Denny Hamlin recently weighed in on Trackhouse Racing’s decision to replace Zane Smith with Shane van Gisbergen for the upcoming NASCAR season. Ahead of last weekend’s Daytona race, Trackhouse Racing, co-owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull, announced that van Gisbergen would join them as a full-time driver in the #88 car next season. This decision left Smith without a spot on the team.
During his podcast, “Actions Detrimental,” Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts on this move and reflected on the implications for Zane Smith, who he felt was put in a difficult situation. Hamlin, who has a close relationship with Smith and has offered him advice throughout his NASCAR career, expressed sympathy for the young driver’s predicament.
“Man, that’s a tough one for Zane Smith,” Hamlin remarked. “I’m a little closer to the situation because I’ve talked to Zane quite a bit through his NASCAR career and given advice on different situations and opportunities. This certainly puts a tough spot on Zane because he thought he had a long-term future at Trackhouse. He foregoed other opportunities in the Cup Series to take this opportunity with Trackhouse and then when you get let go, you’ve then lost out on your other opportunities,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin acknowledged that while the situation is far from ideal for the 25-year-old, he believes in Smith’s abilities to overcome these challenges. Despite a slow start to the season, where Smith only managed a couple of top-20 finishes in the first 14 races, his performance has improved significantly in recent weeks. Since the Gateway race, Smith has recorded five top-20 finishes, including a top-10 finish at Michigan and a second-place finish at Nashville.
Discussing Smith’s future in NASCAR, Hamlin expressed hope that the young driver would find another opportunity at the highest level. “They’re starting to get going, and now Zane’s got to kind of regroup and figure out where to go with his career from here. So I think he’s a good enough talent that he is going to get a good opportunity, a winning opportunity somewhere. I hope it’s in the Cup,” Hamlin said.
He further emphasized that with more experience, Smith could continue to develop and catch the attention of teams looking for talent. “I think the ceiling is pretty high on him. I think he’ll get picked up by somebody who sees it,” Hamlin added.
While Hamlin expressed disappointment with how things unfolded for Smith, he also understood why Trackhouse Racing opted to sign Shane van Gisbergen. As a co-owner of 23XI Racing, Hamlin recognized the strategic benefits of adding van Gisbergen to the team, particularly with the increased likelihood of making the playoffs as long as road courses remain on the schedule.
Hamlin also touched on the financial aspects of Trackhouse’s decision, noting that it likely wasn’t driven solely by racing considerations. He suggested that van Gisbergen’s potential advantage in securing sponsorships might have tipped the scales in his favor. “If Van Gisbergen had ‘a leg up’ on sponsorships compared to Smith, then the team was likely to decide in the Kiwi’s favor,” Hamlin explained.
In conclusion, while the decision to replace Zane Smith was undoubtedly a tough break for the young driver, Denny Hamlin remains hopeful that Smith will find another opportunity to showcase his talent in the Cup Series. At the same time, Hamlin acknowledged the competitive and financial realities that led Trackhouse Racing to make this difficult choice.
“I’m a little closer to the situation”: Denny Hamlin expresses disappointment over Zane Smith being replaced by Trackhouse
