Chandler Smith will be back behind the wheel of Front Row Motorsports’ No. 38 Ford in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026, the team confirmed today, continuing a pairing that quietly became one of the more productive stories of the 2025 season.
The announcement solidifies Smith’s plans for next year after a season in which he and Front Row showed steady growth, winning a few races.
Smith will again work with crew chief Jon Leonard as the organization looks to carry forward what it learned during its first full season together.
Smith joined Front Row Motorsports in 2025 after a winding path through NASCAR’s national series, and the move to Trucks came with questions about what the season might look like.
Instead, the pairing quickly found its footing.
Smith was a regular presence near the front of the field, picked up multiple victories, and consistently put the No. 38 in position to compete at a variety of tracks.
Beyond the results, the season was marked by a sense of stability that can be difficult to find in today’s NASCAR.
Smith often spoke about how the team improved week to week and how the group stayed aggressive even as expectations evolved throughout the year.
The mutual confidence ultimately made the decision to return for 2026 an easy one for both sides.
For Front Row Motorsports, bringing Smith back offers continuity as the organization continues to grow its Truck Series program.
The team leaned on Smith’s experience and feedback during 2025, and the results suggested the combination of driver, crew chief, and organization was moving in the right direction.
While sponsorship details and broader plans for the 2026 season are expected to be announced later, the early confirmation of Smith’s return gives Front Row a head start heading into the offseason.
In a year where driver movement has been constant across all three national series, keeping a proven combination intact stands out as a rare moment of certainty.
Smith adds another experienced name to a stacked list of NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competitors in 2026
As the focus shifts toward next season, Smith and Front Row will enter the season with higher expectations than they had a year ago.
What began as a reset has turned into an opportunity to chase bigger goals, and both sides appear committed to seeing how far the partnership can go.
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