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Front Row Motorsports officially exercised their team options on current drivers Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland for next season. That leaves out 2022 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Zane Smith, who was predicted by many to land a seat at Front Row next season. Now, the question becomes where can Zane Smith go next?
This is the path of least resistance for Zane Smith. He signed a contract extension with the team in 2022. Candice Spencer reports that this extension puts Smith under contract with the team through 2026. Moving back to the Truck Series with Front Row would mean there would not have to be a negotiation to get Smith out of a contract.
It would also mean another season in the Craftsman Truck Series. Smith definitely would like to move up to the Cup Series, and Jordan Bianchi reports that Smith is still looking at his options for 2024. With that being said, it is hard to say no to being in winning contention every single week, and he could do that at Front Row in the Truck Series.
John Hunter Nemechek is reportedly being considered for a ride at Legacy Motor Club next season with the organization’s move to Toyota. If that seat opens up, then Smith has a great opportunity to move up a series with a top-tier organization.
This would require a switch in manufacturers, however. That could be a struggle for Smith to overcome, especially considering that Toyota already has a pipeline that they like to take their drivers through in the Truck Series. However, it is an opportunity Smith would likely not want to pass up should it come across his doorstep.
JR Motorsports is the most prominent seat open in the Xfinity Series right now. It seemed that Carson Hocevar was the favorite to land that seat, but, nothing has officially been said about it. Does Hocevar have the funding to go to JRM?
If he does not, then Smith could be an option. However, Smith also has the question of whether or not he has enough funding to compete at that level. Add to that the wrinkle of the manufacturer switch, and it could throw a wrench in this scenario.
Kaulig Racing is an open seat in the Cup Series that Smith could find some success in. It is about equal to the type of ride he would get at Front Row with a team that continues to work their way upwards in the Cup Series.
The issue once again becomes funding, the manufacturer, and the pipeline. Kaulig already has an Xfinity Series team, and would they want to bring in a driver with uncertain funding to jump over their Xfinity drivers? Aside from that, there is the obvious manufacturer switch that plagues many of these scenarios for Smith.
This would be the ideal scenario for Zane Smith. Tony Stewart likes to bring in drivers who work their way up and may not have the funding or connections that others may have. Josh Berry is the perfect example of this.
The biggest problem is that there is no guarantee that the seat is open. Aric Almirola is mulling retirement, and he could potentially bring a major sponsor with him away from SHR. Would SHR be willing to find a good chunk of funding for a second car aside from Josh Berry?
The options are there for Smith, but it seems that a lot has to go right for any of these options to actually come to fruition. Where will Zane Smith go in 2024?
