Trackhouse grows with SVG as third team to 88th place
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – AUGUST 23: Shane van Gisbergen, driver of the No. 97 Safety Culture Chevrolet, … (+)
Once upon a time, 48 months ago, a small LLC with just $500 in the bank dreamed of shaking up the NASCAR world. Fast forward to Saturday at Daytona, and that dream is not just alive, it’s raging. Trackhouse Racing, the team that has punched above its means since its inception, announced it’s adding a third team. And to make things even more exciting, they’ve signed Shane van Gisbergen — yes, the Australian who only entered NASCAR two years ago — as their newest full-time driver.
Since their inception, Trackhouse teams have won seven races, one of them with the newest full-time driver: Shane van Gisbergen. For team owner Justin Marks, this expansion was no happy accident – it was always part of the master plan.
“I’ve always thought three teams is a really strong team number in this sport,” Marks said. “It gives you 33% more opportunities on the track every weekend. Frankly, four-car teams in this sport are reserved for the really, really big companies, and it’s hard to make four cars work.”
“I think three was always the right number for us from day one when everything went according to plan and we could go from one car to two. Three was kind of the goal. The opportunity arose to go up to a third car this year, so we took it.”
For van Gisbergen, the road to a full-time spot in NASCAR’s top series actually began in a Trackhouse car as part of Trackhouse Racing Project 91, a part-time project that sees one-off outings with star drivers from other racing disciplines, including 2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen. And van Gisbergen, who will now realize his dream of driving full-time in America’s top racing series, will now approach 2025 and his place on the full-time stage with a mixture of pressure, motivation, fear and excitement.
“But that’s why we do it,” explained the driver known simply as SVG. “Those feelings are good because they mean you care so much, right? All year I’ve been nervous getting in the car. Worried. How it’s going to go. How am I going to be? It’s a great feeling and something I haven’t had in a couple years, so it’s been really cool. It’s cool to be so energized. Of course there’s going to be pressure. The Cup Series is pretty tough, as we’ve seen. It’s pretty hard for a lot of guys to make it. I just have to keep learning, do my best, and then I’ll be fine.”
Van Gisbergen, a multiple Supercars champion, has been racing for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season, taking two wins in the series, including another trophy at the Chicago street circuit in July, but admits he is still learning.
And the biggest challenge?
“Turn left,” he jokes with a grin. He adds that NASCAR isn’t just about driving fast in circles; it’s a sport full of variables — weather changes, rubber buildup and the chaotic ballet of superspeedway racing. Even the best, like Kyle Larson, can go from first to 20th in the blink of an eye. It’s all about instincts, and SVG is still honing his.
“You can prepare as much as you want, but it’s all about how you react and how you do it best,” he said. “I learn something from every race.”
Trackhouse Racing has secured a charter for its new team, NASCAR’s equivalent of a Golden Ticket that guarantees participation in every Cup Series points race on the schedule. They have also secured sponsorship, with details to be announced later.
“A lot of things are coming together,” Marks said. “We had to seize this opportunity when it was there before we lost it. It wasn’t actually that difficult a decision.”
SVG’s new car will bear the number 88 – yes, that exact number 88. The one Dale Earnhardt Jr. made famous during his time at Hendrick Motorsports. But Marks didn’t just put a sticker on the car; he also secured the blessing of NASCAR’s elite.
“We spoke with Dale Jr. and he was proud to see the number in good hands,” Marks said. “For us, it’s about the legacy.”
In just a year and a half, SVG has gone from being a virtually unknown driver in NASCAR to a future Cup driver, and Trackhouse has gone from a startup to a serious contender. “It’s a really cool team to be a part of,” SVG said. “There’s still a lot of work ahead of us, but I’m excited for the challenge.”
Trackhouse Racing may have started with $500, but it will soon be a three-car monster that will make even more noise in 2025. And with SVG at the wheel of the No. 88, the sky is the limit.
