Post‑race disqualification hands Rockingham win to Sammy Smith

In a dramatic turn after the checkered flag at Rockingham Speedway, Jesse Love’s apparent victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series was wiped from the record books following a post-race disqualification—handing the win to Sammy Smith in stunning fashion.

Love, driving for Richard Childress Racing, initially crossed the line first after a tense overtime finish and led laps, but his No. 2 Chevrolet failed post-race technical inspection due to a rear suspension violation. As a result, Love was stripped of the win and credited with last place, shaking up the final results and leaving fans in disbelief.

Sammy Smith, piloting for JR Motorsports, was declared the official winner, notching his first victory of the season and the third of his Xfinity career. Smith also secured the final $10,00 Dash Cash bonus of the year, making the outcome even sweeter.

The reshuffling didn’t stop there: Parker Retzlaff was promoted to a career-best second place, while Harrison Burton, Brennan Poole, and Taylor Gray rounded out the top five. The chaotic late-race included multiple cautions and a red flag after a multicar wreck, capping off the Xfinity Series’ first event at Rockingham in over two decades with even more unpredictability than anyone expected.

The Xfinity Series returns to action next Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, where drivers will look to avoid the kind of post-race drama that defined Rockingham.