BROOKLYN, Mich. – Garrett Smithley hopes to bounce back from a 35th-place finish last week at Pocono in Saturday’s Irish Hills 250 Xfinity Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
Smithley will drive the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 0 Chevrolet at MIS. The car will be sponsored by Operating Engineers 324, a 14,000-member-plus organization in Michigan.
“We didn’t get to finish at Pocono, and that was disappointing,” Smithley said. “We’re looking for big improvement this week, and I’m sure we’ll have a good car for Michigan. It’s a track I really like.”
Smithley has raced in both Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races at Michigan.
Operating Engineers 324 has played a central role in building, operating and maintaining Michigan’s industrial infrastructure. Its members began working on internal combustion engines, electric motors, hydraulic machinery, refrigeration systems and the operation of nuclear power plants. Today, more than 100 years from its founding, they are the highest trained, certified and experienced experts in the industry.
Practice is scheduled at MIS at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 1:30 p.m.