Jesse Love disqualified after Rockingham, Sammy Smith wins Xfinity Series race
In a shocking post-race inspection, Jesse Love was found to have a rear suspension violation. Sammy Smith is now the Rockingham winner. NASCAR racing gives and it takes. Tonight, it gave to Smith and took from Love.
Jesse Love had a great race at Rockingham. That is now all for not after post-race inspection found that he had a rear suspension violation. Heartbreaking for the 20-year-old RCR driver. For Sammy Smith, this is fantastic news.
You know, Sammy felt like he got robbed of a win at Martinsville. Now, he has a win via DQ. Life is about balance, folks.
“At the end of the race, in post-race teardown, the 2 car of Jesse Love for RCR failed post-race inspection,” Eric Peterson, Xfinity Series director, told the media, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “So, the rule that they violated was 14.14.2.I-5.H. So, that’s truck trailing arms, spacers, and pinion angle shims, says the area of that rule. And the way that that rule reads is that all mating surfaces between the truck trailing arms and the u-bolt saddle must be in contact with each other at all times. And unforutnately, that was not the case when we did the teardown on the 2 car and they were disqualified.”
It sounds to me like the trailing arms were not properly hooked up. That is something NASCAR can easily take note of.
Jesse Love goes back to having one win on the season. Sammy Smith gets his first win of the season. Rockingham Speedway really did deliver NASCAR fans everything they could ask for and more.
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Justin Bonsignore in the No. 19 car was also disqualified. He originally finished P36 on the day in a DNF. Bonsignore did not have his lug nuts properly installed on the car.
Sammy Smith reacts to win after Jesse Love DQ
Hanging around for about two hours post-race isn’t normally what Sammy Smith would do after a runner-up finish. Tonight was different. When you’re at the track, word spreads quickly when there is a problem in inspection. Smith and his crew chief figured it was worth sticking around for.
“Yeah, thanks, it’s cool, you know,” Smith said, via Pockrass. “It’s tough to kinda win them like that. Unfortunately, I’ve been on the other end of the stick of where Jesse’s at. Take them how you can get them, I guess.”
Jesse Love is going to go home with nothing to show for his efforts. Sammy Smith gets to party into the early Easter morning. Seems like the Easter Bunny came a little early for Smith and the No. 8 JR Motorsports team.