Zane Smith is making a return to Front Row Motorsports. The team recently confirmed that Smith will be driving their third NASCAR Cup Series car starting in 2025. This announcement follows the team’s confirmation of purchasing a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing, a transaction currently entangled in a legal dispute with NASCAR over a new charter agreement.
Smith, who is 25 years old, claimed the 2022 Truck Series championship with Front Row Motorsports, securing four wins and finishing in the top 10 in 19 of 23 races that season. His final victory of the year occurred during the championship round of winners.
After continuing in the Truck Series for 2023, Smith advanced to the Cup Series in 2024 with Spire Motorsports. Although he initially signed with Trackhouse Racing, Smith was loaned to Spire’s third car. When Trackhouse expanded to three cars for 2025, adding Shane Van Gisbergen, Smith became a free agent at the season’s end.
Smith finished 30th in the rankings, achieving two top-five and five top-ten finishes. Before knowing he would become a free agent, he had only one top-ten finish that season.
Front Row Motorsports has expanded back to three cars after fielding two in recent seasons. In 2025, Smith will join Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson in the lineup, with Michael McDowell moving to Spire Motorsports. Gragson joined Front Row after Stewart-Haas Racing closed at the end of 2024.
Both Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing attempted to buy charters from Stewart-Haas Racing, but those sales remain uncertain due to lawsuits filed against NASCAR over franchise agreements. These two teams were the only ones that did not sign new charter agreements before the previous contracts expired at the close of 2024.
Because they didn’t sign the new contract, Front Row was initially unable to complete their charter purchase. However, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in 2025, allowing them to temporarily compete as charter teams and proceed with their purchases while legal battles with NASCAR unfold.
Fan Take: This development is a significant boost for Front Row Motorsports and Zane Smith, signaling an exciting expansion and fresh competition in the NASCAR Cup Series. For fans, it means more dynamic racing action and evolving team rivalries that could shape the sport’s future landscape.
