MDM Motorsports announced the second driver to its ARCA Racing Series lineup with 18-year-old Zane Smith committing to the organization for 2018.
Smith, who had an impressive three-race stint with MDM that included two poles, a pair of runner-up finishes and a third-place effort, will be teamed with veteran crew chief Mardy Lindley for the upcoming season. Lindley led Harrison Burton to the 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship and was a part of four ARCA wins this season, most recently at Kansas Speedway in the season finale. The Lindley-led team will head to Talladega Superspeedway tomorrow for a two-day test session with Smith as the ARCA Series teams prepare for the implementation of the composite race car bodies at the superspeedway events as part of the season-long mandate.
“I had the chance to work with Mardy and the team at MDM at multiple events late this year, and we were fast right off the truck at each track, so there’s a level of confidence going into a new season that I haven’t felt before,” Smith stated. “Going to Talladega this week for the superspeedway test with the composite bodies, for me, is more about building chemistry with my team. They have certain things they want to accomplish with the aerodynamics of the race car, and I’m there to give my feedback and help us jell as a race team. This wouldn’t be possible without my sponsors La Paz Mixes, Icon Vehicle Dynamics, KMC Wheels and SPEEDVEGAS, and it’s our goal to take each and every one of them to Victory Lane next year.”
Smith, a native of Huntington Beach, Calif., has been racing since the age of three and has recorded more than 100 wins from Karts to Legends to Super Late Models. Smith cemented himself as a top young driver by winning the overall Super Late Model championship at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and then finishing runner-up to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star Chase Elliott in the 2015 Snowball Derby earning him a spot in the prestigious NASCAR Next class.
“We only caught a glimpse of what Zane’s capable of accomplishing behind the wheel of a race car in the three races that he drove for MDM this season,” said Mark McFarland, MDM Motorsports’ managing partner. “Zane started on the front row in all three events and didn’t finish outside the top three at venues like Salem, Kentucky and Kansas. We are building a great core of drivers for next season, and the addition of Zane, who is not only a great driver but a great teammate, will add depth to our organization as we run for a championship next season.”
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