Zane Smith (racing driver)

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Zane Smith
Zane Smith 2018 ARCA Madison.jpg
Smith at Madison International Speedway in 2018
BornZane M. Smith
(1999-06-09) June 9, 1999 (age 22)
Huntington Beach, California
Achievements2015 World Series of Asphalt Champion
Awards2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Most Popular Driver
2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Rookie of the Year
2018 ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year
2015 CARS Super Late Model Tour Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
11 races run over 1 year
2021 position103rd
Best finish25th (2019)
First race2019 Boyd Gaming 300 (Las Vegas)
Last race2021 Drydene 200 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 7 0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
46 races run over 3 years
Truck no., teamNo. 38 (Front Row Motorsports)
2021 position2nd
Best finish2nd (2020, )
First race2018 Eaton 200 (Gateway)
Last race2021 Lucas Oil 150 (Phoenix)
First win2020 Henry Ford Health System 200 (Michigan)
Last win2021 United Rentals 200 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles
3 28 0
Statistics current as of December 28, 2021.

Zane M. Smith (born June 9, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 38 Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports.

Smith previously drove full-time in the Truck Series for GMS Racing, finishing second in the championship in 2020 and 2021. He also placed runner-up in the 2018 ARCA Racing Series standings for MDM Motorsports. Part-time stints have come in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports and Stadium Super Trucks.

Racing career[]

Early career[]

First racing BMX, Smith moved to go-kart racing in 2004 and won championships in five consecutive years before moving up to legends car racing.[1] He raced super late models in 2015, recording victories in the World Series of Asphalt, Pro All Stars Series and the CARS Tour, as well as garnering a runner-up finish in the Snowball Derby.[2]

ARCA[]

On the heels of his successes racing late models, Smith tested an ARCA Racing Series car with Mason Mitchell Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway in January 2016.[3] A wake skating injury limited Smith's racing slate in early 2016, but he later returned for two ARCA races with Venturini Motorsports.[1] In late summer 2016, Smith left his SLM team in hopes of finding more ARCA experience in 2017.[4]

In late 2016, Smith signed with Venturini to drive all but two races of the 2017 ARCA Racing Series schedule in the organization's No. 55 entry. Noah Gragson was slated to fill the other two races, which Smith couldn't race due to age restrictions.[5] Smith, going for Rookie of the Year honors, joined the same crew that led Dalton Sargeant to the award the previous year.[6] He also drove a partial schedule in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, debuting in the series for Calabrese Motorsports at the beginning of 2017.[7] He also replaced Ryan Partridge for the season opener of the K&N West season after Partridge could not obtain a license in time.[8] Smith was named to the 2017 NASCAR Next class in April 2017.[9] The team and driver agreed to part ways in the middle of August, after eight top-tens in eleven races.[10] Smith later signed on with MDM Motorsports for three races towards the end of the season.[11] The races yielded two poles and as many runner-up finishes.[12]

Smith's 2018 ARCA car

On November 6, 2017, Smith re-signed with MDM for the 2018 season to run full-time in their No. 41 Toyota.[12] He scored his first win in the second race of the season, outlasting teammate Sheldon Creed and bested his three previous runner-up finishes.[13] Two races later, Smith beat Joe Graf Jr. at Talladega Superspeedway in ARCA's closest-ever finish, where the sanctioning body had to use photos to determine who won the race because timing systems scored the margin of victory at .00 seconds.[14] In the next race, Smith went three-wide with Chandler Smith (no relation) and lapped car Mike Basham to take the lead after the midway point of the race[15] and later passed MDM teammate Chase Purdy for the win with less than ten laps to go.[16] Smith secured the victory with the help of 2017 ARCA champion Austin Theriault, who was atop the spotters' box for the win at Toledo Speedway.[17] Also in May 2018, it was announced that Smith for a second straight year returned to the NASCAR Next program.[18] At a race at Salem Speedway late in the season, Smith and Michael Self got together multiple times, eventually causing Smith's radiator to quit working in the middle of the race. Smith returned to the track with a premeditated intention of payback, slowing down until Self passed and burying him in the outside wall. Smith later bragged about the incident in a MAVTV interview.[19] ARCA fined him $5,000 and 100 points, a punishment many in the industry considered too lenient. Xfinity Series driver Scott Heckert worried about drivers' health if purposeful blunt-force collisions are allowed.[20] At the end of the season, Smith was second in point standings, despite the penalty. He later said that he wasn't set on a full-time schedule at the beginning of the year, but ran well enough to sell sponsorship for the remainder of the schedule.[21]

NASCAR[]

In June 2018, Smith announced his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut with DGR-Crosley at Gateway Motorsports Park. The deal came together the week of the race, as Smith had to rush to get all of his licenses prepared in time.[22]

Smith's 2019 Xfinity car

On December 18, 2018, it was announced that Smith would drive the No. 9 JR Motorsports entry in the Xfinity Series for eight races in 2019, most coming at short tracks.[23] The deal came after an agreement for a full Truck Series season with GMS Racing didn't materialize.[21] On January 25, 2019, it was revealed that Smith would switch over to the No. 8 entry as Noah Gragson would take over the No. 9 entry.[24]

Smith joined GMS Racing for the full 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season.[25] On August 7, he won his first career Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway when he passed leader Christian Eckes on the final lap in overtime.[26] He scored his second win two weeks later at Dover International Speedway after holding off Matt Crafton and Brett Moffitt on the final restart.[27] Smith reached the final round as the only non-playoff race winner of the four remaining championship drivers, where he finished runner-up in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway and the standings to GMS teammate Sheldon Creed.[28] In addition to NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors, he was voted the Truck Series' Most Popular Driver.[29]

In May 2021, Smith returned to the Xfinity Series as a substitute driver for Justin Haley, who was unavailable due to COVID-19 protocols, in the No. 11 of Kaulig Racing at Dover.[30]

On November 30, 2021, Smith was announced as the driver of the Front Row Motorsports No. 38 truck in 2022.[31]

Other racing[]

On August 8, 2020, Smith made his Stadium Super Trucks debut at Road America, a day after he won the NASCAR Truck Series race at Michigan; Creed, a two-time SST champion, also competed.[32][33] Smith finished fifth and sixth in the day's two races.[34]

Motorsports career results[]

NASCAR[]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series[]

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts Ref
2019 JR Motorsports 8 Chevy DAY ATL LVS
24 		PHO CAL TEX BRI
11 		RCH
6 		TAL DOV
9 		CLT POC MCH IOW
5 		CHI
17 		DAY KEN NHA IOW
9 		GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR IND LVS RCH
8 		CLT DOV
9 		KAN TEX PHO
5 		HOM 25th 322 [35]
2021 Kaulig Racing 11 Chevy DAY DAY HOM LVS PHO ATL MAR TAL DAR DOV
36 		COA CLT MOH TEX NSH POC ROA ATL NHA GLN IND MCH DAY DAR RCH BRI LVS TAL CLT TEX KAN MAR PHO 103rd 01 [36]

Camping World Truck Series[]

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCWTC Pts Ref
2018 DGR-Crosley 54 Toyota DAY ATL LVS MAR DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW
5 		CHI KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 59th 32 [37]
2020 GMS Racing 21 Chevy DAY
11 		LVS
6 		CLT
3 		ATL
5 		HOM
37 		POC
14 		KEN
7 		TEX
19 		KAN
6 		KAN
9* 		MCH
1 		DAY
13 		DOV
1* 		GTW
7 		DAR
16 		RCH
11 		BRI
16 		LVS
7 		TAL
33 		KAN
11 		TEX
3 		MAR
3 		PHO
2 		2nd 4035 [38]
2021 DAY
16 		DAY
40 		LVS
6 		ATL
6 		BRI
7 		RCH
14 		KAN
7 		DAR
16 		COA
8 		CLT
10 		TEX
6 		NSH
4 		POC
8 		KNX
14 		GLN
6 		GTW
35 		DAR
9 		BRI
8 		LVS
29 		TAL
33 		MAR
1 		PHO
5 		2nd 4032 [39]
2022 Front Row Motorsports 38 Ford DAY LVS ATL COA MAR BRI DAR KAN TEX CLT GTW SON KNO NSH MOH POC IRP RCH KAN BRI TAL HOM PHO -* -*

K&N Pro Series East[]

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2017 43 Toyota NSM
2 		GRE BRI
9 		SBO SBO MEM BLN TMP NHA IOW GLN LGY NJE DOV 25th 77 [40]

ARCA Menards Series[]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AMSC Pts Ref
2016 Venturini Motorsports 66 Toyota DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MAD WIN IOW IRP BLN ISF DSF SLM
9 		CHI 75th 295 [41]
15 KEN
24 		KAN
2017 20 DAY
Wth 		TAL
Wth 		9th 3305 [42]
55 NSH
10 		SLM
6 		TOL
4 		ELK
6 		POC
4
23 		MAD
2 		IOW
13 		IRP
7
3 		WIN
15 		ISF DSF
MDM Motorsports 28 Toyota SLM
2 		CHI
8 KEN
2
41 KAN
3
2018 DAY
26 		NSH
1* 		SLM
2 		TAL
1 		TOL
1 		CLT
5 		POC
3 		MCH
11 		MAD
2
16 		CHI
4 		IOW
4 		ELK
12
1* 		ISF
17 		BLN
2 		DSF
5 		SLM
18 		IRP
6 		KAN
17 		2nd 4680 [43]
2020 17W Chevy DAY PHO
5 		TAL POC IRP KEN IOW KAN TOL MCH DAY GTW I44 TOL BRI MEM ISF KAN 51st 40 [44]
2021 DAY PHO
28 		TAL KAN TOL CLT MOH POC ELK BLN IOW WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW DSF BRI SLM KAN 116th 16 [45]

ARCA Menards Series West[]

ARCA Menards Series West results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 AMSWC Pts Ref
2017 Sunrise Ford Racing 9 Ford TUS
4 		KCR IRW IRW SPO OSS CNS SON IOW EVG DCS MER AAS KCR 40th 40 [46]
2019 17 Chevy LVS IRW TUS TUS CNS SON DCS IOW EVG GTW MER AAS KCR PHO
21 		62nd 23 [47]
2020 17W LVS UMC UMC IRW EVG DCS CNS LVS AAS KCR PHO
26 		34th 68 [48]
2021 PHO
28 		SON
21 		IRW CNS IRW PIR LVS AAS PHO 45th 39 [49]

Stadium Super Trucks[]

(key) (Bold – Pole position. Italics – Fastest qualifier. * – Most laps led.)

Stadium Super Trucks results
Year 1 2 3 4 5 SSTC Pts Ref
2020 ADE ADE ADE ROA
5 		ROA
6 		N/A2 – [50]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
2 Standings were not recorded by the series for the 2020 season

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Newcomer Zane Smith Signs with Venturini Motorsports for ARCA Debut at Kentucky Speedway". Catchfence. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Venturini Motorsports signs Zane Smith for 2017 season". ARCARacing.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Boyd, Gragson & Smith to Participate in ARCA Daytona Test". Speed51.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  4. ^ Blount, Rob. "Super Split-Up: Zane Smith & Crooks Racing Part Ways". Speed51.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Zane Smith Joins Venturini Motorsports for 2017 Season; Pairs with Noah Gragson for Full Season Effort with 55-Toyota Team". The Pit Lane. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  6. ^ Eberly, Brian. "Zane Smith Takes Next Step in Career, Will Drive for Venturini in 2017". Motorsports Tribune. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  7. ^ "VMS Driver Zane Smith Set for NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Debut at New Smyrna Speedway". venturinimotorsports.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  8. ^ Lair, Keith. "Ryan Partridge loses NASCAR West ride due to paperwork". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  9. ^ "NASCAR Unveils 2017-2018 NASCAR Next Class". Speed51.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Zane Smith, Venturini Motorsports part ways". ARCARacing.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Zane Smith joins MDM Motorsports for three ARCA races". ARCAracing.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Zane Smith returns to MDM Motorsports for 2018 ARCA Racing Series season". Catchfence. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  13. ^ Organ, Mike. "Zane Smith wins Music City 200 ARCA Race at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville". The Tennessean. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  14. ^ Radebaugh, Don. "In closest ARCA finish in history, Zane Smith takes Talladega". ARCAracing.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  15. ^ Beaver, Dan. "NASCAR Next Driver Zane Smith Wins Menards 200 at Toledo Speedway". NASCAR Talk. NBC Sports. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  16. ^ "NASCAR Next driver Zane Smith passes fellow Next driver Chase Purdy for ARCA win in Toledo". Autoweek. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  17. ^ Rowland, Kyle. "With help from 2017 series champion, Zane Smith wins third ARCA race since April". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Nine Drivers Named to NASCAR Next Class of 2018". Speed51.com. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  19. ^ Soquet, William. "OPINION: ARCA needs to suspend Zane Smith for the season". LASTCAR.info. Blogger. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  20. ^ "#PETM163 - Talkin' Vegas With @MattWeaverAW". PETMpodcast.com. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  21. ^ a b Albino, Dustin (October 3, 2019). "Eyes On Xfinity: Zane Smith 'Thought I Was Going To Be Done'". Frontstretch. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  22. ^ Eggert, Seth. "Smith Joins DGR-CROSLEY for Truck Series Debut". Motorsports Tribune. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Zane Smith joins JR Motorsports for eight races in 2019". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  24. ^ "JR Motorsports Reshuffles Team Car Numbers Entering 2019". JR Motorsports. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  25. ^ "GMS Racing adds Zane Smith to Gander Trucks roster for 2020". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  26. ^ "Zane Smith scores first NASCAR Truck Series win in overtime at Michigan International Speedway". The Detroit News. AP. August 8, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  27. ^ "Zane Smith takes Dover for 2nd NASCAR Truck Series win in 3 races". ESPN.com. ESPN. Associated Press. August 21, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  28. ^ "Sheldon Creed holds off Huntington Beach's Zane Smith for Truck Series title". Orange County Register. AP. November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  29. ^ "Zane Smith wins Most Popular Driver in Gander Trucks". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  30. ^ "Justin Haley out at Dover due to COVID-19 protocols; Josh Berry, Zane Smith to sub". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  31. ^ "Front Row Motorsports Sets 2022 Lineup; Todd Gilliland Moves to Cup Series". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  32. ^ Nguyen, Justin (August 8, 2020). "Max Gordon leads SST Road America Friday practice, Matt Brabham fastest in qualifying". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  33. ^ Kallmann, Dave (August 10, 2020). "Robby Gordon's high-flying trucks are heading to Wisconsin's off-road mecca". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  34. ^ "2020 Road America Race Results". Stadium Super Trucks. August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  35. ^ "Zane Smith – 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  36. ^ "Zane Smith – 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  37. ^ "Zane Smith – 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  38. ^ "Zane Smith – 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  39. ^ "Zane Smith – 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  40. ^ "Zane Smith – 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  41. ^ "Zane Smith – 2016 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  42. ^ "Zane Smith – 2017 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  43. ^ "Zane Smith – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  44. ^ "Zane Smith – 2020 ARCA Menards Series results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  45. ^ "Zane Smith – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  46. ^ "Zane Smith – 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  47. ^ "Zane Smith – 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  48. ^ "Zane Smith – 2020 ARCA Menards Series West results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  49. ^ "Zane Smith – 2021 ARCA Menards Series West results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  50. ^ "2020 Race Results". Stadium Super Trucks. Retrieved November 25, 2020.

External links[]

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