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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 31: Chandler Smith, driver of the #38 QuickTie Ford, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on October 31, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Front Row Motorsports announced that Chandler Smith will return to the team for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Smith will again drive the No. 38 Ford F-150, continuing a pairing that produced strong results in 2025.<\/p>\n
The decision keeps the team\u2019s Truck Series<\/a> lineup intact, with Smith returning alongside Layne Riggs. Smith, 23, earned two wins during the 2025 season<\/a> and finished eighth in the final standings.<\/p>\n Front Row Motorsports said the move reflects confidence in the progress made during their first year together and provides stability heading into the 2026 season, which opens at Daytona International Speedway<\/a> in February.<\/p>\n Chan the man is back again.<\/p>\n We\u2019re excited to announce that Chandler Smith will return to drive the No. 38 in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2026! pic.twitter.com\/OmfUQctRkE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) December 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Chandler Smith\u2019s 2025 season with Front Row Motorsports<\/p>\n Smith joined Front Row Motorsports ahead of the 2025 season with a short turnaround. Even with limited preparation time, he quickly became a factor in the championship picture. He won two of the first six races and showed early title pace, including a victory at Bristol, where he raced Kyle Larson<\/a> for the win, as reported by Toby Christie of TobyChristie.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n As the season went on, Smith and the No. 38 team faced challenges during the playoffs that slowed their momentum. Despite that, Smith finished the year eighth in the championship standings. It marked his first full season with Front Row Motorsports and laid the foundation for continued improvement.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s incredible what this group accomplished in just one season,\u201d Smith said in a press release. \u201cWhen I came to Front Row on such short notice, no one expected us to make a playoff run, but this team never backed down.\u201d<\/p>\n Front Row Motorsports keeps its lineup and leadership<\/p>\n The announcement confirms that Front Row Motorsports will bring back the same two-driver lineup in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Smith will continue as the teammate to Layne Riggs, who drives the No. 34 Ford F-150. Team officials said continuity was an important factor in the decision, according to TobyChristie.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Crew chief Jon Leonard will also return to the No. 38 team in 2026. Leonard enters his sixth season as a Truck Series crew chief and worked closely with Smith throughout the 2025 campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to working with Chandler again, Leonard said.\u201d \u201cWe have a mutual trust for each other; we just click. He knows what he needs out of the truck, and he communicates that well.\u201d<\/p>\n Front Row Motorsports said sponsorship partners for Smith and the No. 38 truck will be announced at a later date.<\/p>\n Focus shifts to the 2026 Truck Series season<\/p>\n With Smith confirmed for 2026, Front Row Motorsports now turns its attention to the upcoming Truck Series schedule. The season will feature races across a wide range of tracks, starting at Daytona and ending at Phoenix Raceway.<\/p>\n Smith said the team plans to build on what it learned during its first year together. \u201cThe work, the belief, and the effort they put in made all the difference, he said.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m excited for what\u2019s ahead and confident in what we can achieve together.\u201d<\/p>\n Offseason preparation is expected to begin soon as Smith and the No. 38 team look to improve on their 2025 results. Front Row Motorsports said more updates will be shared before the season begins.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tDogli Wilberforce<\/a> is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on NASCAR\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t