Smith’s Front Row Motorsports group wins Pit Crew Challenge

Zane Smith’s team from Front Row Motorsports won the Mechanix Pit Crew Challenge during All-Star Race qualifying Saturday at Dover Motor Speedway, with a winning time was 12.612 seconds. The group received $100,000 for the honor, as well as a trophy featuring a pit gun and a true-to-size jack. Overall, Smith qualified 25th for the event.

NASCAR changed the rules for the pit crew challenge last season, now allowing all entered teams to participate. It used to be only those locked into the All-Star Race.

Smith and his group are not locked into the final segment. He will need to advance through the first two held on Sunday afternoon to compete for the All-Star Race win.

The No. 38 team that won the competition:

• Will Norris: car chief
• Ray Hernandez: fueler
• Nate McBride: jackman
• Michael Louria: front tire changer
• Adam Riley: rear tire changer
• Jarren Davis: tire carrier

Ryan Bergenty is the crew chief for Smith. Ryan Blanchard is the team spotter.

“It means everything to us,” said Hernandez. “We take a lot of pride in our job, and we work hard. Everybody at our company does. So, to be able to do it on the chance that you get for the whole season, it’s a big deal.

“We had a good stop last season, and it didn’t work out the way we wanted it to; we finished third. So, to finish first today is a huge deal for us.”

Shane van Gisbergen’s team from Trackhouse Racing finished second in the competition with a time of 12.841s. Chris Buescher’s team from RFK Racing was third at 12.886s.