Trackhouse Racing brought Connor Zilisch into the Cup Series this year in its third car, hoping he would become a star for the team in the years ahead. But after just one more season, he’ll be gone, leaving owner Justin Marks to figure out what to do with the third charter.
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It’s something Marks didn’t expect to deal with this soon, but Dale Jr. has a solution for the organization.
“I would say that the perfect scenario is a two-car team,” the NASCAR Hall of Famer said on his Dale Jr. Download podcast.
Hendrick Motorsports signed Zilisch to replace the retiring Alex Bowman starting in 2028, while his Trackhouse contract runs through 2027. That means Trackhouse will spend an entire season knowing that one of its drivers is already set to leave for a legendary team. On top of that, both Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen will enter the final year of their contracts in 2027.
That comes as Trackhouse continues to struggle on track. Zilisch sits 34th in the standings, while Chastain is 18th and nearly out of the Chase picture with two races left. Van Gisbergen is 16th, helped by his two road-course wins, but has little hope of making a deep run in the post-season. Dale Jr. does not think selling one of its charters would be the answer for Trackhouse to find stability, though.
“I wouldn’t be interested in selling the charter because the value of the charters are continuing to go up,” he continued on his podcast. “If you can lease it and make a little money over the course of the next handful of years, leasing this charter out, do it and dial it back to two teams.”
NASCAR allows teams to lease a charter for a season while keeping full ownership. Charter values have risen since the antitrust settlement, so selling now would lock in today’s price. Leasing, on the other hand, allows the asset to generate income while continuing to appreciate.
RFK Racing is the obvious match. The team runs three full-time cars, but its current charter, leased from Rick Ware Racing, will move to Legacy Motor Club after 2026. RFK Racing president Chip Bowers has said the team plans to run three cars in 2027 regardless, even if it has to do so without a charter.
That makes RFK exactly the kind of partner who could be willing to pay a premium. Dale Jr. also explained the financial logic in a later conversation.
“Instead of say, the $200 million number, now you only need $125, right? And that’s easier to find,” he said. “You put your partners together. You secure your drivers for a couple more years,” he said.
Dropping the third entry also solves the awkward 2027 problem. Running a driver who has already signed elsewhere is bad for morale, sponsors, and the team’s focus. Shutting down the third car frees up money and resources for the two cars Trackhouse has a better chance of keeping long-term.
By 2028, if the two-car program stabilizes, Marks can bring the charter back and rebuild the team around three cars. That could give Trackhouse a stronger foundation, while the charter continues to grow in value.