On September 17, Jake Garcia won his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Ten days after the biggest race of his career, the greatest opportunity of the 21-year-old’s NASCAR career was announced. Garcia will take over the Front Row Motorsports No. 38 Ford-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
“I’m very thankful to get the opportunity to compete for Front Row Motorsports, in the NASCAR Truck Series,” said Garcia in a press release from the team. “They are one of the top teams in the series and have proven that their equipment can win any given week, no matter the track. I appreciate Bob (Jenkins, team owner) and Jerry (Freeze, General Manager) for giving me this shot. With their support, I think that I can continue to build upon the success that other drivers have had in the No. 38 truck and be a contender for the title in 2027.”
Meet the Driver
Garcia has driven full-time in the Truck Series since 2023. He spent his rookie season at McAnally–Hilgemann Racing, where he earned three top-5s on his way to 13th in points. His sophomore season saw a move to championship-defending team ThorSport Racing. Though he went to a team capable of title-contention, 2024 was a difficult season for Garcia, with only two top-10s and a fall to 17th in the standings. The potential Garcia showed in his rookie season was realized in 2025.
Jake Garcia earned three poles, two top-5s, and 10 top-10s in his third season. The Georgian’s consistency was rewarded with a first postseason appearance and a tenth place points finish. While Garcia did not win, he was in contention at both Rockingham Speedway and Bristol. 2026, which will be his third and final season for ThorSport, has seen an additional two poles and eight top-tens alongside his Bristol victory.
Garcia will enter 2027 with exactly 100 series starts. The 21-year-old is already a series veteran, and will have a greater chance to show his potential for Front Row Motorsports.
Meet the Team
Driving for Front Row Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series comes with pressure. Five drivers have made a start for the team, and all of them have won. FRM opened their Truck team in 2020 with Todd Gilliland behind the wheel. Gilliland drove the No. 38 in 2020 and 2021, before handing the keys to Zane Smith the next two seasons. Gilliland laid the foundation, but Smith was responsible for the team’s rise to the top.
Smith won six races and the 2022 championship in his time with the organization. In 2024, Layne Riggs joined the organization. 2024 was rocky, as he missed the postseason, but the team still won two races. The next season, Chandler Smith took over the No. 38 with Riggs moving to the newly full-time No. 34 truck. The team won five races in 2025, three with Riggs and two with Smith, but failed to make the Championship 4.
2026 has been yet another career-high season for FRM. The team has won eight races, six with Riggs and another two with Smith, and has the former in contention to bring the team their second title. Garcia will be Riggs’ teammate in 2027, as Smith will return to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with Richard Childress Racing.
“We’re excited to have Jake join us next season,” said Freeze. “He displayed it at Bristol, and over his entire Truck Series career, he has the talent, abilities and personal motivation to keep our No. 38 team at the top of the heap and continue to help FRM set the bar in the series. We’re confident in what Jake brings to the table, and we look forward to seeing him put in the work during the offseason, to get ready for 2027.”
