"I'm a little closer to the situation": Denny Hamlin expresses disappointment over Zane Smith being replaced by Trackhouse

Denny Hamlin recently talked about Trackhouse Racing's decision to replace Zane Smith with Shane van Gisbergen. Ahead of last weekend's race at Daytona, Trackhouse Racing, co-owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull, announced that Shane Van Gisbergen would be a full-time driver for them next season in the #88 car, which meant that Smith would no longer be employed by them.

Speaking about this on his podcast, "Actions Detrimental", Denny Hamlin gave his take on the decision and opined on the future possibilities for Zane Smith, who Hamlin felt was put in a "tough spot".

"Man, that's a tough one for Zane Smith. I'm a little closer to the situation because I've talked to Zane quite a bit through his NASCAR career and given advice on different situations and opportunities. This certainly puts a tough spot on Zane because he thought he had a long-term future at Trackhouse. He foregoed other opportunities in Cup Series to take this opportunity with Trackhouse and then when you get let go, you’ve then lost out on your other opportunities," Hamlin said. [00:10]

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver said that although the situation wasn't 'ideal' for the 25-year-old, Hamlin believed in his capabilities to shine through amid the uncertainties.

In the first 14 races of the season, Zane Smith only recorded a couple of top-20 finishes. However, since Gateway, he has finished inside the top 20 on five occasions along with a top 10 finish at Michigan, and a runner-up finish at Nashville.

---

Denny Hamlin hoping Zane Smith's next opportunity in NASCAR is at the highest level

Talking about Zane Smith's future, his recent upturn in form, and the potential opportunities, Hamlin remarked on the young driver's capabilities and said that Smith was "coming into his own". Expressing hope for Zane to possibly get a chance in the Cup series, Hamlin said,

"They’re starting to get going and now Zane’s got to kind of regroup and where to go with his career from here. So I think he’s a good enough talent that he is going to get a good opportunity, a winning opportunity somewhere. I hope it’s in the Cup," Hamlin said [at 1:30].

He further detailed that should the young driver accumulate more experience under his belt, he could improve and catch the attention of teams who could potentially sign him up.

"I think the celing is pretty high on him. I think he'll get picked up by somebody who sees it," Hamlin added. [2:55]

While Denny Hamlin was disappointed with how things have turned out for Zane Smith, he also understood Trackhouse's decision to sign Shane van Gisbergen. The 23XI Racing co-owner mentioned Van Gisbergen's addition to the team increased their chances of being in the playoffs as long as road courses were on the schedule.

Furthermore, Hamlin also spoke about the financial implications of Trackhouse signing SVG. The #11 driver opined that the decision was not made just based on the racing end of things, but also from a commercial point of view. Hamlin then added that if Van Gisbergen had "a leg up" on sponsorships compared to Smith, then the team was likely to decide in the Kiwi's favor.