“We’re ready for the next stop”: Zane Smith’s tire carrier showcases NASCAR pit crew grit despite being run over
Reigning Craftsman Truck Series champion Zane Smith's tire carrier Charles Plank has said that he was "ready for the next stop" despite getting runover during the race in Talladega.
During the race, Zane Smith came in for his first round of pitstops when his spinning truck hit Plank, who tried to jump clear but was hit by the right rear fender, sending him onto the truck's decklid.
Luckily, he was uninjured by the incident and proceeded with his pit stop duties. Speaking with Fox Sports about the incident, Charles Plank said:
"It looks like I almost cleared it jumping over. I'm glad I made it on the decklid instead of getting underneath it. We're ready for the next stop."
However, the race did not get any better for Zane Smith as he faced clutch issues after the pit stop and had to pull over for lengthy repairs. He came back several laps down and finished 32nd at the end of Saturday's Love's RV Stop 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Zane Smith speaks about his racing future for the 2024 season
Zane Smith, the reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, has several options on the table for the 2024 season following Front Row Motorsports' announcement that he was free to seek opportunities elsewhere.
An emotional Zane Smith said during his press conference:
“Three hundred sixty-five days ago, I sat at Bob Evans with a very close friend, and he had asked me where I wanted to race someday. I think he expected maybe some different answer, but my answer was Trackhouse. Almost 365 days later, I’ve signed a contract with them. It means the world to me. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do."
“I’ll do whatever it takes to win on Sunday and I have that chance thanks to Justin Marks. I’m just so, so thankful for the people that are around me. I’m ready to go compete on Sunday. It’s crazy to say.”
Meanwhile, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks said:
“Expansion can look a lot of different ways. Our alliance with Spire and the opportunity to have Zane drive over there next year gives us the ability to grow in 2024 to an organization where we can put three cars on the racetrack full-time in 2025 and beyond.”
Smith's expectations would be modest when he makes his full-time start in the Cup Series with Trackhouse in 2025.