“I Almost Didn’t Have Anything”- Days After Sealing SVG’s NASCAR Fate, Zane Smith Brought to Tears by Justin Marks

Expect the unexpected—this adage seems to encompass the basic essence of the 2023 Cup Series season of NASCAR. Apart from witnessing the dominance of the established teams, the underdogs in NASCAR have delivered impeccable performances throughout the season. Whether it was Michael McDowell clinching a victory at Indianapolis or Chris Buescher notching two consecutive victories, the ongoing NASCAR season has kept its audiences on edge.

However, it was not just Front Row Motorsports or RFK Racing that struck a chord among the NASCAR community; the Trackhouse Racing team, which is still in its nascent stage, has been the talk of the town. A team that is led not only by the notion of victory but by a vision has once again sent shockwaves through the world of stock car racing with its recent announcement.

Trackhouse Racing Team, which is co-owned by Justin Marks, a former motorsports driver and popstar Pitbull, has assuredly set the tone for inclusivity in NASCAR. The team has grabbed the attention of the media and other teams, given the notoriety of Ross Chastain and their emerging street course racer Daniel Suarez, and has been at the center of the limelight since the inaugural race in Chicago. The reason was that their Project 91 driver, Shane Van Gisbergen, a Supercars champion, had notched the first victory in his debut race.

Trackouse Racing takes the NASCAR community by surprise with its new announcement

Moreover, the Kiwi champion returned to the team for a second stint and drove at Indianapolis, thus igniting speculation of the driver joining NASCAR as a full-time driver in the upcoming season. Lo and behold! The conjectures materialized when the team announced that it had signed van Gisbergen for the 2024 season in a developmental program. The team would help SVG run selective Cup Series races, Xfinity races, and truck races, along with the late model series.

However, the surprises did not end there for NASCAR enthusiasts, as Justin Marks’ team delivered another announcement that took the fandom aback. The Trackhouse Racing team signed Truck Series champion Zane Smith to a multi-year contract, starting with the 2024 season. Smith will be loaned to Spire Motorsports, which purchased a charter from Live Fast Motorsport for $40 million. The reason behind this alliance is that the Trackhouse Racing team has already set its two-car lineup for the next season, and it is also part of the ambition of the team to house a three-car team.

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Nevertheless, the announcement glistened the eyes of Zane Smith who in a media interview exclaimed as his voice choked, “This just means the world to me. I almost didn’t have anything (job) a couple of years ago. It was 365 days ago, I sat at Bob Evans with a very close friend and he asked me where I wanted to race one day. I think he expected maybe a different answer, but my answer was ‘Trackhouse’ and almost 365 days later I signed a contract with them.”

Speaking on the recent announcement, co-owner Justin Marks expressed, “We can’t rush it and we didn’t want to throw it together late. It just has to be a process that’s going to take course over some time. A third team takes time and it takes a lot of money. It makes sense for us to put Zane in an established team where he can focus on the driving and we can focus on everything we can to support him over there.”

Smith, who had his fair share of experience racing in the Cup Series, also finished 10th in the Crown Jewel race of NASCAR, the Coca-Cola 600.

Jubilant fans show their support for Zane Smith

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The news surely surprised NASCAR enthusiasts; however, they were more than elated to see Smith able to rise up to the elite format of the sport. Fans took the opportunity to congratulate the driver and send their best wishes.

Many wrote, “When dreams and hopes come to reality, is be like that sometimes.”

“Really happy for Zane! He has worked hard to get where he is at & the emotions show how much he cares.”

“It’s why we love you @ZaneSmith! You’ve worked for everything you’ve got! Futures bright & hope you smoke em!”

Others also wrote, “Gotta love the humility of @ZaneSmith . Congrats to @McCallKelli for supporting him along the way.”

“Zane has worked for everything he has in racing. Extremely deserving of that ride.”

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With the stage set for the upcoming season, it will be interesting to see how these new faces fare in the highest format of NASCAR. Will they be able to translate their past success and carve their name, or is it too early to gamble on the drivers? Well, only time holds the answer.