The NASCAR Cup Series car that has yet to appear in 2024

During the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Trackhouse Racing Team announced a program called PROJECT91, which was designed to give internationally renowned race car drivers the opportunity to compete in select races at stock car racing's highest level.

Formula 1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen was the first driver to pilot the No. 91 Chevrolet, doing so at Watkins Glen International that year. He returned and ran last year's race at Circuit of the Americas as well.

The Justin Marks and Pitbull-owned team then called upon three-time Australian Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen to drive the car in the inaugural street race in Chicago, and van Gisbergen won, making him the first driver in six decades to win on Cup debut.

Van Gisbergen returned for the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. But that race was contested more than a year ago now, and the No. 91 Chevrolet has not been back since, a stretch that includes the entire 2023 postseason and the entire 2024 regular season.

What's in store for PROJECT91?

Trackhouse Racing Team haven't officially shuttered PROJECT91, and they are set to expand to three full-time entries next year, so it would seem that they have the resources available to bring it back if they so choose at some point during the playoffs.

Having said that, the entry has never appeared in a playoff race, though it is worth mentioning that there are two road course races, an all-time high, on this year's four-round, 10-race playoff schedule.

Watkins Glen is scheduled to host a race in the first round, while the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval is scheduled to host one in the second. But the team could opt to place full focus on Daniel Suarez, who qualified for the playoffs thanks to his win at Atlanta Motor Speedway back in late February, rather than add a third entry.

And if the No. 91 Chevrolet doesn't appear at all in 2024, is there any reason to believe it will in 2025? At that point, the team already plan to be running three cars on a full-time basis, so PROJECT91 would require the addition of a fourth car in select events.

It is worth noting that van Gisbergen, the team's recently announced third full-time driver for the 2025 season, is set to drive a car numbered No. 88, not No. 91, next year, alongside Ross Chastain in the No. 1 Chevrolet and Suarez in the No. 99 Chevrolet.

So despite his Trackhouse origins, van Gisbergen's addition to the full-time roster is not related to PROJECT91 itself.

Additionally, the team just cut ties with Zane Smith, who had signed a development deal with the team before the 2024 season.

While they could technically field the No. 91 Chevrolet for Connor Zilisch, whom they also have under contract via a development deal, that would not fit the initially stated purpose and goal of PROJECT91.

The 18-year-old phenom has landed a deal to compete full-time for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series next season and currently appears to be a driver whom Trackhouse Racing Team could call upon to compete at the Cup level some point down the road.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are scheduled to get underway this Sunday, September 8 with the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart, which is set to be broadcast live on USA Network from Atlanta Motor Speedway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss it!