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via Imago

via Imago

It has been 20 years since the NASCAR Racing 2003 (NR2003) video game was launched. To this day, it is still considered one of the best NASCAR simulator games of all time. In fact, Trackhouse Racing team co-owner Justin Marks confessed that his NASCAR interest began, thanks to the game. According to him, the team would have never existed without this game to capture his interest. Safe to say, that statement intrigued many in the NASCAR community, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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For the uninitiated, NR2003 is an offline racing simulator that caters only to NASCAR. Of course, with each passing year, there have been several more NASCAR-themed video games and simulation games. However, it seems that none of them could even hold a candle to NR2003, not even the latest game, NASCAR: Ignition.

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How has Trackhouse Racing performed since its debut?

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Despite being a fledgling team, having been in the sport since 2021, the outfit has grown in leaps and bounds. The first season was a little shaky as the organization got the first-season jitters. Nevertheless, they still enjoyed a couple of Top 10 finishes during the 2021 campaign, finishing as high as fourth. It was only when the 2022 season kicked off, and they recruited a certain watermelon farmer, that the team truly shone. Safe to say, Ross Chastain helped the team soar to new heights.

USA Today via Reuters

Right off the bat, Ross Chastain established himself as a championship threat. If you ask Denny Hamlin, Chastain was also an on-track threat. Chastain banged in consistent Top 5 finishes during the campaign, snatching two wins in the process. In fact, he recorded 13 Top 5 finishes in the 2022 Cup Series season.

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Even teammate Daniel Suarez managed to chip in with his maiden Cup Series win, and five Top 5 finishes during the year. Now, both drivers will enter the 2023 season with designs to go one step further and make themselves even bigger threats.