Justin Marks and Trackhouse Racing sent shockwaves amongst motorsports fans with their announcement of entering MotoGP from the 2024 season. Partnering with Dorna Sports and Italian manufacturer Aprilia, they pulled off a massive undertaking, thus sowing the seeds of resurgence for the MotoGP fans in the States.

Marks, who made a trip to Austria in August, got the feel of MotoGP action and this is where the prospect of entering MotoGP crossed his mind. Little did he know that this would become a reality in just a short period. It was as if the pieces of puzzles came together as Marks embarked on an adventure that he could only dream about.

Justin Marks highlights the breaking-the-ice moment that got Trackhouse Racing into MotoGP

Addressing this surprise move by Trackhouse Racing, Justin Marks joined Parker Kligerman on the Money Lap Podcast. Throughout the podcast, the 42-year-old showed how quickly things escalated over their entry on the MotoGP grid partnering alongside Dorna and Aprilia.

Dorna Sports had a spot open on the grid as they announced that they would be cutting their ties with the CryptoData RNF team. The reason they cited for the split was repeated infractions and breaches by RNF of the participation agreement which affected the public image of MotoGP. This ultimately opened the doors for NASCAR Cup squad team Trackhouse Racing to enter the grid.

Marks said, “In August I went to the Austrian Grand Prix at the Redbull Ring for three days to absorb the event and see how they did fan engagement… how they ran the series… I was really blown away by the experience and so started asking questions… So I met with Dorna and I said, ‘Look, if an American outfit wanted to come into MotoGP, what would that look like?'” And Dorna liked the idea.

But there was a major fast-forwarding of plans required. Marks continued, “I said let’s take a look at 2025, spend 2024 figuring out the business model… So we just started talking with Aprilia and kind of, built a partnership structure that was going to really, really work. And then, Dorna called me and said, ‘Justin, there’s a spot on the grid for you but it’s got to be now in 2024.’… So I’ve got six weeks to pull this together and they said yeah it’s kinda now or never.”

Moreover, the global outreach that MotoGP provides was enough for Marks and Trackhouse Racing to invest their time and resources into this project.

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Trackhouse owner elaborates on why MotoGP has untapped potential in North America

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Trackhouse Racing sure knows a thing or two about racing hard but it’s also their off-the-track success that makes them a true motorsport powerhouse. Marks having understood the fan engagement and the business model, started to paint a blueprint of his own that would potentially see positive outcomes soon.

Marks explained the massive outreach and opportunities in MotoGP by its sheer numbers. He added, “I started asking questions about the business model and economics and it became clear quickly that I recognize MotoGP as one of the great values in motorsports on the planet… The passion of the fans, how global and international it is.

“I mean this is a sport that has got 432 million television viewers a year. They average 144,000 people an event, 22 races on four continents. It’s broadcast to 207 countries live feed. They hired an American CMO Dan Rossomondo from NBA. They’re really looking at building a strategy around a resurgence of MotoGP in North America.”

The 76th edition of the MotoGP will flag off on 10th March 2024 at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. Trackhouse Racing will get into the thick of the action of the two-wheeler motorsport and it will be an interesting watch to see how well the Americans do in their debut run.

Read More: Justin Marks Lays Down the Significance of Trackhouse Entertainments’ Penetration in MotoGP for Motorsports in North America