Chandler Smith to attempt Daytona 500 with Front Row Motorsports
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Front Row Motorsports will field a car for Chandler Smith to attempt to make the Daytona 500 with in February.
Smith will make his first NASCAR Cup Series attempt with the team in the No. 36 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. He will be the fourth driver in the FRM stable, joining full-time teammates Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith and Noah Gragson on the roster.
“I’m really excited to take a shot at the Daytona 500 with the FRM Cup Series program,” said Smith. “This organization is known for its speed at superspeedways, and I am going to give it my best shot to win the Harley J. Earl Trophy or help my teammates if I am in the position to do so in the end.”
This isn’t Smith’s first attempt or start in the NASCAR Cup Series. He made three starts in 2023 for Kaulig Racing while competing for them full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Although he missed the Daytona 500 that year, he raced at Richmond in the spring, Daytona in the summer and Talladega in the fall – finishing 17th, 15th and 11th, respectively.
Last year, he attempted to make the Daytona 500 with Carl Long’s Garage 66 entry. However, his attempt ended in wrecked rubble when he crashed in turns one and two in his Duel race.
Now, with Front Row Motorsports for a second season, he gets redemption.
“I greatly appreciate the opportunity and will do my part to get FRM off to a great start to the 2026 Cup season, while I pursue my primary goal this year in winning the 2026 Truck Series Championship,” Smith said.
Smith is competing full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026. He joined the team in 2025 and amassed two wins, five top-five finishes and 16 top-10 finishes in 25 races. He made the Chase but bowed out in the first round, ultimately finishing eighth in points.
Smith also has experience in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He has three wins, 25 top-fives and 36 top-10s in 69 career starts. With Joe Gibbs Racing, he made the 2024 Chase and finished fifth in points.
Statistically, Daytona has been a good for Smith, according to FRM. He has an average finish of 12.0 there in the NCTS and 10.3 in the NOAPS.
FRM won the Daytona 500 in 2021 with Michael McDowell.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com