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Zane Smith and Chandler Smith are two of NASCAR's up-and-coming drivers. Despite sharing the same last name, the two aren't related.
Zane pilots the #71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series while Chandler most recently wheeled the #81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Xfinity Series. Here, we'll take a look at both of their respective careers and how they've reached the top levels of NASCAR.
Zane Smith
Zane Smith first burst onto to the scene in NASCAR in 2019 and made 10 starts in the Xfinity Series behind the wheel of the #8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The Huntington Beach, California native posted seven top 10 finishes and two top five finishes in the part-time campaign. The following year, Smith joined GMS Racing to compete full-time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
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In 2020, Smith won two races at Michigan and Dover, respectively, and posted a runner-up finish in the points standings after making an appearance in the Championship 4 race. The following year, Smith again finished runner-up in the Truck Series after making another Championship 4 appearance and winning the penultimate race of the season at Martinsville.
Smith moved to Front Row Motorsports ahead of the 2022 season and found immediate success behind the wheel of the #38 truck. He won the season-opening race at Daytona, followed by two more wins at Circuit of the Americas and Kansas, and then won the championship race at Phoenix to become the 2022 champion. In 2023, Smith again won the season-opener at Daytona and at Circuit of the Americas later in the year. However, he was unable to defend his 2022 title and finished seventh in the points standings.
Smith moved up to the Cup Series in 2024 to drive the #71 Spire Motorsports machine. He posted four top 10s and two top fives in his rookie season, including a second-place effort at the Nashville Superspeedway. His teammate, Carson Hocevar, won the Rookie of the Year award. Smith is set to be back behind the wheel of the #71 car in 2025.
Chandler Smith
Chandler Smith broke onto the NASCAR in 2019 when he raced part-time in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports. The Georgia native made four starts and started on the pole in his first career race at the Iowa Speedway.
Smith made 12 more starts for KBM in 2020 and posted five top 10s and five top fives. However, he still failed to win a race. That changed in 2021 as he notched a victory at the Bristol Motor Speedway. He then won again in the season-finale race at Phoenix, but because he didn't qualify for the Championship 4, Smith didn't win the championship.
Smith won another three races for KBM in 2022 at Las Vegas, Pocono, and Richmond, respectively. He registered nine top fives, 16 top 10s, and finished third in the points standings.
In 2023, Smith jumped up to the Xfinity Series and got behind the wheel of the #16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. He posted his first career victory at the Richmond Raceway and ended the season with eight top fives, 13 top 10s, and a ninth-place effort in the points standings.
Smith moved over to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024 to pilot the #81 Toyota. He won two races at Phoenix and Richmond and finished fifth in the points standings. While he's found moderate success in his two seasons in the Xfinity Series, Smith isn't returning to JGR and 2025 and currently doesn't have a ride in any of the top three series.
