ROCKINGHAM — Before Jesse Love’s hauler left Rockingham Speedway, his victory was overturned and runner-up Sammy Smith was declared the winner of the N.C. Education Lottery 250.
NASCAR announced late Saturday that Love was disqualified following a post-race inspection “for issues on the rear suspension.”
Smith, who drives the No. 8 car for JR Motorsports, led nine laps of the afternoon race after starting 13th.
Like Love, Smith had not yet been born when the Xfinity Series was last at the Rock in 2004.
In addition to the win, Smith also won the series’ Dash 4 Cash, taking home the $100,000 bonus. He also placed 16th in the Black’s Tire 200, driving in the Craftsman Truck Series for Spire Motorsports.
This makes Smith’s third win in the Xfinity Series. His previous two were at Phoenix in 2023 and Talledaga in 2024.
So far this season, including Saturday’s race, Smith has had five top 10 finishes. His previous best for 2025 were fourth-place finishes at Atlanta and Bristol.
With the DQ, Love was pushed back to 37th.
