Trackhouse makes 100th start, revs into contention

CONCORD, N.C. — The first racing book Justin Marks ever read was called “The Unfair Advantage,” written during a one-year sabbatical by the late Mark Dono- hue about his boss Roger Penske.

Marks grew up in admi- ration of Penske, Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs, the top owners in American motor- sports. When he was 15, Marks got his picture taken with Gibbs at the 1996 Daytona 500. He wanted to be a racecar driver and made it happen with 80 starts across NASCAR’S three national series.

He never ran a full season, won only one career race and eventually switched to his entrepreneurial efforts, which included entering NASCAR ownership. He started Trackhouse Rac- ing one season ago.

Today, the organization enters its 100th race poised to advance both its drivers into the round of eight.

The 41-year-old is beyond humbled at what he’s accom- plished and how quickly the team has become a legiti- mate challenger to NASCAR’S big dogs.

“These guys were my heroes and they represent what the true top of the sport is, a sport that I’m so pas- sionate about,” Marks said. “Just to have an opportunity to walk through the garage as colleagues is incredibly humbling. Then for us to be in the playoffs and in position to compete against them this deep is just humbling and a testament to how talented everyone is in this build- ing and how hard they are working.”

Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez have combined this season to give Trackhouse its first three wins in team history. Chastain heads into today’s playoff race on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway ranked third in the standings, needing to finish ninth or better to automatically advance into the next round. Suárez is seventh in the standings, 12 points above the cutline needing a finish in the top eight to guarantee he advances.

The field will be trimmed from 12 to eight, but really only three drivers will be dropped: Alex Bowman is sidelined for a second consecutive week with a concussion and will be eliminated.

Suárez believes he and Chastain can both contend for the race win on Charlotte’s hybrid road course that uses part of the oval. Chastain scored his first career Cup win on the COTA road course in Texas and Suarez’s only Cup win came on the Sonoma Raceway road course.

“We have a very good road course program at Trackhouse Racing. Both Ross and I have won races and been strong in each race,” Suárez said. “It’s a great feeling as a driver to know you have a strong chance to win every time you race.”