NASCAR: Trackhouse rule out one possible driver from 2025 lineup

Zane Smith signed a development deal with Trackhouse Racing Team for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

But with the Justin Marks and Pitbull-owned team not having room for him at their two-car team, he was loaned out to Spire Motorsports to drive the No. 71 Chevrolet, a car they added over the offseason by acquiring a charter from Live Fast Motorsports.

Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez currently drive the No. 1 Chevrolet and the No. 99 Chevrolet, respectively, for Trackhouse Racing Team, and both are under contract through at least the 2025 season.

Despite a recent uptick in form, which includes a runner-up finish at Nashville Superspeedway among seven top 20 finishes in the 11 most recent races after he started the year with just two in 14, Smith will not continue his relationship with Trackhouse Racing Team after the 2024 season.

Zane Smith out at Trackhouse

This development even came amid the rumors that Trackhouse Racing Team would acquire a third charter from Stewart-Haas Racing next year, and they do indeed plan to do so.

Shane van Gisbergen, who also signed a development deal with the team last year after becoming the first Cup Series driver to win on debut since 1963 at the Chicago Street Course, had long been rumored to be on his way to becoming the team's third full-time driver next year.

Van Gisbergen, who currently competes full-time for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series, is indeed set to join Trackhouse Racing Team's full-time Cup Series lineup next year in a third charter entry.

Trackhouse Racing Team also have Connor Zilisch under contract on a development deal, but the 18-year-old phenom is set to compete full-time for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series next year.

What's next for Zane Smith?

Smith has continuously been mentioned as a possibility for Front Row Motorsports, the team to which he was actually once contractually tied through 2026, next year.

Front Row Motorsports are set to expand to three cars, presumably by acquiring a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing themselves.

Though the team have already confirmed that Todd Gilliland is set to return, and they have also signed current Stewart-Haas Racing driver Noah Gragson, Michael McDowell is set to leave the team after seven years to replace Smith at Spire Motorsports, leaving the organization with another vacant seat to fill.

The 25-year-old Huntington Beach, California native competed for the Bob Jenkins-owned team in the Truck Series in 2022 and 2023, winning the championship in 2022 after back-to-back runner-up finishes with GMS Racing in 2020 and 2021.