After weathering a turbulent rookie campaign with Spire Motorsports that ended in a 30th-place finish in the standings, Zane Smith knows full well that breaking into the NASCAR Cup Series is no easy feat. Reflecting on that maiden voyage, which he bluntly described as a “bad luck year,” Smith now appears to have found more stable footing in Year Two.
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Ready for his run in Mexico, the Front Row Motorsports driver was asked to assess his season to date. “It’s been pretty fun. I’m probably having the most fun I’ve ever had throughout my racing career, and the last time I think I said that was in 2022 with FRM. It’s been great. Being able to get that pole was really cool. I feel like we’ve thrown away a lot of top 10s and possible top fives,” Smith said.
The numbers back him up. Through 15 races last year, Smith had just three top-20 finishes and failed to crack the top 10. This season, he’s flipped the script, scoring ten top-20s, including a pair of top-10s, showing clear signs of growth and consistency.
“I feel like we’re getting ourselves closer and closer to putting ourselves in contention for a race win on Sunday,” he noted. Smith didn’t sugarcoat the struggles of his rookie year but emphasized that he’s been chipping away, focused on execution, and maximizing every opportunity.
Having spent two prior years with FRM in the Truck Series, Smith added, “It’s been awesome being back at FRM and being teammates with two really close friends.”
His history with Front Row and the Ford camp runs deep. Smith recalled building special memories on the Truck side and now hopes to forge more on NASCAR’s biggest stage, this time, with a Sunday spotlight.
Yet the journey hasn’t come without heartbreak. After a grueling 2024, Spire Motorsports chose not to renew his contract. Instead, they signed Michael McDowell to a multi-year deal in May 2024 to pilot the #71, effectively closing the door on Smith’s return.
Caught in limbo during the offseason, Smith admitted, “It’s been an absolutely miserable three-four months, I’m just figuring out what’s next.” That uncertainty finally ended when Front Row Motorsports handed him a chance.
Now part of a refreshed FRM trio alongside Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson, Smith finds himself competing under a cloud of legal scrutiny. The team, currently locked in an antitrust battle with NASCAR, has been treading carefully after scoring an early legal win.
However, with the pendulum swinging back in NASCAR’s favor, and mounting pressure on 23XI Racing and FRM alike, the road ahead for Smith and his teammates could once again be lined with obstacles.
