Regan Smith to replace ailing Kyle Larson

Larson fell ill during an autograph session at his merchandise hauler, and he was transported to a local hospital.



The team tweeted a statement Sunday morning, announcing the driver change:



CGR formulated a plan Saturday evening in the event Larson would not be able to compete, reaching out to Smith to confirm his availability and sending him to the team shop to get fitted for a seat -- due to Larson's diminutive stature, Smith was fitted using one of teammate Jamie McMurray's seats in the event he was needed today.
 
Smith said he already had received a text from the team that Larson would not race when he awoke at 5:30 a.m. Sunday in his home around Charlotte. He drove to the track, and met with McMurray and No. 42 crew chief Chris Heroy to discuss rhe CGR cars.
 
"I pretty much got wind that something was going on last night," said Smith, who spent his Saturday at the site of the new house he and his wife are building. "We had a plan in effect in case Kyle couldn't race today, but I didn't know for sure until this morning when I woke up.
 
"I didn't anticipate being up here at all this week. It's unique circumstances, and we definitely want to make sure Kyle is OK. Whatever I can do to help him out while, then I'll do it."

The No. 42 team worked briskly in a frigid garage early Sunday morning, replacing Larson's seat with the one Smith will use. To quell the wave of onlookers, the team draped a Target cover in front of its garage stall as it worked on making the change and did not have further comment.



Since he took part in Coors Light Pole Qualifying on Friday, qualifying seventh, Larson will remain eligible for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup should he meet the remaining eligibility requirements.



Smith, the JR Motorsports NASCAR XFINITY Series championship contender, has become a "super substitute" of sorts. He filled in for Kurt Busch in the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing ride for the first three races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. His best finish was 16th in the Daytona 500 and at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He'll start at the back of the field after the driver change.
 
In nine career Sprint Cup Series starts at the 0.526-mile oval, Smith's best finish is 13th in 2011 for Furniture Row Racing. His last start at the paperclip-shaped oval was 2013.

 
"I'd rather be racing than watching on TV," he said. "I think I've made it clear I want to (race Cup) on a more permanent basis … so if being the guy that everybody calls on could help led to that down the road, that's great. But these situations aren't easy.
 
"There's going to be a lot of challenges today. I haven't been here in a while, for one. It's a place where, when you have to start 43rd like we do, the leader's going to be right there quick. So, I think one of our struggles is going to be just trying to stay on the lead lap early on."

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