Trackhouse Racing has quickly transformed from a bold newcomer into one of NASCAR’s most compelling success stories. Under the sharp leadership of Justin Marks, the team has punched well above its weight, blending calculated aggression with a culture rooted in chemistry and openness. With drivers like Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez behind the wheel, Trackhouse has built a reputation for risk-taking on the track and cohesion off of it, a pairing rarely sustained in Cup Series racing.

Suárez is trying his best to attract the attention of potential suitors after his exit from Trackhouse earlier this month. The Mexican driver expressed his honest feelings about his departure, “I just think that lately, there have been things that have made me feel that I’m not as important.” But as the Cup Series rolled into Sonoma Raceway last Sunday, the driver of the #99 car was involved in a tussle with his teammate Ross Chastain. The Melon-man, being his usual self, spun his teammate on the track, and that resulted in simmering tension within the Trackhouse Racing camp.

From the outside looking in, it felt as if the cracks that were often hidden behind the screen came into light now that Suarez is out of his seat. But, team owner Justin Marks stepped in and cleared the air surrounding the equation and chemistry within the Trackhouse Racing team.

Justin Marks doesn’t blame Suárez for being mad at Chastain

According to team owner Justin Marks, Chastain’s remorse came quickly over the radio: “Ross just got into the corner too hot and… spun Daniel out,” Marks told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Ross is really kicking himself for that. He got on the radio during the stage break and took full responsibility for it.” In a race marked by aggressive strategy and tight restarts, the Turn 11 incident where Chastain’s miscalculated braking spun out teammate Suárez was the sort of moment no team wants between its drivers, especially with just weeks left before the playoffs.

“Daniel was upset afterwards,” Marks explained. “Do not blame him for that for one second. It’s a tough spot for the team.” He emphasized that conflict between teammates, while not rare, becomes far more consequential when it happens under the same team banner. We saw this last year when Martin Truex Jr. lost his cool after losing the race at Richmond to his teammate Denny Hamlin. But the good thing with the Chastain-Suárez incident is that they’ve talked it out, and the team expects the tension to simmer down.

“It just was a worst-case scenario because it’s two of our cars. Certainly not what we want as a company.” Marks also revealed that the drivers had already talked the following morning to move forward. “The important thing in those positions is that the two guys have an opportunity to talk about it and get over it… and they did that this morning,” he said, referring to a private discussion between Suárez and Chastain.

Still, even with apologies exchanged, Marks didn’t pretend the issue had been fully dissolved: “I think [Daniel is] still upset about it for sure, but the good news is they had the conversation and tried to sort of clear the air.” Trackhouse has always prided itself on being more than just competitive, it’s a team that thrives on internal trust, a factor Marks has long cultivated. But this moment at Sonoma threatened that foundation, right as the playoffs approach and while Suárez’s contract with the team remains a topic of speculation.

Marks closed his reflection on the moment with a grounded view of what has to happen next: “When it’s something that affects a teammate that’s inside the building, it just makes it that much more important… to step to the side and have a conversation so we can get past it and get over it.” he concluded, “we’ve gotta continue to work together as a company every single week.” As Trackhouse prepped for the following race at Dover, the team faced more than just performance pressure; it had to prove that its culture could withstand conflict from within, not just competition from outside. Marks’s honest, measured comments were a public attempt to calm the waters and quietly remind his drivers what’s at stake beyond just points.

Denny Hamlin thinks Ross Chastain’s action at Sonoma wasn’t intentional

Hamlin and Chastain have a history of getting into each other’s way, and more times than not, it is the JGR driver who found himself on the bitter end of the stick. Back in 2022, Chastain had a series of incidents where he used his bumper against the #11 Toyota Camry, be it at Gateway or Atlanta. But Hamlin had enough and didn’t give Chastain an inch at Pocono and ran the #1 Chevy up the track, leading to a wreck. Despite his run-ins with Trackhouse Racing star, the veteran JGR driver had an honest take on the incident that happened at Sonoma.

“It looked like Ross just got in there deep, lost control of his car, and then Suarez was the cushion that helped him slow down. That’s pretty much what it kind of looked like. Obviously, it wasn’t intentional on Ross’s part. He just lost control of his car,” Halin said on the Actions Detrimental podcast.

Ross Chastain isn’t battling for a playoff spot, he has a win already to his name. Like Marks, Hamlin felt that Chastain didn’t have a lot of options to work with in that scenario, and Suárez was caught up in that melee. It will be interesting to see what the Trackhouse Racing team dynamics is during the Dover race weekend.