(Photo: Blake Ulino | The Podium Finish)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With an eighth-place finish in Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1, 2022 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Zane Smith qualified for his first career Daytona 500.
For Smith, 23, it’ll be his second career Cup Series start after making a spur-of-the-moment debut with RFK Racing last season.
“My emotions are definitely weird, just how big this event is,” Smith said post-race. “You don’t realize it just coming until you’re making an attempt at it. It’s been crazy, all the media, and just all the hype behind it. Those Duels were a little nerve-racking, but I kind of just followed my teammate through there, and he was a huge, huge help. Big shout-out to him, all the Fords really. I felt like we really all worked together well.”
Smith started his duel race 15th after placing 29th in qualifying on Wednesday. He crafted his way through the field, navigating a fuel-only pitstop on Lap 31 to finish in the top 10.
Smith continued his recent stretch of good luck at Dayt0na with his Duel effort. He won last year’s Truck Series race and won the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race on the road course last month alongside Harrison Burton.
“Winning is as contagious as losing is,” Smith said. “It’s been really good since Phoenix, so just trying to carry this momentum. This is a huge win for us. Not only me, but all of [Front Row Motorsports]. They’ve shown their success on the superspeedways. But there is some really good open cars that we had to beat, and just really proud that we beat them.”
Chandler Smith, however, was on the wrong side of the Duel race. He finished 18th and failed to qualify for the Daytona 500.
Chandler Smith battled mechanical issues and placed 41st in qualifying Wednesday, meaning he started from the rear Thursday. Smith was too fast on pit road when he made his green flag stop on Lap 24 of the race, resulting in a penalty. He finished one lap down.
Despite missing the race, Chandler quickly came to terms with the result.
Chandler Smith’s No. 13 is heading home from the Daytona 500. (Photo: Blake Ulino | The Podium Finish)
“I’m fine with this. I had a lot of fun right there,” he said. “I learned a lot, a lot, a lot, now I get what these guys talk about when you run on a Sunday you gain a lot of experience. That translates into Saturdays and Sundays.
“We weren’t able to get it this year, but hopefully we can come back next year and make another attempt and get in on time.”
Zane Smith will look to defend his Truck Series win at Daytona on Friday and Chandler Smith will start his first full-time Xfinity Series season with Kaulig Racing on Saturday.
Zane Smith will start 17th in Sunday’s Daytona 500.
