Spire to expand with new Trackhouse Racing driver

Spire Motorsports will expand to three NASCAR Cup Series cars for 2024 with Zane Smith who Trackhouse Racing have signed to a contract.

Smith will drive the third Spire car under contract with Trackhouse.

The agreement with Trackhouse has its roots going goes back to 2021. Smith had a deal with Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the No. 1 car for 2022 before Trackhouse bought the team.

“We didn’t know Zane was under any contract with Chip. So when I got the text, I was like, ‘Oh s*it,’ and we went on Ty [Norris]’s boat and thought about it, we heard from Ross and Zane,” Trackhouse owner Justin Marks said.

In 2021, Smith finished runner-up in the Craftsman Truck Series championship. Then, after GMS didn’t bring him back last year and Marks went with Ross Chastain, Smith nearly went without a ride.

Then Front Row Motorsports picked him up and won the Craftsman Truck Series championship with him. They have also put him in several Cup Series races this season.

Now, it’s Smith’s time to race on Sunday.

“It just means the world to me. I almost didn’t have anything a couple years ago. This is the place I want to be. 365 days ago, I sat with a very closely friend and he asked me where I wanted to race someday. My answer was Trackhouse. Now, 365 days later, I signed a contract with Trackhouse,” Zane Smith emotionally said.

“This means the world to me, that’s where the emotion comes from. How bad I want it, to win on Sunday. I now have that chance to do that.”

The charter for Smith’s entry will come from Live Fast Motorsports. Spire purchased their charter for $40 million.

Spire has confirmed Corey LaJoie and now Smith to their lineup for 2024. The driver of the No. 77 hasn’t been confirmed. Current driver Ty Dillon and Carson Hocevar are in the mix for that ride.

Spire also did not confirm the number or sponsors Zane Smith will sport in 2024.