Just a year ago, Trackhouse Racing was fighting for relevance rather than trophies. In the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series, the organization secured just one win across the entire season and ended outside the top 15 in team points. Ross Chastain struggled with consistency, managing only seven top-10s all year, while teammate Daniel Suárez failed to crack Victory Lane entirely. The team, once praised for its bold brand and rapid rise, looked like it had plateaued. Critics began questioning Trackhouse owner Justin Marks’ ambitious long-game approach and the hype surrounding Trackhouse’s expansion. The momentum from 2022 and 2023 had vanished, leaving fans wondering whether Trackhouse was headed for a slow fade-out rather than a takeover.
Now in 2025, that narrative’s been flipped on its head. Ross Chastain’s epic Coca-Cola 600 win, coming from the last starting spot on the grid (P40), shattered a race record and reignited belief in the team. That was followed by a midseason tear led by Shane van Gisbergen, who has racked up three Cup Series wins, which started with a triumphant victory in Mexico City, a challenging road course set at a high altitude of over 7,200 feet above sea level. Even Daniel Suárez has returned to form with multiple top-fives in recent weeks. Despite being the statistical standout, SVG remains grounded, crediting the turnaround not to his own success but to the collective effort and chemistry within the Trackhouse garage.
SVG stays humble as Trackhouse surges ahead
On a recent episode of NASCAR’s podcast hosted by Corey LaJoie, Shane van Gisbergen didn’t jump straight into celebrating his own three-win hot streak. Instead, he pointed to the spark that set it all off Ross Chastain’s unforgettable Coca-Cola 600 win. “We all started rough,” SVG admitted, recalling the shaky start to the season. “And then Ross winning the 600… and then the next three for us.” That win, which came from dead last on the grid (P40), reignited Trackhouse’s fire. For SVG, it wasn’t just a teammate winning; it was proof that the garage still had bite. “As a team, I think it’s the most wins Trackhouse has ever had,” he said, a quiet nod to a unit that many had written off just months before.
As SVG agrees, the team has had it rough, but Justin Marks’ long-game strategy took aim at more than just lap counts. After mapping out his three- and five-year plan, he and Daniel Suárez mutually agreed to part ways at season’s end, making space for evolution. The decision came not from dysfunction, but from a strategic alignment: “It was time to move on,” Marks said, framing the split as a growth pivot in a plan years in the making.
Trackhouse originally launched by acquiring two Chip Ganassi Racing charters in 2021, immediately doubling its presence on the grid. Then, in late August 2024, the team acquired a third NASCAR Cup Series charter, enabling them to field Shane van Gisbergen full-time in the iconic No. 88 Camaro for 2025 alongside Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez. With SVG’s winning streak on the rise, Trackhouse now leads the series in team wins this season with five total victories, the most in its history.
But make no mistake, SVG’s been the hammer behind the momentum shift. The Kiwi driver has claimed three Cup Series victories in 2025 alone, including a dominant run through Mexico City in the Viva Mexico 250, followed by the powerful weekend sweep at the Chicago Street Race. And the third one came as a surgical takedown of Sonoma Raceway in the Toyota/Save Mart 350. All three tracks favored SVG’s road course background, and he delivered in flawless fashion. “…having the one win at Mexico was pretty cool. And then yeah, the next couple cherries on top’s been pretty awesome.” His adaptability, jumping from Supercars to full-time Cup Series action, has been nothing short of elite, especially in an era where even seasoned veterans struggle to master such diverse circuits. He didn’t just learn the ropes; he wrapped them around the field. And with these positive results, Justin Marks finally looks like the mastermind he promised to be when he entered the Cup Series.
Will SVG conquer Watkins Glen and extend his road course reign?
Shane van Gisbergen came agonizingly close to winning at Watkins Glen last year but was overtaken on the final lap by Chris Buescher. With road courses front and center this weekend, including the upcoming Go Bowling at The Glen, SVG has an opportunity to cement his status as the undisputed king of the road. He’s been unstoppable this season, winning three straight road courses from the pole, tying Jeff Gordon’s record streak in Cup Series history.
Moreover, van Gisbergen has become the fastest driver since Parnelli Jones in 1969 to reach four Cup Series race wins, doing it in just his 34th start. Should he win at Watkins Glen, he’ll not only extend his streak but also join the exclusive ranks of Jeff Gordon and Chase Elliott as the only drivers to ever win four consecutive road-course races overall. With such remarkable records at stake, it is going to be SVG versus the field at Watkins Glen this time.
Justin Marks’ long game is finally paying off, and it’s all happening just in time. With Shane van Gisbergen’s rise, Ross Chastain’s retention, and Daniel Suárez’s impending exit, Trackhouse is undergoing its most strategic transformation yet. Trackhouse’s roster, assets, and long-term planning now mirror that of a championship-caliber organization. Every risk, every pivot, including the SVG bet, is solidifying Marks’ role not just as an owner, but as one of NASCAR’s most daring architects of the future.
The post Shane Van Gisbergen Amazed by Trackhouse Resurgence as Justin Marks Finds His Footing appeared first on EssentiallySports.