NASCAR: Another new team eyeing expansion for 2022?
By Randy Smith
Trackhouse Racing Team have seen ups and downs in their first year in the NASCAR Cup Series, but they are already thinking big picture.
Throughout the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the new Trackhouse Racing Team have certainly experienced quite a few highs and lows.
Since forming last fall and signing Daniel Suarez to drive the #99 Chevrolet, team co-owner and former driver Justin Marks added Grammy Award-winning artist Pitbull to the organization as a team partner.
light. Must Read. Dale Earnhardt Jr. still annoys Martin Truex Jr.
Pitbull rang in the new season as the Grand Marshal for the Daytona 500 and Suarez grabbed an impressive fourth place finish in the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway after leading a bunch of laps, only to grab a DNF at the next race at Martinsville Speedway after his car caught on fire, perfectly illustrating the wide range of emotions experienced by the new team in year one.
But through it all, they are focused on not only this year, but next year and beyond as well.
More from NASCAR Cup Series
- NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
- NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
- NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
- NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
- NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500
Marks said in an interview with SiriusXM that “a two-car team in 2022 is very much in the picture”, and Kurt Busch, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver whose contract expires at the end for the 2021 season, confirmed that the team have reached out to him about potentially driving a second car.
With 23XI Racing, one of the other new teams to the series in 2021, already looking at expansion for next year, competition among organizations will not only take place on the race track but in the front office as well.
Trackhouse Racing Team currently lease a charter from Spire Motorsports, so there will be a lot to figure out for Marks and the rest of the Welcome, North Carolina-based team if they should add a second car to put alongside the #99 Chevrolet in 2022.
But there is a lot going for Trackhouse Racing Team already, even just 16 races into their first season.
Beyond his top five finish at Bristol Motor Speedway, Suarez also finished in the top 10 at Dover International Speedway, and he sits only a few points below fellow new team driver Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing in the point standings. Having Pitbull as a team partner moving forward surely doesn’t hurt either.
Next. Top 25 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
A career revival from their driver, a celebrity partner, and some more solid finishes could be all Trackhouse Racing Team need to confidently grow their operation heading into the 2022 season.