How Trackhouse Racing is rewriting the NASCAR playbook with a trio of future stars

Trackhouse Racing has confirmed its Cup Series lineup for 2026, and it's a roster built for the future. Ross Chastain remains the team's proven race winner, Shane van Gisbergen continues his record-breaking rise, and now 19-year-old Connor Zilisch will join them in the No. 99 Chevrolet.

The move ends Daniel Suárez's five-year stint and shows the team's willingness to push forward with drivers who represent both present strength and long-term future. For Trackhouse, the timing is deliberate. It reflects the philosophy Justin Marks has carried since the team's inception: act boldly, trust talent, and never follow the conventional NASCAR playbook.

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Trackhouse Racing's NASCAR journey from a start-up to a three-car Cup powerhouse

Daniel Suarez with Trackhouse Racing co-owner, Justin Marks, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Source: Getty

Trackhouse Racing debuted in 2021 with Daniel Suárez at the wheel, operating out of a corner of Richard Childress Racing's shop without a charter or long-term security. Just months later, Justin Marks stunned the garage by purchasing Chip Ganassi Racing's Cup operation. The deal gave Trackhouse the No. 1 and No. 99 cars, placing Ross Chastain and Suárez at the core of its program.

Both drivers made the 2022 Playoffs, capped off by Chastain's wall-riding move at Martinsville that placed the team in the Championship 4. The early rise was no fluke. Marks had targeted the debut of NASCAR's Next Gen car, knowing its cost controls and clean slate of data could bring new teams into contention. His bet paid off.

While traditional powerhouses like Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske continue to dominate, Trackhouse became the new underdog that could actually win.

Shane Van Gisbergen, Daniel Suarez, and Ross Chastain at Kansas Speedway. Source: Getty

The model has only expanded. In 2025, the organization added Shane van Gisbergen by acquiring a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. The Kiwi became an instant headline act, stacking four road-course wins and becoming NASCAR's most successful international rookie.

Add Chastain's crown jewel, Coca-Cola 600 victory, and a second consecutive playoff berth, and the label of 'upstart' no longer applies. Trackhouse Racing enters 2026 with three cars, two drivers already in title contention, and a teenager being groomed as the sport's next generational star.

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How Trackhouse Racing is reshaping NASCAR's driver pipeline

Connor Zilisch and Shane Van Gisbergen at Sonoma. Source: Getty

NASCAR's traditional ladder has been patient, with Cup seats earned after years of seasoning. Trackhouse Racing has rejected that formula. Both Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch come from non-oval backgrounds and were accelerated to the top tier by Justin Marks' willingness to gamble on raw talent.

SVG's journey speaks for itself. He shocked the field by winning his first Cup start in Chicago in 2023, the first debut victory in six decades. That led to a full Xfinity ride with Kaulig Racing in 2024, where he won three races and made the playoffs. When Trackhouse bought SHR's No. 14 charter, he was promoted immediately.

His rookie Cup campaign in 2025 has broken records: four road-course wins at Mexico City, Chicago, Watkins Glen and Sonoma, cementing his reputation as NASCAR's new road king. Zilisch followed a parallel path.

Signed to a Trackhouse development deal in early 2024, he ran part-time across Trucks and Xfinity before winning his Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen with JR Motorsports. His full-time rookie season in 2025 has been extraordinary, with eight wins in 27 starts, tying Christopher Bell's rookie record.

Marks' approach is clear: build a roster where the outlier is the norm. He brought Kimi Räikkönen in for a one-off race in 2022, signed a Supercars champion and now elevates a teenager barely out of high school.

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Why Trackhouse Racing's model matters

Ross Chastain (1) and Connor Zilisch (87) during the NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA. Source: Getty

NASCAR's last small-team success story, Furniture Row Racing, collapsed under financial pressure after its 2017 title. Trackhouse Racing has avoided that trap by building around the cost-efficient Next Gen car and anchoring itself with strong commercial backing. But what truly sets it apart is the willingness to rewrite the sport’s norms.

In less than five years, Trackhouse has gone from a start-up without a charter to a three-car contender taking on the big teams. Ross Chastain brings experience, Shane van Gisbergen adds international star power, and Connor Zilisch represents the long-term future. Together, the trio embodies a program built to compete now while also setting up for the next decade.