NASCAR Drivers’ Messy Separation From Partner Becomes Public Gossip Amidst Ongoing Lawsuit

A legal dispute between a Truck Series driver and his estranged spouse has caught the public’s attention. Court filings related to their separation have been made public, and the case, filed in North Carolina, is centered around child custody, child support, post-separation support, as well as equitable distribution of attorney fees. The news is sending shockwaves around the NASCAR world, and many fans are already speculating and gossiping about the recent developments.

According to court records, the driver in question is Chandler Smith, along with his wife, Jacquelyn McKenzie Smith. Both of them have two young children together, two-year-old Chandler Michael Samuel Smith and Noble Jacquelyn Smith, born on October 19, 2023.

Court documents reveal Chandler Smith’s civil dispute

The lawsuit has been filed by Jacquelyn Smith (plaintiff) against Chandler Smith (defendant). As per the records, she has asserted being the primary and often sole caregiver to their children, claiming that her husband’s busy schedule because of his Truck Series commitments means that he’s not able to provide daily care and supervision for the kids.

The filing describes an incident from February 5-9, 2025, when Jacquelyn Smith traveled to Georgia to visit her family. She left both the children in the care of Chandler Smith. According to the plaintiff’s claims, she observed through the security camera that the children were left crying in bed while the defendant appeared to be playing video games with his headphones on late in the night.

She also went on to claim that Chandler Smith was seen sleeping through the day while both the children were awake and in need of attention. After returning from Georgia, Jacquelyn Smith allegedly informed her husband about her decision to end their marriage. As per court filings, the defendant, in turn, contacted her mother and allegedly warned that there would be “serious consequences” if the plaintiff followed through with the separation.

As per the filing, Jacquelyn Smith has requested both temporary and permanent primary legal and physical custody of the children, while granting visitation rights for Chandler Smith. She has argued that such an arrangement would be ideal for her children’s well-being, as she claims to be the primary caregiver.

She has also made allegations against the defendant for having controlling behavior. According to Jacquelyn Smith’s statement, Chandler Smith prevented her from seeking employment outside and insisted on being the family’s only provider. She also alleges that her social interactions were limited by the NASCAR driver, who only permitted friendships he approved of.

The filing also reveals the plaintiff’s difficulties in attending races. Jacquelyn Smith claims she was required to attend the Truck Series races along with the two children, which meant staying in the car because of the loud and unsafe environment of the track. She went on to claim that such situations were particularly difficult when she was breastfeeding the two kids.

She has alleged that Chandler Smith did not contribute to household or parenting responsibilities, even while he was at their Randolph County home. Jacquelyn Smith has also claimed that her estranged spouse restricted her ability to visit her family ever since she moved from Georgia to North Carolina.

As things stand, the case is pending in the state’s family court, and no decision regarding child custody, alimony, or any kind of support has been made yet. Given Chandler Smith’s stature in the NASCAR world, the court documents have received significant attention. Further developments are expected as the legal process continues.

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Chandler Smith continues Truck Series campaign

In the meantime, Chandler Smith was at the Bristol Motor Speedway, competing in the Truck Series campaign. This year, he faced off Kyle Larson, who was going for the triple sweep at the track. However, Smith held Larson off in the final few laps, winning the race, as well as a $50,000 bonus as part of the ‘Triple Truck Challenge’.

Speaking about the race, he said, “My life has been really, really crazy here recently and there were a lot of unknowns about my future going into this season. We kind of had our backs against the wall about just putting the group together last minute. But holy sh*t I wouldn’t want any different of a group behind me. This No. 38 Ford F-150 was on a damn rail tonight.” 

With six wins in the Truck Series, Smith went on to say, “I’m more excited for this team than I am for myself. We hired my crew chief like three weeks before Daytona. Take that in for a second. This group just got assembled literally in January. The good Lord works in mysterious ways.”