NASCAR: 5 possible landing spots for Zane Smith in 2024
By Asher Fair
Zane Smith 2024 NASCAR landing spots: No. 4 – Joe Gibbs Racing
A move back to the manufacturer with which he made his first ever NASCAR start at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in a 2018 Truck Series race also could complicate matters for Zane Smith and his current contract, but it’s hard to see it not paying off.
Joe Gibbs Racing are set to lose championship contender John Hunter Nemechek to the Cup Series next year, with Legacy Motor Club having signed him to replace Noah Gragson full-time as they switch from Chevrolet to Toyota themselves. As a result, Joe Gibbs’ team now know for sure they need to find a new driver for the No. 20 Toyota.
Though Toyota have some promising young drivers in the Truck Series themselves, Smith makes by far the most sense when you factor in both experience and talent. The move would create an all-Smith lineup featuring Zane and Sammy.
The one downside of this move is the fact that Toyota’s presence in the Cup Series is the smallest of the three manufacturers, which could make it difficult for Zane to ultimately make the full-time jump to the top level.
That said, it’s no secret that quadragenarians Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. are nearing the end of their racing careers, so the prospect of being considered Toyota’s top young driver could be quite enticing for the 24-year-old as he looks to make the move that he believes will be in the best interest of his own career.