JR Motorsports' Kelley Earnhardt Miller confirmed on Tuesday (September 2) that Sammy Smith will stay in the No. 8 Chevrolet for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, backed by Pilot, TMC Transportation and Allstate Peterbilt Group. The decision keeps a proven driver-sponsor combination intact while Smith focuses on the 2025 playoff run.It was announced by a team statement by JRM CEO Kelley Earnhardt, who handles the organization’s day-to-day leadership alongside President and co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., Senior Vice President of Motorsports L.W. Miller. The company fields four full-time NASCAR Xfinity entries and has delivered titles in 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2024."We are thrilled to have Sammy (Smith), Pilot, TMC and Allstate Peterbilt Group back for 2026. It’s been a pleasure getting to know and work with Sammy these past two seasons and we’re looking forward to seeing what the future will hold next year after our run for a championship with the No. 8 team in 2025," Earnhardt Miller said in the statement.(L-R) JR Motorsports' Connor Zilisch, Sammy Smith, and Justin Allgaier at Homestead. Source: GettySammy Smith’s signing finalizes one corner of the 2026 driver chart. He will be entering his second season at JR Motorsports and his fourth consecutive year in Xfinity competition.Carson Kvapil, the 2024 Late Model standout now in his rookie season with the No. 1 Chevrolet, is widely expected to remain. Justin Allgaier has anchored the No. 7 team since 2016 and added the 2024 Xfinity championship to his résumé.The lone open question is the No. 88 seat as Connor Zilisch transitions to full-time Cup Series duty with Trackhouse Racing in 2026. Whether JRM fills the car full-time or scales back to a part-time slate is still undecided, but the organization now has stability in three of its four rides heading into next year.Kelley Earnhardt celebrates 2025 as JR Motorsports’s most successful Xfinity campaignThe timing of Sammy Smith’s extension comes while JR Motorsports enjoys its best year statistically in the Xfinity Series. Connor Zilisch has transformed the No. 88 program, scoring nine wins, including Saturday night’s Nu Way 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway.Zilisch won his fourth consecutive race and 10th of his career, overcoming multiple restarts. That performance pushed JRM to 16 total wins in 2025, eclipsing the previous team record of 15 set in 2022.Kelley Earnhardt Miller acknowledged the milestone on Instagram, reposting partner Registix’s celebratory post. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe tally underscores a balanced roster: Zilisch owns nine wins, Justin Allgaier has three, and Sammy Smith added one earlier at Rockingham. Carson Kvapil has contributed 12 top-10s in his debut season, reinforcing the depth of the organization. All four entries are in the playoffs, which begin in Bristol on September 12.Beyond the numbers, the run cements JR Motorsports’ competitive culture. Allgaier’s veteran guidance, Kvapil’s learning curve, and Zilisch’s breakout rookie year combine to create a powerhouse garage. The record-setting 2025 campaign sets a clear bar for 2026, with Smith’s re-signing providing early continuity as the organization prepares for its 21st season of Xfinity Series.