Zane Smith was involved in a crash caused by Carson Hocevar on Lap 229 of the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway, ending what had been a hopeful race for Smith. Rather than directing his frustration at Hocevar, Smith directed sharp criticism toward his spotter, blaming the guidance he received during the race for his misfortune.
Smith expressed his anger plainly.
“Gotta quit telling me how to f*cking drive these things, dude. Every time I poke into the middle, we get f*cking wrecked,”
he said, as reported by Steven Taranto of CBS Sports. This incident continued a recent pattern of setbacks for Smith, who was running 23rd at the time before Hocevar’s mishap took him out.
Ongoing Struggles Despite Consistent Performance
Despite a relatively strong debut season driving the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, Zane Smith has faced recurring difficulties finishing races in recent weeks. In the three events leading up to Iowa, he collectively lost nearly 50 positions in the closing laps. Smith had hoped to change that trend at Iowa Speedway, but the crash ended his race prematurely.
Reflecting on his season before the race, Smith acknowledged the positives amid his frustration:
“We gotta look at the positives, and our positives are at least we’re running good,”
he told Dustin Long of NBC Sports.
“We’ve been pretty strong all year, just hard to get talked about when you run 11th through 15th a lot of the race and sneak your way into top 10. It’s tough, but the past few weeks, nothing has been in our control.”
He went on to describe recent setbacks:
“Last week was for sure going to be top-10, top-five day and unfortunately, it was taken from us. Same thing at Dover, we were in such a good position. We were 12th or 13th, I was the first one on four tires, a good restart for us the one before that, and I get right hooked at Dover and our day is ruined. It’s been unfortunate, but like I said, the positive for us is at least we’re running good, and we have speed when it happens.”
Implications for Smith and Front Row Motorsports Moving Forward
The crash at Iowa adds to a frustrating run for Zane Smith, who has demonstrated the speed and skill to run competitively but continues to be undermined by incidents late in races. His pointed criticism of his spotter highlights the pressure drivers face in high-stakes moments and underscores the importance of communication in NASCAR racing.
As Smith and Front Row Motorsports look ahead, addressing these communication issues will be critical to converting consistent running positions into strong finishes. With clear speed evident throughout the season, overcoming these challenges could help Smith unlock his potential for better results in upcoming races.
