Current NASCAR Next member Zane Smith, the 2018 ARCA Racing Series championship runner-up will move to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in a part-time JR Motorsports schedule next year starting at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March.
Smith, a native of Huntington Beach, Calif. will drive the team’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro in a minimum of eight races spread throughout the 2019 Xfinity Series season. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will sponsor Smith for his Xfinity debut.
In addition to Las Vegas, Smith’s schedule also includes Bristol Motor Speedway (April 6), Richmond Raceway (April 12 and Sept. 20), Dover International Speedway (May 4 and Oct. 5) and Iowa Speedway (June 16 and July 27).
“I’m super pumped to be a part of JR Motorsports with the No. 9 team for eight races,” Smith said. “I’m counting down the days until Las Vegas, which will be my debut in the Xfinity series. I can’t thank The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas enough for making this happen, along with all of my other partners who have gotten me this far.
“Having Dale and Kelley as bosses and to lean on is going to be awesome. They are huge icons of the sport. It is unreal to be a part of their team, so I’m just going to try and take it all in.”
The 19-year-old leaps to JR Motorsports on the heels of a successful sophomore ARCA campaign at MDM Motorsports. Initially, a 12-race arrangement stretched to a full-20 race plate after Smith nabbed three of the series’ first five wins of the season.
Delivering one pole, four wins, 12 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in all, Smith finished second in the standings behind teammate Sheldon Creed.
Smith made ARCA history this year with the closest finish in the series’ history at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway edging Joe Graf Jr. in a photo finish with a 0.0029-second margin of victory.
In June, Smith also made his Truck Series debut with DGR-CROSLEY at Gateway (Ill.) Motorsports Park qualifying 10th and finishing fifth in the No. 54 Crosley Brands | LaPaz Margarita Mix Toyota.
“JR Motorsports has a strong history of helping groom young talent and we’re looking forward to giving Zane that platform for success,” said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JRM.
“We feel Zane has much to offer both on and off the track. We’re going to have him in the car for these eight races, but also have him gain additional experience by traveling with the team for the season.”
Before ARCA, Smith had initial foray in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, running twice in the East, posting one top-five and two top-10s overall. In the West, he finished fourth at Tucson (Ariz.) Speedway in 2017 in a one-race deal for Bob Bruncati’s Sunrise Ford Racing.
Smith started racing BMX, before moving to go-kart racing in 2004 and won championships in five consecutive years before jumping to Legends Car racing and eventually Super Late Models in 2015. He earned a runner-up finish in the coveted in the Snowball Derby later that year.
Smith is the first driver to be named to the lineup of JRM’s No. 9 team, which is coming off its second consecutive Xfinity Series championship (2017-18). The team intends to run a full-time schedule next season with a number of drivers at the helm.
“Zane is going to be an important part of the lineup for the No. 9 team next year,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr., owner of JRM. “It’s a great opportunity for him. The team is going to take on a different feel with a handful of drivers taking turns throughout the year, but the goal remains the same – to help these drivers gain experience and continue to advance their careers.
“We started the Xfinity program with that mindset and it’s something we’re proud to continue.”
Further details on Smith’s sponsorship lineup will be announced at a later date.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
