Will Trackhouse Racing’s MotoGP Debut Mirror Its NASCAR Debut?

For the 2024 season, Trackhouse Racing is diversifying its portfolio. After the RNF Racing MotoGP team folded at the end of the 2023 season, Justin Marks stepped in as the knight in shining armor. Now the Aprilia-run team will be renamed as the Trackhouse Racing MotoGP team. On the bright side, they are retaining the current line-up of Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez.

Both riders are extremely talented and have won races in the past. Now with Trackhouse Racing in their corner, it’s the dawn of a new era. Not too long ago, the American team had made its NASCAR Cup Series debut with Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez. In just four years, the team has gone from strength to strength. 2021 was the maiden season, with Daniel Suarez behind the wheel. While he didn’t win any races, he put in decent performances all year.

How has Trackhouse Racing performed in NASCAR?

In 2022, the team expanded to a two-car operation and roped in Ross Chastain in the second Chevrolet. Almost instantly, he made an impact, and it even extended to teammate Suarez. That year, both drivers boasted of at least one race win and reached the Playoffs. Chastain, in particular, blossomed forth, and he emerged as a genuine contender for race wins.

The team even launched an ambitious plan in 2022, called Project 91, where international racing stars could also compete. 2007 F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen was the first one to undertake this, and van Gisbergen did it last year. In his debut appearance, he won the race at the Chicago Street Course and scripted history.

READ MORE: Justin Marks Gives an Insight on How Trackhouse Racing Breached Into MotoGP in a Flash

For the 2024 season, Chastain and Suarez are back, and so is van Gisbergen. In addition to that, the team might try to rope in more international racing stars for Project 91.

The team has a good foundation in MotoGP to build on

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Now the question is, will Trackhouse MotoGP’s career mirror its NASCAR counterpart? Safe to say, Oliveira and Fernandez are talented riders, and the former has been a proven race winner. In fact, he has five MotoGP wins to his name, so he could very easily be Ross Chastain’s counterpart. Trackhouse Racing will also have the help of the factory Aprilia team and be able to use them as a benchmark.

The big question is, can the team achieve its objective of making the sport popular in the United States? As a matter of fact, America has produced a few MotoGP legends and champions. Chief among them are Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, and the late Nicky Hayden, who is the last American champion. The best part is that Trackhouse Racing inked a multi-year partnership with Aprilia, so they are definitely in for the long run.

Justin Marks seems fully invested in both of his motorsports projects and wants to see them succeed. The target for the MotoGP squad is to secure two factory Aprilia bikes for Oliveira and Fernandez. Interestingly, the team was initially planned for a 2025 debut, but circumstances involving predecessor RNF Racing pushed up the timeline. In light of this, 2024 will be a very big year for Justin Marks and Pitbull, as co-owners of the team.

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