NASCAR: 5 possible replacements for Tyler Reddick in 2024
By Randy Smith
Possible Tyler Reddick replacements: No. 3 – Zane Smith
Zane Smith’s NASCAR Truck Series career has proven he deserves to compete in the Cup Series, but he hasn’t yet landed the right opportunity. Despite the fact that he finished in second place in the Truck Series points standings in each of the last two seasons and the fact that he leads the series in wins with three so far this year, he only has one Cup Series start.
That start came at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway when he drove the #17 Ford for RFK Racing when Chris Beuscher was out due to COVID-19 protocols.
In his Cup Series debut, Smith finished in 17th place. With limited practice and time to prepare to race against NASCAR’s best, the 23-year-old held his own.
An interest in Cup Series teams to bring Smith straight up from the Truck Series has been there before as well. Last year, Chip Ganassi Racing was set to hire Smith to replace Kurt Busch behind the wheel of the #1 Chevrolet before team owner Chip Ganassi sold the entire organization to Trackhouse Racing Team.
For Richard Childress Racing, it would be more difficult to obtain a driver who switched from Chevrolet to Ford over the offseason and is no longer part of the Driver’s Edge Development program. Additionally, funding has been key to Smith’s NASCAR career, with him stating that he doesn’t come from money in past interviews.
Regardless, despite the fact that he hasn’t yet won a championship, Smith has proven his worth in the Truck Series and would be a wise addition for Richard Childress Racing if they can make it happen. He wouldn’t have the Xfinity Series experience Reddick did when taking over behind the wheel of the #8 Chevrolet, but Smith’s raw talent has proven that it may not be necessary.