Zane Smith, a driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, is facing a setback after receiving a Zane Smith NASCAR penalty just before Sunday’s event at Phoenix Raceway, where he will begin from the rear and serve a pass-through penalty due to unapproved car adjustments. The penalty, issued after the No. 38 team made changes to the car’s underbody, introduces new challenges as Smith aims to build on a promising start to his 2026 season.
Penalty Issued for Unauthorized Car Adjustments
NASCAR delivered news of the infraction through an official social media post, citing the No. 38 Ford’s underbody as the reason for the discipline. The statement confirmed:
“The No. 38 in the NASCAR Cup Series was observed making an unapproved adjustment to the underbody during practice/pre-qualifying adjustments. The vehicle was reinspected prior to practice/qualifying session,”
– NASCAR Communications.
As a result, Will Norris, the car chief for Smith’s team, has been ejected from the Phoenix event. This new development forces Zane Smith to line up last on the grid, swapping his originally qualified 24th position for 37th place. The required pass-through at the beginning of Sunday’s 312-lap Cup Series race means he will likely fall at least one lap behind before even settling into the event.
Early 2026 Performance Shows Smith’s Resilience
Despite this penalty, Zane Smith’s performance in his third full-time NASCAR Cup Series season has shown flashes of potential. The California native started the campaign strong, earning a sixth-place result in the famed Daytona 500, after contending for second as the checkered flag approached. At EchoPark Speedway, he maintained momentum with a seventh-place finish, at one point placing fifth in the Cup Series points standings.
However, Smith faced difficulties at Circuit of The Americas, qualifying in the fourth position but ending up 33rd, which dropped him to 14th in the championship standings. Across his 2026 campaign so far, Smith has secured two top-10 finishes from three races—demonstrating capable driving as he continues to adapt in the uppermost racing division.
Career Growth and the Pursuit of a Victory
Zane Smith advanced into the Cup Series in 2024, joining Spire Motorsports as the driver of the No. 71 Chevrolet. After a season, Smith reunited with Front Row Motorsports—the same team he won the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series title with—to pilot the No. 38 Ford. He has gradually accumulated Cup Series achievements, including three top-five and eleven top-10 finishes throughout his career, with his first top-10 result as a part-time competitor in 2023.
Smith achieved his personal best Cup Series finish in 2024 at Nashville Superspeedway, securing second behind Joey Logano. Before moving to stock car racing’s top tier, Smith tallied nine victories and a championship during his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series tenure, highlighted by four wins and nineteen top-10 finishes in his 2022 campaign.
With eighty-four career Cup starts, Smith’s first win at this level remains elusive. Entering the Phoenix event 14th in overall points, his growth continues to be evident, but the challenge at hand is considerable. In addition to the Zane Smith NASCAR penalty, racing from the back and serving a drive-through will test his resilience against competitors such as Joey Logano, while representing teams like Front Row Motorsports after previous roles with Spire Motorsports.
The Outlook for Zane Smith Amid Penalty
The penalty at Phoenix is a significant obstacle for Smith and his crew as they attempt to maintain momentum early in the season. With his car chief Will Norris out for the event, and the knowledge that losing a lap is almost certain, Smith must draw on the consistency displayed in his previous runs if he hopes to recover and stay competitive in points. Phoenix Raceway now becomes an important early test in this Cup Series campaign for Smith, his Front Row Motorsports team, and their ongoing quest for that elusive first victory at NASCAR’s highest level.
The No. 38 in the NASCAR Cup Series was observed making an unapproved adjustment to the underbody during practice/pre-qualifying adjustments. The vehicle was reinspected prior to practice/qualifying session.
The No. 38 car chief (Will Norris) has been ejected from the Phoenix…— NASCAR Communications (@NASCAR_Comms) March 7, 2026
