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Regan Smith picked up a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride for 2016 on Thursday — he’ll drive the No. 7 Nikko Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing.
“This is a really great time for us,” team owner Tommy Baldwin said in a press release. “Having a driver with Regan’s credentials further elevates our program. He’s a seasoned driver and a proven race winner. We’re really looking forward to 2016.”
Smith had driven the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR XFINITY Series over the past three years, amassing five victories during that span. He finished third, second and fourth in the final standings in that time.
“Seeing what they’ve done to take the program to the next level has been fun for me,” Smith said on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. “Tommy Baldwin is a competitive racer, and so am I, so I’m excited to see what we can do together.”
Nikko RC and Road Rippers brands will serve as the majority sponsor for the No. 7 car.
The New York native announced in October that he would not return to JRM in 2016.
Smith has 176 career starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and he won the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in 2011. The 32-year-old drove four Sprint Cup races as a substitute driver in 2015 — three for Kurt Busch and one for Kyle Larson.
Earlier Thursday, Tommy Baldwin Racing announced that Alex Bowman would not return to the team.