Reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Zane Smith started the 2023 season with a victory at Daytona International Speedway.
After a week off, he will try for a second straight victory in Friday night‘s Victoria‘s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (9 ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
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Smith has something to prove at the track. In last year‘s race, he ran second to Chandler Smith but was disqualified and demoted to 36th for a lug nut violation.
“It‘s a long season, but we‘re off to a great start,” Smith said. “Just like last season, it feels good. The team worked hard during the offseason, and it was rewarded at Daytona.
“But Vegas, we have some unfinished business there. It was frustrating leaving there with a penalty last year. Everyone on the team wants to get this win. We were fast last year, and I hope we can make up for last year.”
However, between Smith and victory are two formidable “ringers,” Kyle Busch and John Hunter Nemechek. Busch has three Truck Series wins at his hometown track, and Nemechek claimed his lone victory there in 2021. Busch will be racing in all three national series races in Las Vegas this weekend.
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Contributing: Staff reports
