The Trackhouse Racing Team has a knack for nurturing future NASCAR talents. Connor Zilisch, Zane Smith, and Shane van Gisgerben are slated to take the reins of the team soon. For the time being, the team only owns two NASCAR Cup Series charters. The No. 99 car, led by Daniel Suarez, and the No. 1 team, which fields Ross Chastain.
While the likes of Zilisch and Smith can await their turn, SVG is eager to make the switch to the Cup level, and he’s been vocal about it. In order to aid the arrival of the Kiwi speedster, Justin Marks and his team will have to shell out big bucks. And they do have the opportunity to expand to a three-car team, all thanks to Stewart Haas Racing’s exit from NASCAR at the end of 2024.
Shane van Gisbergen is a safe bet for Trackhouse Racing
The base criterion for any NASCAR team to provide novice drivers with a full-time opportunity is their track record. While SVG is running in his Rookie year, he certainly has exceeded expectations in the first 20 races in 2024 so far. He has three wins in the Xfinity Series, most by any driver, and all three of those have come at road courses.
Now, we all knew he was one of the top contenders to win road races after his historic NASCAR debut win at the Chicago Street race. But, he is simply a different beast when it comes to dominating these races. Meanwhile, neither Chastain nor Suarez has been able to compete for wins in the Cup road course racing events.
The 2025 Cup Series schedule is rumored to have more road races, with NASCAR looking to go international. This puts Trackhouse Racing in the limelight as having one of the best road racers in the garage and a genuine shot for multiple wins throughout the season. Yeah, SVG needs to learn the tricks of the trade on ovals, but he’s slowly climbing that ladder. At Indy, he finished P4 and will look to brush up his skills before the playoffs.
Now the question remains: Is Trackhouse Racing willing to break the bank and go on a spending spree? For the time being, there are still two SHR charters up for grabs.
A three-car team prospect is still possible for Justin Marks and his team
Ever since SHR announced that they would take the exit door after the 2024 season, THR was one of the frontrunners to add a third charter. However, they have not made their move yet, and those whispers have gone silent too. Front Row Motorsports was successful in getting a charter for themselves for $25 million, according to SBJ.
Meanwhile, Gene Haas retained a charter for his new team, the Haas Factory team, which will be led by Cole Custer. So, where does Trackhouse Racing move on from here? Well, the initial thoughts were to add the third charter to aid Zane Smith. But given his performance at Spire, the team would lean on Shane van Gisbergen as their next candidate.
Now, the deadlock in charter negotiations could be the reason holding Trackhouse Racing back from adding a third charter. But the clock is indeed ticking; not to forget, the likes of 23XI Racing, Legacy Motors Club, and even RFK Racing, are open to the idea of expansions. This could lead to a bidding war, resulting in inflated prices for the charters.
So, the ball is in Trackhouse Racing’s court, and they might miss out on a genuine prospect like SVG if they fail to add a third charter.
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