TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Zane Smith is back behind the wheel of the No. 38 Ford Mustang team this weekend for his fifth of seven NASCAR Cup Series starts for Front Row Motorsports (FRM) this season.

Smith will reunite with the team and Wellcare at the Sonoma Raceway for Sunday’s second road course race of the season. They will also celebrate Smith’s 24th birthday together. Smith will celebrate his birthday on Friday in what is also a homecoming weekend for the California native.

Wellcare (www.wellcare.com) will ride along with Smith once again as they travel to Smith’s home state. A subsidiary of Centene Corporation, Wellcare offers a wide range of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP).

Track activity will begin with practice and qualifying on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. ET. Sunday’s race is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

COMPETITION NOTES

In his six previous NASCAR Cup Series starts, Smith has finished 17th or higher in half of them- all at various types of tracks. This will be Smith’s first road course start in the NASCAR Cup Series.

He’s coming off his first top-10 at the Coca-Cola 600 in his first mile-and-a-half start in the NASCAR Cup Series. Smith was the best rookie finisher and led three laps.

The 2022 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion was also the highest finishing rookie in his Cup Series debut at the World Wide Technology Speedway last season when he finished 17th.

Smith has two wins on a road course (COTA) in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY

“We are going back to Zane in our car this weekend. We just think back to our success at Charlotte and how we can replicate that. Our 38 program has speed, our cars are fast and our drivers are getting results. We just want to continue that momentum.”

DRIVER ZANE SMITH

“In Cup, I’m leaning on my teammates and other drivers in general. Michael (McDowell) is a great road course racer, and we can look back at past notes of what they had last year.

“That’s my plan for Sonoma. Yes, it’s a completely different car, but it’s still road course racing. Hopefully my background in road course racing can still apply to the Next Gen. That’s how we’ll go about it.

“I want to thank Wellcare for their support of me in the NASCAR Cup Series. I can’t do it without them.”