There was a time when Red Bull was invested heavily in the premier stock car racing series. Not only as a primary sponsor but also had the whole racing operation set up in 2006, but by 2011, RBRT pulled the plug on their NASCAR project. It was big news at the time and raised concerns about the future of the sport. Moreover, this raised the question of whether the globally recognized energy drink brand would ever return to NASCAR.

Well, the company has put all those questions to rest by announcing their return to Cup Series racing in 2025. Red Bull will serve as the primary sponsor for Trackhouse Racing drivers Shane van Gisbergen and rookie Connor Zilisch. Apart from the debut run with JRM in the Xfinity Series, Zilisch will also make his Cup Series debut at COTA. He will pilot the No. 87 Red Bull Chevy, whereas SVG’s No. 88 Chevy will be backed by the company for a total of five races in 2025.

Red Bull will sponsor SVG and Connor Zilisch in the NASCAR Cup Series

Now SVG has been a Red Bull athlete since 2016, when he was racing in the Supercars series. During his stint with Red Bull, he won titles in 2016, 2021, and 2022 and bagged 78 race wins. Little did he know that he would be reunited with his major partner as a primary sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 88 car. Trackhouse Racing is known for making big moves, and bringing Red Bull back to NASCAR further highlights their commitment to being ambitious and passionate about their racing project.

“I have enjoyed a lot of new experiences and met a lot of new people since coming to NASCAR, but it is nice to be joined by Red Bull who has been a big supporter of mine for many years back home. I’d love nothing more than to give Red Bull a victory as a way to thank them for joining myself, Connor and Trackhouse Racing,” SVG said in a press release.

Van Gisbergen will drive with the familiar Red Bull paint schemes on March 16 (Las Vegas Motor Speedway), July 13 (Sonoma Raceway), August 3 (Iowa Speedway), August 23 (Daytona International Speedway), and September 28 (Kansas Speedway). Meanwhile, the Trackhouse Racing development driver Zilisch was excited and eager to make his Cup Series debut with Red Bull at COTA on March 2, 2025.

“I never thought I’d get the opportunity to race in the @NASCAR Cup Series, let alone debut at 18 years old. I’m so fortunate to be surrounded by great companies like @redbull and @TeamTrackhouse. COTA is only 38 days away; let’s go!👊🏼” Connor Zilisch shared this on X. It’s fair to say that Zilisch is now entering the big leagues, and fans couldn’t be more excited about seeing him after an eventful 2024 feature.

Zilisch wasn’t expecting a Cup Series debut with Trackhouse Racing in 2025

The North Carolina native is touted to be the next superstar driver of his generation. Well, he was close to joining open-wheel racing at the Formula 1 level, but he decided to return to his roots and make his name in stock car racing. Trackhouse Racing was keeping a close eye on the young driver and added him to their driver lineup in January of 2024.

He won the Rolex 24 in Daytona, the Twelve Hours of Sebring, and five ARCA Series races. Not to forget, he bagged a victory in his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen driving the No. 88 JRM Chevy. So there’s a lot of hype surrounding Zilisch’s rookie run along with his Cup Series debut. “I was surprised when they presented me my Red Bull helmet and hat last summer and doubly surprised when they told me I would make my Cup debut in the No. 87 with a Red Bull paint scheme. Red Bull is going to bring a lot more eyes to NASCAR, and I think everyone will win when that happens.” Zilisch added.

This move by Red Bull can also be seen as a positive development. One of the reasons for their departure was the lack of their brand visibility to a younger audience. This is where the new media rights deal has played a role in bringing one of the prominent sponsors back to NASCAR.