Changes at Trackhouse Racing over the offseason resulted in the team dropping their original car number, No. 99, ahead of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. It marked the first time the number was dropped from a team's full-time roster since 2014, when Carl Edwards left Roush Fenway Racing for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Daniel Suarez, who was Trackhouse Racing's original driver when they entered the Cup Series in 2021, was replaced by Connor Zilisch for 2026. Zilisch took the No. 88, which had been used by Shane van Gisbergen, while van Gisbergen took the No. 97, a number that has meaning for him dating back to his days in Australian Supercars. Ross Chastain stuck with the No. 1.
But the No. 99 is set to be back in 2026, albeit not on a full-time basis, and it's set to be back with both a familiar team and a familiar manufacturer.
RFK Racing add fourth car for Daytona 500
RFK Racing announced the addition of the No. 99 Ford for Corey LaJoie for the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
The car is not a chartered car, meaning LaJoie must compete for one of the four open spots to get into the race, but it marks the first appearance of the No. 99 Ford with the team since Ryan Reed drove it at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2016.
The No. 99 Ford hasn't appeared in the Daytona 500 since Edwards' 17th place finish in 2014.
Prior to Edwards' departure for Joe Gibbs Racing, where he wrapped up his Cup Series career with a two-year stint, the No. 99 had been a Roush Racing/Roush Fenway Racing mainstay dating all the way back to the 1996 season, which was Jeff Burton's first season with the team.
Edwards took over from Burton, who scored 17 wins in the No. 99 Ford, late in the 2004 season and drove the No. 99 Ford through the 2014 season, racking up 23 victories along the way.
LaJoie's No. 99 Ford is expected to be one of seven open cars battling for the final four spots in the 68th running of the "Great American Race". Two of those spots are set to be awarded via single-car qualifying speeds, and the other two are set to be awarded via America 250 Florida Duel race results.
LaJoie qualified 12th in an open entry for Rick Ware Racing in 2025, back when the team had a technical alliance with RFK Racing. Rick Ware Racing have no plans to add a second car in 2026.
Daytona 500 qualifying is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 11 (8:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1), and the two America 250 Florida Duel races are scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 12 (7:00 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1). The Daytona 500 is set to be shown live on Fox from Daytona International Speedway starting at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss it!