With a thriving business valued in the high six figures, Chandler Smith might easily be mistaken for a “rich spoiled brat” by some. However, the NASCAR Xfinity driver’s career took an unexpected turn at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he announced he wouldn’t return to Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2025 season. This revelation left Smith at a crossroads, with his future in motorsports uncertain and a seemingly inevitable fallback to join his father’s construction empire.

While Chandler’s access to a lucrative safety net might seem enviable, recent news of him being signed by another team for the 2025 season has also invited sharp criticism from fans.

Steering the wheels of the #84 JGR Toyota Supra, Smith had a fascinating 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series run. The season saw him with a five-place finish along with 17 top-five finishes, two fabulous victories, and 22 top-10 finishes. The former JGR driver was also able to manage an average finish of 10.2. Despite this, Smith not continuing with Joe Gibbs Racing, came as a major shocker for many.  Fortunately for Chandler Smith, things went differently.

Smith explained his future in NASCAR was assured and he had a role for 2025. While he didn’t give any specifics, details of the move are expected to emerge in the coming weeks. He explained, “I have some exciting things going on next year. I have signed something and I think we’re going to share the news in the next couple of weeks.” Now, this could mean a move with Richard Childress Racing may have materialized after rumors of a possible part-time Cup Series seat emerged just a few weeks ago. What is more important is Chandler Smith found himself free from the possibility of finding work outside the NASCAR world.

“I really was preparing to go work for my dad and it wasn’t easy. But we serve a loving God that has a purpose and a plan and I have always tried to keep in mind that there are more important things than racing. But I am looking forward next season to showcasing that talent that I was blessed with and all glory to Him,” he explained. It was a particularly tough dilemma: Joe Gibbs Racing’s choice of discontinuing Smith came at a time when he competed for the Xfinity title, finishing 5th in the championship. Chandler Smith’s father runs a very successful business, Smith General Construction.

Had the opportunity of not getting a role for next season come by, working with the company would be a very real option. Smith has a wife and a young son, and while racing is his passion, the money also matters. It’s one of the tough decisions NASCAR drivers often have to make while chasing success in motorsports. Even Rusty Wallace had to quit his job to race in NASCAR before finding success in the sport. But to succeed in the sport and win prize money, Smith needed a seat, one that seems is within his grasp.

However, the news of Smith’s racing prospects didn’t sit right with fans. They felt he had everything served up to him on a silver platter.

Fans give Chandler Smith a lesson in privilege

While working in his father’s business empire might not seem ideal for Smith, it is indeed a dream for many to get access to the kind of privilege he already shares. This sentiment among fans has fueled a “whiny” image for Smith where fans think that he is trying to harbor sympathy despite the privilege he comes from. Resonating with the same feeling, a fan took to the post and commented, “It’s so insulting to actual working-class people he would continue to act like there was ever a possibility he would be doing anything BUT driving a race car. Is anyone falling for this sob story”?

Consequently, being the son of the company owner, it is quite an obvious fact that he will be given the apex position and draw a hefty pay every month. Smith’s problems seem to be quite snobbish for fans. A fan sparked the same notion and commented, “He would have been given a supervisor position where he gets paid more than anyone and doesn’t have to do work. Just yell at the guys who do the real work”. It doesn’t help Smith’s reputation with the fans that his father’s company, Smith General Construction, sponsored his Joe Gibbs car. Another fan added, “Cool…another season of him whining”.

Despite Smith performing fairly well in the last season, he invited an infamous image. Fans didn’t forget the incident in Martinsville when Chandler Smith lost out on his Championship Race spot. After tangling with Custer, Smith threw punches, with Smith being branded with a whiny image. Resonating with the same feeling, a fan said, “Was hoping he’d actually leave. Dude definitely isn’t winning the Most Popular Driver Award. He does nothing but whine & complain”. Taking on how his father would be able to lay out a bed of roses for him, another fan jibed, “Is the ride his dad’s construction bulldozer?”

Smith’s journey to the NASCAR 2025 season may be secured, but the storm of opinions surrounding his perceived privilege and attitude continues to brew. Whether his performance on the track silences critics or amplifies their voices, the spotlight will undoubtedly remain firmly fixed on him.