In 2021, Trackhouse Racing emerged as a bold new entity in NASCAR, founded by former driver Justin Marks and later joined by rapper Pitbull. The team made an immediate impact by acquiring Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR assets and debuting in the 2022 Daytona 500 with Daniel Suárez behind the wheel of the No. 99 Chevrolet. The team’s success continued with Ross Chastain joining in 2022, leading to multiple victories and solidifying Trackhouse as a formidable force. But as it continues to ascend, questions arise about the future direction of the team and its leadership, particularly for their anchor figure, Chastain.

Justin Marks has consistently expressed his ambition to expand Trackhouse Racing into a multi-car operation, drawing inspiration from established teams like Hendrick Motorsports. “I think there’s a big opportunity in this sport,” Marks said. “I have a certain belief about what’s possible in this sport, and it’s just the way I do things,” talking about creating a four-car dynasty in NASCAR. But with the recent antitrust lawsuit circling NASCAR garages, some insiders feel that it might be a difficult dream to achieve.

Ross Chastain’s journey from anchor to question mark

In a candid discussion between Kevin Harvick and Fox reporter Bob Pockrass in the Happy Hour podcast, the future of Trackhouse Racing and its anchor driver, Ross Chastain, was thoroughly examined. Harvick, reflecting on the team’s dynamics, remarked, “When I look at the Trackhouse dynamic, it’s interesting, right? And I think when you look at Trackhouse and Ross, that’s what the anchor, I mean, he’s viewed as the anchor of the team. Is that fair? You see Zilisch coming in. You see a new crew chief coming in. You saw him build the car for SVG and bring Steven in to be the crew chief and built a whole team around it. They do a great job with all the sponsorship and everything that they do. Because I would assume that his contract is getting towards the end.”

As of September 2025, Chastain has secured a contract extension with Trackhouse Racing, solidifying his position with the team through at least the end of the 2027 season. But the team’s trajectory hasn’t been without challenges. The departure of Daniel Suárez after the 2025 season marked the end of an era for Trackhouse. Suárez, who had been with the team since its NASCAR debut, was replaced by rising star Connor Zilisch, signaling a shift towards the future. However, the conversation delved deeper into the evolving landscape of the team.

Pockrass highlighted significant changes within the team, noting, “He has at least a couple years left. And I don’t see Ross as a guy who likes a lot of change. And he’s a guy who I think is very comfortable at Trackhouse. I think he’ll still be the anchor, right? SVG is still going to be on a learning curve. Zilisch is still going to be on a learning curve.”

The team’s commitment to Chastain was exemplified by the extension of their partnership with Moose Fraternity, a sponsor that has been associated with Chastain since 2020. This renewed alliance underscores the mutual trust and long-term vision shared between Chastain and Trackhouse Racing. However, with the transitions going on for the 2026 season, Trackhouse has faced scrutiny from NASCAR officials, too.

Pockrass further explained, “A few years ago, we were always equating 23XI and Trackhouse, right? The new teams. And it seems that 23XI has continued a certain level of performance and Trackhouse has been a little bit more, I would say, up and down. Just maybe a tick behind. And the question is, as the bigger teams develop ideas with the next-gen car, are they going to be able to keep up? And you saw them, obviously, make a lot of competition changes here in the last few months. I think they have to do it.”

For instance, an incident during the race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, where both Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen drove through the grass post-race, caught the attention of NASCAR, leading to discussions about the team’s conduct. But when it comes to the ongoing charter drama, the caution does not just loom over 23XI Racing but also other teams like Trackhouse Racing.

Pockrass elaborated on the predicted number of cars that Trackhouse would put on the racetrack, “I would think it would be four. Yeah, I think four cars. I think it depends. Go back to the start of this conversation and the lawsuit and how many teams have charters and how many cars each organization has. I would say four to six is what you often hear. If you can get six and have a four-car team and a two-car team, then it’s legacy, an organization that would be a three-car team in 2027.”

Teams are now exploring various strategies to navigate the evolving charter landscape, including potential mergers and acquisitions. But amidst the ongoing transformations, Ross Chastain’s role remains integral to the team’s identity.

Ross Chastain faces crucial playoff decisions

Trackhouse Racing entered the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season with high ambitions and a strong driver lineup. Shane van Gisbergen’s full-time Cup debut has already made waves with multiple road course victories, but Ross Chastain finds himself just below the playoff cutline. Every decision now becomes critical for Chastain’s advancement, particularly as challenging venues like the Charlotte Roval test both driver skill and team strategy.

Amidst the pressure, Chastain remains focused and confident. “Expectations are to keep going. We feel like a race-winning operation, and that we can continue down this path. We put the other cars like we have been. We’ve been in the top 10 recently, so that should be enough. The stage points don’t go with it. We haven’t gotten enough of those this round, so we’ll see. Looking forward to the challenge. And with SVG, I feel like if I’m within three seconds of him at the end of the race, I’ll probably be in second and get a lot of points,” he said. Despite the absence of stage points, recent top-10 finishes, including a Coca-Cola 600 victory, reflect his strong performance.

Team strategy remains central to Chastain’s playoff approach. “Phil Surgen will have to make a decision. I told him last week in Kansas, I am glad I’m sitting in the car, he’s sitting on the pit box. He gets to make those decisions,” he explained, highlighting the collaboration between driver and crew chief.

Discussing the tactical elements, he added, “It comes into where the other guy is running. In the past, we’ve stayed out and gotten points. It just minimizes the loss to other people who are running behind him. And other times you’re doing it to gain points. And then the third option is, we feel like we’re fast enough to win. And yes, I’ll be giving my opinion. I’m only one opinion of many that will decide when we pit.”

As the playoffs continue, these combined decisions of skill, timing, and teamwork will determine Trackhouse Racing’s future.