NASCAR News: Front Row Motorsports announce important driver signing after court case concludes

Front Row Motorsports has confirmed the signing of a driver expected to contend for a championship in 2026.

Chandler Smith made the Truck Series playoffs in his first season with the team in 2025, and has now been given the chance to go one better next year.

Smith made the postseason thanks to a pair of race wins, both at the short tracks of Bristol and North Wilkesboro, and impressed with a consistency which saw him take top-10 finishes in 16 of 25 races.

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Chandler Smith excited for Front Row Motorsports return

In a press release on Tuesday, Smith said: “It’s incredible what this group accomplished in just one season. When I came to Front Row on such short notice, no one expected us to make a playoff run – but this team never backed down.

"The work, the belief, and the effort they put in made all the difference. I’m excited for what’s ahead and confident in what we can achieve together.”

Jon Leonard will also return to as Smith's crew chief, and he added: “I’m looking forward to working with Chandler (Smith) again. We have a mutual trust for each other; we just click.

"He knows what he needs out of the truck to be better and he communicates that well. That level of clarity makes my job easier, and together I think we can build something strong right out of the gate.”

Front Row Motorsports secure after NASCAR legal battle

FRM had its future as a team assured last week when NASCAR made a number of concessions to its teams in order to settle the legal case which FRM and 23XI Racing had brought against them.

Had the teams lost their case when it went to court this month, it was expected that they would have had to wind up operations within the year – certainly in the Cup Series, and likely in totality.

The team's other Truck Series driver for 2026 is Smith's fellow driver Layne Riggs, who took three wins (including one at Bristol in the postseason) and matched his team-mate's 16 top-10 finishes.