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Zane Smith speaks out about parting ways with Trackhouse Racing

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•08/23/24•

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Zane Smith
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After parting ways with Trackhouse Racing, Zane Smith is speaking out. He released a statement on social media Friday night about the decision.

Smith will finish out the season with Trackhouse, but will not return in 2025. He is rumored to be a favorite to return to Front Row Motorsports to drive one of their three Cup Series cars.

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In his statement, Smith expressed his disappointment about the situation and said he’s working to finalize plans for next season. He also shouted out the Cup team for its work and strong showing over the last 10 races.

“Obviously, I am disappointed that I’ve been put in a tough spot,” Smith wrote. “I am diligently exploring quality driving opportunities and hope to quickly wrap up my plans for next year. Meanwhile, kudos to our #71 Cup team. We’ve turned our year around this summer with six top-20 finishes in the last ten races, which includes a top-10 last weekend and a runner-up finish in Nashville.

“With more determination than ever, I will continue to do what I know best and that is to work hard, race my heart out and prove myself. Thank you to everyone that has and continues to stand behind me.”

Smith is coming off a Top-10 finish at Michigan last week, coming in seventh in the FireKeepers Casino 400. His best showing came in Nashville, where he finished second only behind Joey Logano in the Ally 400.

In its statement Friday night, Trackhouse said Smith will have the ability to look for other opportunities right away. They also confirmed he will finish out the season.

“Trackhouse Racing and Zane Smith have mutually agreed to separate at the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, allowing the 25-year-old former NASCAR Truck Series champion to immediately accept other opportunities,” the statement read. “Smith drives the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in an alliance with Trackhouse Racing and will continue for the remainder of this season.”

Front Row could be a strong option for Smith. In fact, general manager Jerry Freeze spoke highly of their relationship last month and left the door open if he was the odd man out at Trackhouse.

“We’ve still got really fond feelings for Zane. He did a phenomenal job for two years with our Truck team,” Freeze said. “I think a year ago if we had a third charter, it would be a no-brainer Zane Smith would have been driving the third car. I think that’s what Bob [Jenkins] was really wishing for and hoping for last year at this time. But we didn’t and we invested a couple of years in Todd [Gilliland] and thought it was getting ready to pay off. I think we were right in that regard.

“If Zane were to be a free agent for next year, I think that’s something that we would certainly be interested in for sure. I don’t know if he is, but we really believe in Zane’s talent, and I think he’s going to be a star. Everybody’s gotta go through that learning curve in the Cup Series. He’s no different than Todd was or Austin Cindric or some of the other guys. I think he’s a star in the making.”