Back in 2021, a new team joined NASCAR with Chevy backing and quickly rose to the top. That team was Trackhouse Racing, which took over Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR operations. However, with their regular entourage of Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez, Justin Marks had a special program that he dedicated purely to motorsports talent around the world.

Five years later, it seems like the special program is about to be revived for a very special occasion during the 2026 season. According to a post from Stock Car Rumors and Nostalgia on Instagram, “I’ve heard from a few folks now that Trackhouse currently intends to run a surprise 4th entry in San Diego.”

Multiple teams have something special planned for NASCAR’s biggest and most anticipated street racing experiment, so it feels quite in line that Trackhouse Racing is joining in, through their motorsports program known as Project 91. So is this some part-time charter? No, it is way more than a part-time entry.

In their own words, “For us to put it in Victory Lane, it just shows, I think, the world that this PROJECT91 is a very, very elite effort. It’s not about vanity. It’s not about just sponsorship. It’s not about social media. It’s about putting a program together that can actually win and tell great stories. I think the fact that we put it in Victory Lane just galvanizes our mission in trying to attract the greatest motorsport talent in the world.”

In 2022, PROJECT 91 was led by Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 Formula 1 world champion, who got behind the wheel of the car at Watkins Glen. He may have crashed out of the race and ended in P37, but he drew everyone’s attention towards the team and their mission. He returned in 2023 at COTA, but it was Shane van Gisbergen who brought the heat to PROJECT 91 in 2023.

The superstar driver and multiple-time champion from the Australian V8 Supercar series drove the PROJECT 91 to victory lane in the inaugural Chicago Street Race. He became the first driver in 60 years to win his debut NASCAR race. A year later, he joined hands with Kaulig Racing and drove the O’Reilly Series full-time, demonstrating amazing capabilities on road courses and the ability to learn ovals.

The PROJECT 91 proved what it had set out to do. They successfully launched the NASCAR career of a world-class motorsports driver and made him a NASCAR regular who was able to compete on equal terms in the Cup Series. The same driver is currently 19th in the drivers’ standings with 215 points despite the team’s out-of-form pace.

While tensions between Iran and the USA are soaring, leading some insiders to cast doubt on the San Diego race, the Trackhouse Racing team seems to have its goals set. They want to see a repeat of 2023 at the inaugural San Diego Race. However, the news is not confirmed yet. But who will drive the car if the rumors happen to be true?

Based on the recent ongoings in the motorsports world… we might have an answer…

Du Du Du Du… The Dutch Lion?

The NASCAR community was falling head over heels for a popular motorsports icon a few days ago. NASCAR had posted a video on social media with Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen meeting Connor Zilisch, the most hyped rookie of 2026. As soon as Verstappen revealed that he was following the Talladega race closely, ans wanted nothing more than his presence in NASCAR.

So is Max Verstappen going to take over the wheel of the No. 91 car for the NASCAR race in San Diego this year? There is a high chance that he may. First of all, the NASCAR San Diego race weekend will take place on June 19-21. Max Verstappen will be free that weekend since the next Formula 1 race will be on June 28.

As far as his willingness to compete goes, well… Max Verstappen isn’t exactly happy with the current Formula 1 season. He is actively spending his time exploring other motorsports series, including the 24 Hours of Nürburgring race. So considering the fact that the Anduril 250 at San Diego is a unique street circuit race, which is something Verstappen knows a thing or two about, the four-time Formula 1 champion might actually want to give NASCAR a try.

Yes, he previously rejected the notion of joining NASCAR, but that was because he feared the ovals and his safety while racing at those high speeds. And according to his close friend Shane Van Gisbergen, “Seeing someone like Max would be… he’s obviously the first guy who springs to mind because he has started dabbling in other things.”

SVG has already revealed that he is in contact with Verstappen, and the latter also advised him personally before the inaugural NASCAR race in Mexico. As a result, SVG was able to close the deal in 2025 and visit the victory lane.