The Trade Between Kaulig and Trackhouse Racing Broken Down

Ahead of the 2024 NASCAR Cup season, the Trackhouse Racing team is making some big moves. Recently, the organization performed a crew chief swap with Kaulig Racing. Daniel Suarez will partner with incoming crew chief Matt Swiderski, and Travis Mack is headed in the opposite direction. Swiderski used to be the crew chief for the #16 Kaulig Racing car, and Mack was Suarez’s crew chief.

Normally, such instances are uncommon, but both parties feel that this could benefit them. Earlier in 2023, Swiderski helped guide AJ Allmendinger to a race win at the Charlotte Roval. This would be Allmendinger’s third career win and his second with Swiderski. Meanwhile, Travis Mack is no slouch either, as he guided Daniel Suarez to his maiden Cup win in 2022.

Why do Trackhouse Racing and Kaulig Racing need the swap?

Swiderski boasts of a wealth of experience in the NASCAR Cup Series. This is because he has been with a variety of teams like Team Penske and Richard Childress Racing. On the other side of the fence, Travis Mack is also expected to take on the role of technical director. Both teams have wildly different agendas, with Kaulig wanting to go down the build-up route. On the other hand, Trackhouse Racing is already on an upward trajectory and wants to soar even higher.

Meanwhile, Daniel Suarez endured a poor 2023 campaign after his breakout 2022 season. With Ross Chastain establishing himself as a leader in the team, the Mexican driver has to step up his game. This comes at a time when Trackhouse Racing is taking some massive steps to grow its brand. According to Justin Marks, “Matt is a proven winner with a dynamic engineering background, and we are confident he will pair well with Daniel.”

READ MORE: Daniel Suarez on the Hot Seat in 2024 as Trackhouse Racing Concerned With Declining Performance

What to expect from the Kaulig Racing #16 car?

In 2024, it was confirmed that AJ Allmendinger will not compete on a full-time basis. Although he will return to the #16 Chevrolet, he will split driving duties with another driver. That second driver is yet to be confirmed, but Kaulig Racing might make an announcement very soon. The organization is in its fifth season in the Cup Series and is steadily building itself from the ground up.

The team already got a massive boost with Allmendinger’s win at Charlotte. He triumphed for them previously in 2021 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Having Allmendinger downgrade to a part-time schedule will be a blow for the team. On the other hand, Daniel Hemric in the #31 car is talented, and whoever else takes over the #16 slot, will also have to step up.

WATCH THIS STORY: Bubba Wallace Receives Love From Nascar Faithful & Pal Daniel Suarez as He Ties the Knot With Longtime Girlfriend Amanda Carter