Front Row Motorsports will have both of its championship contenders back for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
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The two-truck team previously announced that Layne Riggs would return to the No. 34 Ford F-150 on a multi-year deal. Now, Front Row Motorsports has confirmed that Chandler Smith will be back in the No. 38 Ford, marking his second season with the team.
The Georgia native joined Front Row Motorsports late last offseason, and he delivered success after the team pieced together a team. Smith won two races (Bristol Motorspeedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway) and he posted top-10 finishes in 16 of the 25 races. He ended the season eighth in the championship standings.
"It's incredible what this group accomplished in just one season," Smith said in a press release. "When I came to Front Row on such short notice, no one expected us to make a playoff run — but this team never backed down.
"The work, the belief, and the effort they put in made all the difference. I'm excited for what's ahead and confident in what we can achieve together."
Along with announcing Smith's return, FRM also confirmed it will keep the No. 38 team intact for the 2026 season. Jon Leonard will return as crew chief for the group as he begins his seventh season atop the pit box.
The Iowa native made his crew chief debut in the Cup Series in 2017 with Michael McDowell. He guided the veteran driver in five events. One season later, Leonard worked with Kasey Kahne and Regan Smith for 21 combined races.
Leonard first took over a Truck Series team in 2020 as he worked with Stewart Friesen for one race and Todd Gilliland for two. He continued working with Friesen through the 2022 season, and he celebrated a win at Texas Motor Speedway.
Leonard worked with a few different drivers at Hattori Racing Enterprises in 2023 and Niece Motorsports in 2024 before taking on the full season with FRM in 2025.
