The Daytona 500 is BACK! Not just drivers, but the teams have also buckled up a whole lot of skillful drivers who are aiming to stay in the front, because this year, there are some major dark horse contenders ready to shake things up. As the Trackhouse Racing lined up their diversifying excellence, building the pure exception case in the NASCAR. 

We’ve got seasoned vets battling it out with fresh faces, including international superstar Shane van Gisbergen making his full-time debut. He’s ready to rumble, and other established guys like Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain are gonna have their hands full. Meanwhile, just a few hours before the ‘Great American Race’ the underdog team; made a huge statement with their subtle message on social media.

Shane van Gisbergen and teammates will make history at Daytona 500

Justin Marks laid the foundation of Trackhouse Racing, bringing a fresh and innovative team approach to NASCAR. Over the last five years, since their initiation, they’ve gradually progressed, right from getting Daniel Suárez behind the wheel of the No. 99 Chevrolet and marking their first full-time run in the Cup Series in 2021. And now? They’ve quickly risen in the ranks, gaining attention for their unique style and diverse driver lineup, creating a new history today in NASCAR. That’s not just a value addition for the team but also broadens the scope of NASCAR. 

As they brought together a diverse group of international drivers, the Daytona 500 fest just doubled for the team. Expressing their excitement for this iconic race, they posted an interesting video on their Instagram handle. The caption read, “Today we make NASCAR history!” What history? It’s simple: because that’s what set them apart from the other NASCAR team! The drivers in the video read it out very clearly, “Four nations. Four drivers. One team. It’s the Daytona five hundred.” 

 Trackhouse Racing kicked off its 2025 with a bang! Making headlines getting Hélio Castroneves from Brazil onboard through their Project 91 program. And get this–they’re also the first and only team to use NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional rule. This year’s Daytona 500 attracted attention for breaking barriers. How cool is that? Moreover, the team’s flagship driver Daniel Suárez representing Mexico, Ross Chastain waves the flag for the U.S., and the one and only Shane van Gisbergen hailing from New Zealand. Seriously, they’re not just racing; they’re redefining the NASCAR culture. 

While 2025 marks Shane van Gisbergen’s and Helio Castroneves’s first attempt at the Daytona 500. The underdog’s fans looked upon Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain, who could be the real contenders for the Trackhouse Racing team. The one who’s going to surprise us all and take home the checkered flag? 

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A close call between Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain

If it comes to finding out the real contenders for Trackhouse Racing, then Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain are more likely to come out victorious in the Daytona 500. But before that, we need to assess their performances from track to track. 

In the past couple of years, the Daytona 500 has seen Daniel Suárez go from 18th in 2022 to a career-high for Daytona at 7th place in 2023. Last year, however, a crash during the race’s crucial laps dropped him to 34th place; he had maintained a good pace before the crash. Furthermore, he has claimed a win at Sonoma in 2022 and Atlanta in 2024. Plus, even though he ended up 22nd at the Bowman Gray Clash, he performed well in heat race 2 finishing 5th for qualifying in the event. 

On the other hand, Ross Chastain’s Daytona hasn’t been super kind to him lately either. In the Daytona 500, he finished 40th in 2022, had a pretty good run finishing 9th in 2023, and then came in 21st in 2024. Back in 2019, though, he snagged a win in the Xfinity Series at Daytona. While he got placed in 21st position at the 2024 Daytona 500, it was a very near win as he led the last 14 out of 20 laps. Moreover, in his entire Cup career, Chastain has notable wins, that goes like: Circuit of The Americas (2022), GEICO 500 at Talladega (2022), Hollywood Casino 400 (2024), Kansas Speedway (2024), Phoenix Raceway (2023), and two pole positions in the NASCAR Cup Series. 

Suárez and Chastain have memories of Daytona’s struggles, but they just can’t count them out! The Daytona 500 is unexpected, so honestly, either one of these guys could surprise us all and take home the trophy. When the likes of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Austin Cindric can win the Daytona, the Trackhouse superstars can keep their hopes up.