“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. 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, 23, has failed to lock into the starting lineup of the Daytona 500 twice in his career, as he attempted the event in 2023 with Kaulig Racing, and again in 2025, driving for Carl Long’s Garage 66 team. This time around, Smith will have the support of a team that fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series.