The 2025 NASCAR season has arrived, and Trackhouse Racing is looking to reignite the fire that once made them the dark horse of the Cup Series.
After bursting onto the scene in 2021, the team quickly made waves, sending Ross Chastain to the Championship Four in 2022 and proving they could go toe-to-toe with NASCAR’s powerhouse organizations like Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske.
But since then? The momentum has faded.
Now, Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain, and newcomer Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) are on a mission to turn things around—and Suárez is more optimistic than ever.
From Contender to Underdog: What Happened to Trackhouse?
In 2022, Trackhouse Racing thrived under NASCAR’s “Next Gen” revolution. The new car leveled the playing field, allowing smaller teams like Trackhouse to compete with NASCAR’s biggest names.
Chastain capitalized on the opportunity, securing a career-defining Championship Four appearance. But after that, things started to slow down.
🚫 2023: Chastain made the playoffs but finished 9th. Suárez went winless and landed at 19th in the standings.
🚫 2024: Chastain missed the playoffs entirely, finishing 19th—his worst season at Trackhouse. Suárez delivered Trackhouse’s only win but still finished 12th.
The team had gone from a rising force to struggling for consistency, and Suárez knew something had to change.
Suárez: “We Needed to Do Something Different”
Suárez, the driver of the No. 99 Chevrolet, believes 2025 could be the year Trackhouse gets back on track.
The key? Matt Swiderski.
Swiderski took over as Suárez’s crew chief in 2024, helping him snap his winless streak with a victory in Atlanta. Suárez credits him for unlocking the team’s potential and bringing in fresh insights that could lead to a breakthrough in 2025.
“He’s for sure one of the smartest guys I ever worked with,” Suárez told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass.
“I really like his style of doing things… We really learned a lot. A lot of things that he told me we needed to work on, I didn’t even know they were problems. I’m very excited about the way we’re making progress—not just with the 99, but with the whole company.”
Suárez also admitted that Trackhouse’s early success in 2022 masked underlying weaknesses.
“Since 2022, our performance has declined a little bit every year,” he said.
“I believe we still need speed. We still need to be faster. We knew if we continued doing the same things, we would continue getting the same results.”
This season, the goal is clear—get faster, get smarter, and get back to Victory Lane more often.
Enter SVG: A Game-Changer for Trackhouse?
One of the biggest reasons for optimism in Trackhouse’s 2025 campaign is the addition of Shane van Gisbergen to the Cup Series lineup.
After his stunning debut win in the 2023 Chicago Street Race, SVG proved that he wasn’t just another rookie—he was a serious threat.
His Xfinity Series season in 2024 only solidified that belief:
✅ 3 wins
✅ 7 top-5 finishes
✅ 12th overall in the standings
Trackhouse owner Justin Marks saw enough. SVG has been promoted to full-time Cup racing, making Trackhouse a three-car team for the first time.
Could SVG be the X-factor that lifts Trackhouse back into championship contention?
The Road to Redemption Starts Now
For Trackhouse Racing, 2025 is a turning point. The team isn’t the scrappy underdog anymore—they’re expected to compete at a high level.
With Suárez’s renewed confidence, Chastain’s hunger to bounce back, and SVG’s raw talent, Trackhouse might just be ready to shake up the NASCAR world again.
The question is: Will they rise to the occasion?
One thing’s for sure—they’re ready to fight.
