Zane Michael Smith Bio
Zane Michael Smith is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports. He is the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, a milestone he achieved while driving for FRM. Smith previously competed full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series for GMS Racing, finishing as the championship runner-up in both 2020 and 2021.
Earlier in his career, Smith finished second in the 2018 ARCA Racing Series standings while driving for MDM Motorsports. He has also made part-time appearances in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports and Kaulig Racing, and competed in Stadium Super Trucks. Born on June 9, 1999, in Huntington Beach, California, Smith has established himself as one of the most versatile young drivers across NASCAR’s national series.
Early Life and Background
Zane Michael Smith was born in Huntington Beach, California, to Mike Smith and Debbie Smith. His father, Mike Smith, runs the professional off-road racing team Herbst-Smith Fabrication, an organization whose trucks have won the Baja 1000 more than ten times. Growing up immersed in a racing environment shaped Smith’s passion for motorsports from an early age.
Smith began his racing career with Racing Snails before transitioning to go-karting in 2004. He dominated karting competition for five consecutive years, winning championships in each season. He then advanced to legends car racing before stepping up to super late models in 2015, a move that marked his arrival as a nationally recognized talent.
Path to NASCAR
Smith’s breakthrough season came in 2015, when he captured the World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model championship, won races in the Pro All Stars Series and CARS Super Late Model Tour, and finished as runner-up in the prestigious Snowball Derby. That year also earned him the CARS Super Late Model Tour Rookie of the Year honor, validating his status as one of the top young late model drivers in the country.
In January 2016, Smith tested an ARCA Menards Series car with Mason Mitchell Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway. A wakeskating injury sidelined him early that year, but he returned to run two ARCA races with Venturini Motorsports. He parted ways with his super late model team by late summer 2016 to focus on ARCA opportunities for 2017. In April 2017, he was named to the NASCAR Next program, which identifies and promotes the sport’s most promising emerging talent.
Zane Michael Smith Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Smith dominated the super late model ranks in 2015, winning the World Series of Asphalt and claiming victories in multiple premier touring series. In 2017, he signed with Venturini Motorsports to drive the majority of the ARCA Racing Series schedule, earning eight top-ten finishes in eleven races and a second consecutive NASCAR Next selection. He also made partial starts in the K&N Pro Series East and West that season. In 2018, he joined MDM Motorsports for a full ARCA season, capturing his first career ARCA victory and a historic win at Talladega Superspeedway in a finish so close it was decided by photo evidence. Despite a mid-season penalty for an on-track incident, he finished second in the 2018 ARCA season standings and made his Truck Series debut with DGR-Crosley at Gateway, finishing fifth.
GMS Racing Truck Series Era (2020–2021)
Smith joined GMS Racing for the full 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season. He earned his first career Truck Series victory on August 7, 2020, at Michigan, overtaking Christian Eckes on the final lap in overtime. Two weeks later he won again at the KDI Office Technology 200, holding off Matt Crafton and Brett Moffitt on the final restart. He advanced to the championship round as the only non-playoff race winner among the final four drivers, ultimately finishing runner-up to teammate Sheldon Creed. He was recognized with NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors and voted the Truck Series Most Popular Driver.
In 2021, Smith returned to GMS and secured his third career Truck Series victory at the United Rentals 200, a result that clinched his spot in the Championship 4 race at Phoenix. At the season finale, he was passed with eight laps remaining and finished fifth, placing second in the championship standings behind Ben Rhodes. He also made a substitute Xfinity Series start for Kaulig Racing at Dover, driving the No. 11 car after Justin Haley was sidelined by COVID-19 protocols.
Front Row Motorsports Era (2022)
On November 30, 2021, Smith was announced as the driver of the No. 38 truck for Front Row Motorsports in the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. He began the year with a victory at Daytona International Speedway, his fourth career Truck Series win. After a post-race disqualification at Las Vegas, he rebounded with a fifth-place finish at Atlanta and then dominated the Circuit of the Americas race, winning both stages and the event. He clinched the regular-season Truck Series championship after the CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono Raceway and capped the year by winning the championship race at Phoenix on November 4, 2022, capturing his first NASCAR Truck Series title and delivering Front Row Motorsports its first-ever NASCAR championship.
On June 2, 2022, Smith made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Gateway, replacing RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher, who was sidelined by COVID-19. Starting 32nd, Smith finished 17th and on the lead lap, an impressive result given the circumstances.
Driving Style and Strengths
Smith developed his craft primarily in super late model competition on the West Coast, which forged a versatile skill set adaptable to nearly every track type. He has shown particular strength at superspeedways, road courses, and short tracks across ARCA and the Truck Series. His racecraft includes a patient late-race approach and the ability to capitalize on opportunities created by others’ mistakes, as demonstrated in his overtime and late-race victories.
Notable Races and Milestones
Smith’s 2018 Talladega Superspeedway ARCA win, decided by a photo finish with a recorded margin of 0.00 seconds, stands as one of the closest finishes in ARCA history. His 2022 Daytona Truck Series season-opening victory launched the championship campaign that defined his career to date. The 2022 Truck Series championship at Phoenix marked the first NASCAR title in Front Row Motorsports history. His career-best Cup Series finish of second place at Nashville in 2024 represented his first career top-five in the series.
Zane Michael Smith Career Wins
Zane Michael Smith has accumulated victories across super late model, ARCA Menards Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition. His nine career Truck Series wins and the 2022 series championship represent the most significant accomplishments of his professional racing career to date.
Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Smith has nine career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victories. He earned his first win on August 7, 2020, at Michigan International Speedway, passing Christian Eckes on the final lap in overtime. He added wins at Gateway in 2021, Daytona in 2022, and Circuit of the Americas in 2022, where he dominated by winning both stages. The 2022 championship at Phoenix was the culmination of a season in which he also won at Pocono to clinch the regular-season title.
Other Wins and Performances
Before his Truck Series career, Smith won the 2018 ARCA Menards Series race at Madison International Speedway and a second ARCA event at Talladega Superspeedway in one of the closest finishes in series history. In 2015, he won the World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model championship, along with races in the Pro All Stars Series and CARS Super Late Model Tour, and finished second in the Snowball Derby.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craftsman Truck Series | 9 | — | — |
| ARCA Menards Series | 2 | — | — |
Zane Michael Smith Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Zane Michael Smith was born to Mike Smith and Debbie Smith in Huntington Beach, California. His father, Mike Smith, is the owner of Herbst-Smith Fabrication, a professional off-road racing team whose trucks have won the Baja 1000 more than ten times. The family’s deep involvement in motorsports provided Smith with exposure to high-level racing environments from childhood.
Personal Life
Smith is married to McCall Gaulding, the younger sister of fellow race car driver Gray Gaulding. The marriage connects Smith to another prominent racing family, further embedding him within the motorsports community. Smith maintains an active presence on social media, connecting with fans through his verified accounts on X and Instagram.
2025 Season Performance
On January 2, 2025, Front Row Motorsports announced that Zane Michael Smith would return to the team as driver of the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The return to Front Row Motorsports represented a homecoming for Smith, who had won the 2022 Truck Series championship driving for the same organization. The season began with a 36th-place DNF at the Daytona 500, but Smith showed competitive speed throughout the year, earning his first career Cup Series pole position at Talladega Superspeedway in the spring race.
Smith scored three top-ten finishes during the 2025 regular season but ultimately missed the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs after finishing 28th in regular season points. During the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway in the fall, Smith’s car was involved in a dramatic barrel-rolling crash after contact with John Hunter Nemechek in overtime. The car lifted, made contact with the outside wall on its driver’s side, and fully overturned before landing upright. Smith exited under his own power and was not injured in the incident.
