Red Bull’s NASCAR Re-entry With Team Trackhouse Could Prove Problematic for SVG’s Kaulig Racing Alliance, Here’s Why

One of the many riveting stories of the 2024 silly season is the return of Red Bull to NASCAR. The famed motorsports team had been a part of the NASCAR Cup Series earlier and functioned from 2006-11. In recent news, Trackhouse Racing could be the organization to court the energy drink brand back into stock-car racing as team owner Justin Marks teased the fans with a Red Bull hint on his Instagram story.

The point of contact between the two will be 3-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen. Following an iconic debut in 2023, Trackhouse Racing roped in the Auckland native for the 2024 season. Gisbergen’s services have been lent to Kaulig Racing to help him acclimate to a new style of racing in America. However, the alliance between Kaulig and Trackhouse might cause a dispute between sponsors, which could lead to a horde of problems for Red Bull in NASCAR.

Red Bull’s partnership with SVG can start a conflict of interest

A few days ago, Justin Marks posted an image of Shane van Gisbergen, presumably at the Trackhouse HQ, signing what seemed like a contract. Marks tagged the driver, Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet, sponsor WeatherTech, and surprisingly, Red Bull. The image sent the community into a frenzy of speculation as rumors of the famous brand returning to NASCAR spread like wildfire.

As for SVG, despite being signed to Trackhouse, the alliance with Kaulig Racing implies that he will race in the Xfinity Series full-time and participate in a limited number of Cup Series races. A disagreement that could emerge in this situation arises from Kaulig’s partnership with another energy drink brand, Celsius.

Celsius established itself in NASCAR as it struck a multi-year deal with Kaulig Racing in 2021, after having been with the team since 2016. Since last season, it has evolved into a primary sponsor for multiple races. Celsius’s presence has been seen on firesuits, Justin Haley, and AJ Allmendinger’s cars. With that being said, the question remains: who will feature on Shane van Gisbergen’s attire following his move to Kaulig Racing?

Red Bull has sponsored individual drivers in various motorsports circuits. Even if not as a primary sponsor, the organization has often been present as an associate sponsor. While SVG has been an official Red Bull-sponsored driver since 2016, how the conflicting partnerships will unfold is yet to be seen. There can be two solutions to this peculiar conflict. While one would limit Red Bull’s presence in 2024, another makes it an official partner of Trackhouse Racing.

Watch This Story: Trackhouse confirms Shane Van Gisbergen’s Daytona “practice” ahead of his Xfinity debut 

The alternatives to the sponsorship conflict in NASCAR

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One possible outcome is that Red Bull signs as a partner with Trackhouse Racing. That would mean that the company will feature on the team’s cars, including Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez. This solution also implies that in the limited races like the Daytona 500, where SVG will race in the NASCAR Cup Series, he can run a Red Bull sponsored car or other sponsor-related variations.

As for the races in Xfinity Series, he will run Celsius-sponsored cars without any intrusion from Red Bull or a limited presence for it. The other alternative would be for Red Bull to continue as a personal partner for Gisbergen like it has for seven years. Having teamed up with individuals in different motorsports without any obstruction, this seems like the most probable outcome of the deal.

Hendrick Motorsports has experienced such a situation in NASCAR previously. The Rick Hendrick-owned team was signed with two insurance companies, Farmers Insurance and Nationwide Insurance. While Farmers Insurance was limited to the #5 Chevrolet of Kasey Kahne, the #88 of Dale Earnhardt Jr featured the Nationwide Insurance logo.

That is one of the examples of two similar sponsors co-existing on the same team. With Kaulig Racing and Trackhouse Racing running different cars in different tourneys, the situation will be relatively easier to solve.

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