Zane Smith has earned a multi-year contract extension with Front Row Motorsports, the team confirmed on Thursday.
2025 was Smith's second as a full-time Cup Series driver and his first with the team, and he appears to have stepped up his performance – from 30th in points last year to 27th with two races to go this year.
Smith and the No. 38 are also running the best of FRM's three cars this year, with Todd Gilliland 29th and Noah Gragson 34th, ahead of only rookie Riley Herbst and the hapless Cody Ware among full-time drivers.
The team has been mired in a legal battle with NASCAR for the duration of the season, with they and 23XI Racing stripped of their charter status midway through the year – but that doesn't appear to have dampened Smith's enthusiasm for his new deal.
Zane Smith ready to move on from 'up and down' 2025
In a team statement, the 26-year-old Californian said: “We’ve had an up-and-down year, but heading into the offseason, I feel like we’ve put our program in a great position to hit the ground running in 2026.
"Front Row has always felt like home – the people, both on the road and at the shop, truly make this a special place and I’m excited for what next season holds.”
The team statement added: "Crew Chief Ryan Bergenty, who is entering his fourth year leading the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team, will continue to serve as Crew Chief for Smith in the 2026 season.
"Under Bergenty’s direction, Smith has recorded one top-five and five top-10 finishes this year, highlighted by a third-place run in the Bristol Motor Speedway Night Race."
