Lodi News-Sentinel

Trackhouse Racing adding a third car to attract the top drivers in the world to NASCAR

- Alex Andrejev

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Trackhouse Racing on Tuesday announced its plans to field a parttime NASCAR Cup Series entry this year for internatio­nal drivers, unveiling the initiative as PROJECT91.

In addition to the No. 99 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Suárez and the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Ross Chastain, Trackhouse will add the No. 91 Chevrolet to its lineup to enter at least one race during the 2022 Cup season with plans to expand the program in the future. The car will be driven by “renowned internatio­nal racing drivers,” according to a team release.

The organizati­on, co-owned by Justin Marks and internatio­nal music icon Pitbull, is in its second season and already has two wins with the No. 1 team. With its PROJECT91 entry, Trackhouse is aiming to “become the destinatio­n for global superstars from other racing discipline­s eager to compete in America’s most popular form of motorsport­s,” the team said.

“PROJECT91’s mission is to activate the intersecti­on point of NASCAR racing and global motorsport culture,” Marks said in a statement. “I truly believe the (Next Gen) car represents an opportunit­y for NASCAR to enter the global profession­al motorsport conversati­on. We now have a race vehicle with internatio­nal technologi­cal relevance where world-class drivers from other discipline­s can compete at NASCAR’s highest level without the steep learning curve that the previous generation cars required.”

Marks has frequently talked about how the Next Gen car, NASCAR’s latest iteration of race car that differs vastly from prior generation­s from a mechanical and production standpoint, inspired his move to team ownership. Trackhouse ran its first season with Suárez, a native of Mexico, as the sole driver in 2021 and added the No. 1 car driven by Chastain for a full season this year. Marks has previously said that his desire was to further expand Trackhouse, with the latest move reflecting that desire as well as the aim to enhance NASCAR’s global reach.

The driver lineup for PROJECT91 is not yet known. The team said it will announce its first driver and race in the coming days.

 ?? DONALD PAGE/GETTY IMAGES ?? Singer and Trackhouse Racing Team co-owner Pitbull and driver Daniel Suarez speak to the media on the grid prior to the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeed­way on June 20, 2021, in Lebanon, Tenn.
DONALD PAGE/GETTY IMAGES Singer and Trackhouse Racing Team co-owner Pitbull and driver Daniel Suarez speak to the media on the grid prior to the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeed­way on June 20, 2021, in Lebanon, Tenn.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States