Chandler Smith Returns to Front Row Motorsports for 2026 Season

Smith to Continue Driving the No. 38 Ford F-150 in NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 16, 2025) – Following a strong season in his first year at Front Row Motorsports driving the No. 38 Ford F-150, Chandler Smith is now set to return to the organization for the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season.

Expanding to a two-truck team operation at the end of the 2024 season, Front Row Motorsports tapped Smith to take the reins of the No. 38 Ford F-150 for the 2025 Truck Series season. Smith went on to win two races, dominating at Bristol in the Spring and capturing a statement victory at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. Over the course of the season, he earned five top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.

“It’s incredible what this group accomplished in just one season,” said Smith. “When I came to Front Row on such short notice, no one expected us to make a playoff run — but this team never backed down. The work, the belief, and the effort they put in made all the difference. I’m excited for what’s ahead and confident in what we can achieve together.”

Jon Leonard will return to Front Row Motorsports to call the shots for Smith and the No. 38 team. This will be Leonard’s sixth year in the Truck Series and sixth year as a Truck Series crew chief.

“I’m looking forward to working with Chandler (Smith) again,” said Leonard. “We have a mutual trust for each other; we just click. He knows what he needs out of the truck to be better and he communicates that well. That level of clarity makes my job easier, and together I think we can build something strong right out of the gate.”

Smith and the No. 38 team will now shift their focus to the Fresh From Florida 250 at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, an event that FRM has won two times in 2022 and 2023.

Announcements regarding the partner lineup for the No. 38 Ford F-150 will come at a later date.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Are you a die-hard NASCAR fan? Follow every lap, every pit stop, every storyline? We're looking for fellow enthusiasts to share insights, race recaps, hot takes, or behind-the-scenes knowledge with our readers. Click Here to apply!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest articles

RCR Race Preview: EchoPark Speedway

In 169 NASCAR Cup Series starts at EchoPark Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and four pole awards, including Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory in 2001.

Front Row Motorsports: EchoPark Speedway NCS Race Advance (Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith)

TitleMax joins Gragson and the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend in Atlanta.

Front Row Motorsports: EchoPark Speedway NCTS Race Advance (Layne Riggs / Chandler Smith)

Layne Riggs heads to EchoPark Speedway following a strong showing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season opener at the Daytona International Speedway

Wood Brothers Racing Race Week Briefing: EchoPark Speedway

With a top-10 finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 in the books, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head into the second race of the 2026 season carrying early momentum that has been hard to come by in recent years.

Best New Zealand Online Casinos