Zane Smith currently has no seat in 2025 after Trackhouse Racing announced Friday that he will not return to the racing team.
Smith, 25, hasn’t even completed a full season at Trackhouse yet, but the team has seen enough to make the difficult decision. Shane van Gisbergen is moving up to the Cup Series and will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet in 2025.
Where Smith ends up with this remains to be seen, as there are only so many potential opportunities he can take. That being said, Smith believes in Denny Hamlin, who has always given him advice during his tenure. NASCAR career. Hamlin said on the Actions Detrimental podcast on Sunday that he believes Smith’s best side has yet to be seen and he hopes he gets another chance in the Cup Series.
“I think he’s talented enough that he’ll get a good chance. A chance to win somewhere,” Hamlin said. “I hope it’s in the Cup.”
Denny Hamlin hopeful Zane Smith gets another chance in the Cup Series
Smith, then one of the sport’s rising talents, signed a multi-year deal with Trackhouse last September. He won a Truck Series championship in 2022 and has been impressive in his select starts in the Cup and Xfinity Series.
Things just haven’t worked out for Smith this season while driving the No. 71 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in partnership with Trackhouse. He currently sits 33rd in the points standings, although results have been better recently. Since the Nashville race in June, Smith has finished in the top 20 in five of seven races. That includes a second-place finish at Nashville and a P7 run at Michigan.
Hamlin is encouraged by Smith’s development throughout the season and still sees a lot of potential in him.
“This is a new car, a new team, which was a mid-level team at the time,” Hamlin said. “What are your expectations, right? But I think he’s taken it to the next level from what I’ve seen. This after having a little bit of experience now, halfway through the season. He’s already turned the corner and is twice as good as he was at the beginning of the season. So what’s he going to do in a year? In two years? I think he’s got quite a bit of potential. I think he’ll be discovered by someone who recognizes that.”
