffs list will be finalised after the last regular season race of the 2025 season this weekend at the Daytona International Speedway.