Trackhouse Racing Reaches Untouched NASCAR Territory After Announcing Their New Ringer for 2025

One Cup Series team is going international. Trackhouse Racing debuted in 2020 when Justin Marks partnered up with former Dale Earnhardt Incorporated executive Ty Norris. From its very inception, the team has thrived in the presence of people of diverse backgrounds. American rapper and singer Pitbull provided sponsorship, while Mexican speedster Daniel Suarez handed the team its first victory in a 2022 Sonoma Cup race.

For 2025, the team just added another sparkling element to its portfolio. Brazil native Helio Castroneves is an IndyCar veteran, with his four Indianapolis 500 victories elevating him to legend status. This motorsports star will make his first Cup Series debut – and guess under which team? Yes, Trackhouse, which is scripting history in the process.

Trackhouse Racing is getting wings

Well, NASCAR is already on a global mission. At the beginning of 2024, the sport released its first Netflix documentary, ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ to attract wider audiences from around the globe. It will hold its first international points-paying Cup race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Yet one of NASCAR’s Cup Series teams seems to be single-handedly pushing forward this global mission. Trackhouse Racing inducted Daniel Suarez from Monterrey, Mexico, and then Ross Chastain from Florida, USA. As part of their ‘Project 91′, following his phenomenal debut victory in Chicago in 2023, Shane van Gisbergen from Auckland, New Zealand, will compete full-time for Trackhouse Racing in 2025.

Now Helio Castroneves just spiced up the crowd inside Justin Marks’ team. He will wheel the Project 91 car and attempt to qualify in the 2025 Daytona 500 race. What is especially interesting is his roots – the 49-year-old IndyCar star hails from São Paulo, Brazil. This marks a unique situation for Trackhouse, as a NASCAR fan pointed out on Reddit: “With the announcement that Trackhouse will field the Project 91 car for Helio Castroneves in the 2025 Daytona 500, they will become the first team to have all four of its drivers each representing a different country.”

Talk about versatility packed into a single team! Helio Castroneves‘ addition will draw an army of fans to the Cup Series’ season-opening race. With veteran crew chief Darian Grubb booked for the pit box, Castroneves will add to a legacy. Juan Pablo Montoya was the last Indy 500 champ to run in Daytona. Only two former Indy 500 winners have ever won the Daytona 500 – Mario Andretti and A. J. Foyt. Castroneves expressed his gleeful surprise when the schedule was fixed: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing.”

However, Castroneves is being too humble as he has the hardware to prove his Daytona talents.

An achiever at the hallowed racetrack

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Since opening in 1959, Daytona International Speedway has been hallowed ground for stock car racing enthusiasts who call it the ‘World Center of Racing.’ Clinching a win at this racetrack is like scripting your name in racing history. Although Helio Castroneves will script his Daytona 500 journey for the first time under Trackhouse Racing, it will be familiar ground for him. He was the first driver to win three consecutive Rolex 24 races at Daytona. Castroneves also competed in the International Race of Champions (IROC) Series from 2002-05, when he ran in Daytona. He logged his best finish of 6th place in 2004.

Clearly, the 49-year-old Brazilian has a ton of experience on the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Yet Castroneves is approaching his stint with Justin Marks with humility and precision. “I know how much of a challenge this is going to be, but I also know the type of people and team Trackhouse Racing will bring to the effort. I can’t wait to get to the Trackhouse race shop in North Carolina to meet everyone and prepare for Daytona. There is so much I must learn and I’m ready to get started.” Another SVG-style victory on the blocks, do you think? Well, Castroneves’ energy does give hints of a possible 8th Cup victory for Trackhouse.

We will get to know in a month, as the 67th running of the Daytona 500 will kick off on February 16th. Until then, we can brace ourselves for a grand Trackhouse Racing season entry!