Zane Smith Bio
Zane Michael Smith, born on June 9, 1999, is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports. Smith is the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, a title he captured while driving for Front Row Motorsports.
Over the course of his career, Smith has earned a reputation as a versatile driver with success across multiple NASCAR national and regional series. He has finished as the Truck Series championship runner-up in both 2020 and 2021 and has also made part-time appearances in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports. In addition, he has competed in the Stadium Super Trucks series.
Early Life and Background
Zane Michael Smith was born on June 9, 1999, in Huntington Beach, California. He grew up in a family with deep ties to motorsports, which helped shape his early interest in racing. His father, Mike Smith, runs the professional off-road racing team Herbst-Smith Fabrication, a team whose trucks have won the Baja 1000 more than ten times. His mother is Debbie Smith.
Smith began his competitive racing journey with Racing Snails before transitioning to go-karting in 2004. He quickly found success at that level, dominating local competition and winning championships for five consecutive years. That early string of titles helped him build a strong foundation in race craft and vehicle control.
From karting, Smith moved into legends car racing before stepping up to super late models in 2015. That year proved to be a breakout, as he captured victories in the World Series of Asphalt, the Pro All Stars Series, and the CARS Tour, while also finishing as runner-up in the prestigious Snowball Derby. Those results established him as one of the most promising young talents in short-track racing.
Path to NASCAR
Smith’s transition toward NASCAR began in 2016, when he tested an ARCA Menards Series car with Mason Mitchell Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway. A wakeskating injury limited his schedule that season, but he still managed to compete in two ARCA races with Venturini Motorsports. The following year, he signed with Venturini to drive the majority of the 2017 ARCA schedule, posting eight top-ten finishes in eleven starts.
In April 2017, Smith was named to the NASCAR Next class, a development program that highlights promising young drivers. He also ran partial schedules in the K&N Pro Series East and West that season, gaining valuable experience on a variety of track types. By the end of 2017, he had moved to MDM Motorsports, where he earned two poles and two runner-up finishes in three ARCA races.
Smith returned to MDM Motorsports for a full-time ARCA campaign in 2018 and was again named to the NASCAR Next class. That June, he made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut with DGR-Crosley at Gateway Motorsports Park, qualifying tenth and finishing an impressive fifth. The strong showing confirmed his readiness to climb NASCAR’s national series ladder.
Zane Smith Career
Early Career (2015-2017)
Smith’s early career was defined by steady progress through the short-track ranks. In 2015, he won the World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model championship, the Pro All Stars Series title, and the CARS Super Late Model Tour Rookie of the Year award. He also earned the CARS Super Late Model Tour Rookie of the Year honor that same year, cementing his status as a rising star in late model racing.
After testing an ARCA car at Daytona in 2016, Smith joined Venturini Motorsports for a near-full ARCA schedule in 2017. He posted eight top-ten finishes in eleven races before splitting with the team midseason. He finished the year with MDM Motorsports, collecting two poles and two runner-up finishes in his final three ARCA starts of the season.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2018-2022)
Smith made his Truck Series debut in 2018 with DGR-Crosley at Gateway, finishing fifth. He joined GMS Racing for the full 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season and quickly delivered. On August 7, 2020, he earned his first career Truck Series victory at the Henry Ford Health System 200 at Michigan, passing Christian Eckes on the final lap in overtime. He added a second win two weeks later at the KDI Office Technology 200 and advanced to the championship round as the only non-playoff race winner among the final four. Smith finished second in the standings to teammate Sheldon Creed and earned both the Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver awards.
In 2021, Smith returned to GMS Racing and clinched a spot in the Championship 4 with his third career Truck Series win at the United Rentals 200. He finished fifth in the finale at Phoenix and again placed second in the championship standings, this time behind Ben Rhodes. He also made a one-off Xfinity Series start that May for Kaulig Racing as a substitute for Justin Haley.
On November 30, 2021, Front Row Motorsports announced that Smith would drive the No. 38 truck for the 2022 Truck Series season. He opened the year with a victory at Daytona and added a second win at Circuit of the Americas, where he swept both stages. After the CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono, he clinched the regular-season championship. He then won the championship race at Phoenix on November 4, 2022, earning his first NASCAR national series title and delivering Front Row Motorsports its first-ever NASCAR championship.
NASCAR Cup Series Era (2022-Present)
Smith made his Cup Series debut on June 2, 2022, replacing COVID-19 positive RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher at Gateway. He started 32nd and finished 17th on the lead lap. He continued to make select Cup starts with Front Row Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing in 2023, including a 13th-place run in the 2023 Daytona 500.
On September 16, 2023, Smith signed a multi-year deal with Trackhouse Racing, with plans to drive Spire Motorsports’ third team in 2024 before moving to a third Trackhouse entry in 2025. His 2024 Cup season started with eighteen consecutive finishes outside the top ten, but he broke through at Nashville with a career-best second-place finish to Joey Logano. Despite the momentum, Smith parted ways with Trackhouse and Spire on August 23, 2024, ending the year with two top-five finishes and four top-tens.
On January 2, 2025, Front Row Motorsports announced that Smith would return to the team to drive the No. 38 Ford Dark Horse Mustang for 2025. He began the year with a 36th-place DNF at the Daytona 500 but scored his first career Cup Series pole at Talladega in the spring. He added three top-ten finishes but missed the playoffs after ending the regular season 28th in points.
Driving Style and Strengths
Smith has built much of his reputation on short tracks and road courses, where precise braking and consistent lap times are essential. His Truck Series title run highlighted an ability to manage long runs and capitalize on late-race restarts. Working with crew chief Ryan Bergenty, he has continued to refine his feedback and race craft at the Cup level.
Notable Races and Milestones
Smith’s signature moments include his first Truck Series win at Michigan in 2020, his 2022 Truck Series title-clinching victory at Phoenix, and his career-best Cup Series finish of second at Nashville in 2024. He also won the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge event at Daytona with teammate Harrison Burton and earned a Stadium Super Trucks top-five at Road America in 2020.
Zane Smith Career Wins
Across NASCAR’s national and regional series, Smith has accumulated a strong and growing list of victories. His nine Truck Series wins include the 2022 series championship, while he also captured four ARCA Menards Series victories during his 2018 breakout season.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Smith’s first Truck Series win came at Michigan in 2020, and his most recent series victory was the XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas in 2023. He swept the 2022 Truck Series regular-season championship and the overall title, becoming the first champion in Front Row Motorsports history. Across his Truck Series career, he has recorded 9 wins, 61 top-tens, and 3 poles.
Other Wins and Performances
Smith has four career ARCA Menards Series wins, with his first coming at the 2018 Music City 200 and his most recent at the 2018 ModSpace 150 at Pocono. He also captured the 2015 World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model championship and recorded a top-five in his Stadium Super Trucks debut at Road America in 2020.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 9 | 61 | 3 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 4 | 26 | 3 |
| NASCAR Cup Series | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Zane Smith Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Smith was born to Mike and Debbie Smith in Huntington Beach, California. His father, Mike Smith, runs Herbst-Smith Fabrication, a professional off-road racing team whose trucks have won the Baja 1000 more than ten times. That family connection to off-road racing helped shape Smith’s path into competitive motorsports from an early age.
Personal Life
Smith is married to McCall Gaulding, the younger sister of fellow race car driver Gray Gaulding. He stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and continues to make his home in the United States while traveling the NASCAR circuit.
2025 Season Performance
Smith’s 2025 Cup Series season began with a return to Front Row Motorsports, where he drives the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. He opened the year with a 36th-place DNF at the Daytona 500 but quickly bounced back with his first career Cup Series pole at Talladega in the spring. He posted three top-ten finishes during the regular season.
Despite those highlights, Smith missed the 2025 Cup Series playoffs after finishing 28th in the regular-season standings. A dramatic moment came during the fall race at Kansas, when his car overturned in an overtime incident with John Hunter Nemechek. Smith exited under his own power and was uninjured, and Front Row Motorsports continued to back him through the closing races of the year.
Working with crew chief Ryan Bergenty, Smith has focused on building consistency and turning strong qualifying efforts into stronger race-day results. With multi-year stability at Front Row Motorsports, he is positioned to chase his first career Cup Series victory and a return to playoff contention in the seasons ahead.
