NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Zane Smith has confirmed that he will driver in the Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in 2025.
Smith made his full-time season debut in the Cup Series in 2024, driving a broadly forgettable season for Spire Motorsports, although he did claim an impressive second place in the dramatic Ally 400 at the Nashville Superspeedway.
The 25-year-old will join Noah Gragson and Todd Gilliland as FRM's drivers for this year, after the team purchased a third charter from Stewart-Haas Racing despite their ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR.
Ryan Bergenty, Gilliland's crew chief for the 2024 season, will head up Smith's crew for 2025.
In a statement, Smith said: “I’ve always felt at home with Front Row Motorsports. They believed in me when I signed with them to race in the Truck Series initially in 2022 and we shared so much success together, winning six races and a championship in two seasons.
"Unfortunately, everyone had to make tough decisions because there were only two Cup cars available at Front Row Motorsports going into last season when I was ready to move up full-time.
“Now, going into next year, Front Row has really taken their Cup program to another level and I cannot think of a better line up of teammates. Todd and Noah are great friends of mine and we all have a lot to prove as young drivers in the Cup Series. It is a great time to come back and continue to build my career with an organization where I know I can win.
“I want to thank Bob (owner, Bob Jenkins), Jerry (general manager, Jerry Freeze) and Mark Rushbrook at Ford for making this happen. I know that we can win together in the Cup Series like we did in the Truck Series. It’s a great time to come back as we continue to make FRM even better.”