page_title: Garrett Smithley
section_title: Xfinity Series
hierarchical_section_title: Garrett Smithley / Racing career / Xfinity Series
caption_attribution_description: English: The Chevrolet Camaro of Garrett Smithley at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Road America 180.
context_page_description: Garrett Smithley is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 51/53 Chevrolet Camaro for Rick Ware Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 07 Camaro for SS-Green Light Racing. Smithley has also competed in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series.
context_section_description: Smithley made his Xfinity Series debut in the final race of 2015, at Homestead driving the No. 70 Chevrolet Camaro for Derrike Cope Racing, started 34th, and finished 28th.
  On February 16, 2016, it was announced that Smithley would race for JD Motorsports, driving the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro, and would also compete for the NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors. Although the original agreement was only for three races, he ran every race except the PowerShares QQQ 300. Finishing 18th in series points, he finished in the top 15 in both restrictor plate races, including one at Talladega Superspeedway. Smithley cracked the top 20 five times outside of plate tracks, but troubles at road courses (such as running the bus stop at Watkins Glen, resulting in an engine failure) put a slight damper on his season. Another incident at Talladega left Chris Cockrum mad at Smithley; Smithley turned Cockrum off Turn 2, collecting Joey Gase in the process. Cockrum in the infield after the wreck accused Smithley of not knowing how to race at restrictor plate tracks. Smithley, discussing his Wikipedia page in a 2018 podcast, shared his side of the story, claiming Cockrum moved up and there was only "slight contact" that led to the wreck. 
  Smithley returned full-time to JD Motorsports in 2017. He ran all the races so far except Chicagoland, where Smithley ran in MBM Motorsports' No. 40 car to make room for Vinnie Miller, who was making his series debut. He scored his first two Xfinity top-ten finishes, at Daytona and Iowa, and led his first Xfinity Series lap at Talladega. The rest of the season didn't go as well in a self-described "sophomore slump". Besides driving, Smithley has also undertaken a publicist-like role within his team, calling companies before races each week seeing if they would like to sponsor him. He has opened a personal LLC to help with the finances of sponsorship, mainly taxes. 
  It was announced on February 7, 2018, that Smithley would return in the 0 car for the 2018 season. In the season opener, Smithley overcame a spin to score his first NASCAR top five, coming in fifth. He also switched crew chiefs, bringing Wayne Carroll on board. It was then announced two days after the race that Smithley would switch numbers with fellow JD Motorsports driver Matt Mills for the next two races; Smithley taking Mills' No. 15 and Mills taking Smithley's No. 0. Talking about life at-track in summer 2018, Smithley said that he doesn't like to make friends with other Xfinity Series regulars since in previous experiences making friends had made him less aggressive and more willing to cut other racers' breaks.
  Smithley returned to JDM for 2019. For throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, Smithley drove a tribute paint scheme to MB Motorsports owner Mike Mittler, who died earlier in 2019. Mittler gave Smithley his first opportunity in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
  In 2020, Smithley joined SS-Green Light Racing as part of an alliance with Rick Ware Racing, debuting with the team at Charlotte in the No. 07.
caption: Smithley at Road America in 2016
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