Zane Smith‘s race recap from Circuit of The Americas (COTA) saw him facing difficulties throughout the event, including a tough stretch that ultimately resulted in a 33rd place finish. The Zane Smith race recap highlights early promise, but late misfortune left him outside contention and searching for answers ahead of Phoenix.
Strong Start, Sudden Trouble in the Field
Despite beginning Stage One in the 13th spot and fighting handling issues, Smith managed to climb into the top ten during the day. He described his car as loose and lacking rear grip, which presented immediate challenges as the laps unfolded. His momentum was halted during a chaotic restart at Turn 1, where he became an unintended victim.
“Tough day overall,” said Smith.
“Started off really loose, chattering the tires, just no rear grip. Worked on it all day, got inside the top ten and thought we would manage a decent points day and just got cleaned out in Turn 1 on a restart. Thankfully we got off to a hot start in points, and I believe we can rebound from this weekend at Phoenix where we had some good speed last season.”
– Zane Smith, Driver
Mixed Results for Teammates in Austin
Smith was not the only Front Row Motorsports driver to face obstacles at COTA. Todd Gilliland encountered his own difficulties, finishing 21st after a mishap on pit road, although he gained valuable points in Stage Two where he finished fourth. Gilliland reflected on the effort and room for improvement as the team focuses on Phoenix.
“While it’s not where we want to be, it’s nice to have finished a race,”
said Gilliland.
“We struggled with overall handling and had a mishap on pit road, but we were still able to finish Stage Two with some points and brought home a top-25. There’s some things we need to clean up before Phoenix, but I’m confident we can continue to chip away at the points gap.”
– Todd Gilliland, Driver
Noah Gragson, another competitor in the field, battled all day after a rough start from the hauler on Saturday. His 22nd-place result came after adjustments and perseverance, with an eye toward regrouping for the next event.
“It was a battle all weekend,”
said Gragson.
“We didn’t hit on what we needed off the hauler on Saturday and had to take some swings to make it better during the race. Not the finish we hoped for, but I was proud that we kept fighting throughout the day. We will move on and get ready for Phoenix next week.”
– Noah Gragson, Driver
Looking Ahead to Phoenix
Although Zane Smith’s day at COTA ended in disappointment with a 33rd-place finish, his solid start to the season in points provides hope as the series shifts to Phoenix. The team recalls past speed at Phoenix, and the focus now turns to executing a clean race weekend. Meanwhile, drivers like Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson will also seek stronger finishes after overcoming adversity in Texas. The learnings from COTA, including pit road errors and setup adjustments, will guide preparation for the next race, as each team aims to close gaps and return to form.
