After almost two decades, a new OEM is heading to NASCAR. In a Craftsman Truck Series promotional shoot in Darlington, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis trumpeted his company’s arrival, driving a Ram 1500 concept race truck. The Dodge spin-off will debut in NASCAR’s third tier in 2026, entering as many as four races. For this purpose, the OEM is already attaching itself to some teams – yet Trackhouse Racing may not be one of them.

Justin Marks’ team has gone through ups and downs this season. While Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch continue to fetch victories like berries in a garden, Daniel Suárez ended his four-year tenure. As the rumor mills indicate, the following season is going to be even more sensational for the team, as they eye Ram’s Japanese rival.

Is a NASCAR-Moto GP crossover on the table?

After retiring as a sports car and NASCAR driver, Justin Marks focused on team ownership back in 2020. That career change led to the creation of Trackhouse Entertainment Group, birthing Marks’ Cup Series team. As Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain built up Trackhouse Racing’s legacy, Marks expanded his reach. One aspect of that was the Project 91 program – after Kimi Räikkönen and Mike Rockenfeller’s decent starts, Shane van Gisbergen turned it into a huge success. Then, in December 2023, Marks took another leap as he took over RNF Racing’s entry spot in the MotoGP class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. With Raúl Fernández and Ai Ogura in the Trackhouse Racing’s MotoGP team, Marks’ growth knows no bounds.

Now, hints suggest that Justin Marks may be looking to link the two disciplines. As Ram looks to partner up with two teams in NASCAR, some have wondered if Trackhouse is a candidate. However, as Japanese OEM Honda is already partnered with Marks’ MotoGP team, the endeavor may wait. That is what journalist Adam Stern indicated recently on X: “While some have wondered if @TeamTrackhouse will be a candidate for @RamTrucks and @Stellantis, the team may decide to wait for @Honda because then it could align with the same OEM in NASCAR and MotoGP.”

Indeed, while Ram amplifies its entry into NASCAR, Honda is also giving out signals. NASCAR EVP John Probst said in June, “We’re very close to a deal with another carmaker.” He referred to getting a fifth automaker, after Ram confirmed as the fourth OEM, trailing Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota. NASCAR’s move to hybrid powertrains (expected as early as 2026) is linked with Honda’s expertise in hybrid and electrified propulsion from Formula 1 to consumer models. What is more, Honda’s engine contract with IndyCar will expire after 2026, offering more budget and attention to the Japanese manufacturer to focus on NASCAR.

While the rumors are in full swing about roping in Honda, Justin Marks issued discouraging hints about another endeavor.

Putting a pause on the side project

Remember July 2023? That was the month when Shane van Gisbergen rocked the NASCAR world for the first time. Driving the No. 91 Chevrolet under Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91, the Kiwi speedster won his debut race in Chicago. Since then, SVG went on to win another 7 national series races, including 4 consecutive road course wins in the Cup Series. Standing in 2025, however, the priorities seem to have shifted for Justin Marks. The 91 car has been about as visible as a ghost at Daytona since the 2025 season opener. After ejecting Daniel Suárez from his long-time No. 99 Chevrolet seat, it is clear that Marks is focusing on honing his existing drivers instead of wooing more in the No. 91 car.

In a recent interview, the team owner revealed why the car has not been visible after Daytona: “It is a draw on the company, it is tough. I mean, Daytona was really, really tough this year to take four cars there. Which is why with the races we’re doing with Connor, we just wanted to do Daytona and park it.”

Although the project is not dead, Marks toned down its priority: “With everything we’re trying to do with the company to get us back in championship form, [PROJECT 91] is like No. 85 on the list right now… It’s not dead. There are conversations happening. There is a strategy around it. I very much would like to keep that program alive. We’ve got a couple of fairly interesting opportunities. Just right now, we have to get these three racecars running better on Sundays.”

Clearly, Justin Marks is cooking up sensational updates for his team for the future. Let us wait and see how it all works out for Trackhouse Racing.