Trackhouse Racing put collectively a video saying the automotive quantity for every its of 2026 Cup Collection drivers. The staff is placing apart its unique quantity, the No. 99, which Daniel Suarez drove for 5 seasons earlier than parting methods with the group on the finish of this yr.
Unsurprisingly, Ross Chastain will proceed to pilot the No. 1 he has pushed to all six of Cup victories, together with the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. Rookie Connor Zilisch will take over the No. 88 from Shane van Gisbergen, who gained 5 Cup races with the quantity this previous yr. The historic quantity was additionally utilized by Zilisch himself within the Xfinity Collection, profitable ten races earlier than a troublesome loss within the NASCAR Xfinity title struggle.
Because the staff introduced every driver/quantity pairing, the drivers had been offered a letter to tell them of the information. Chastain’s was from staff founder Justin Marks, Zilisch’s was from Dale Earnhardt Jr., whereas Shane van Gisbergen’s letter was from his father, Robert.
SVG received emotional as he learn by way of it, studying that he can be driving the No. 97 within the Cup Collection subsequent yr. A teary-eyed van Gisbergen could not even learn it aloud as his father talked concerning the significance of that automotive quantity to their household. Each Robert and Shane drove it all through their careers, and SVG gained all three of his Supercars titles with it. He additionally used it within the Xfinity Collection in the course of the 2024 season.
“Meaning a lot to our household,” his father mentioned. “Proper from the start, each of us ran #97 in motocross, we each ran it in speedway. Mother would have been completely proud.”
Wiping away tears, van Gisbergen defined that studying his father’s phrases about his mom, who handed away in early 2024, actually received to him. However the written phrase merely doesn’t do it justice. You may see the video in full proper right here:
This may even be the fifth totally different quantity van Gisbergen has pushed in his transient NASCAR Cup profession. He began within the No. 91 with that unimaginable win on debut, drove each the No. 13 and No. 16 for Kaulig in Cup, after which the No. 88 for Trackhouse this previous season.
Trackhouse additionally confirmed the crew chief lineup for every automotive. As beforehand announnced, Brandon McSwain will companion with Chastain, whereas Randall Burnett will companion with with Zilisch. The one new bit of data is that Stephen Doran will stay with SVG as his 2026 crew chief.
As for the No. 97, it has its personal historical past within the NASCAR world. For the reason that 2013 season, the automotive quantity has been largely absent from the grid, used simply thrice in 2018. However earlier than that, the quantity had began nearly 700 races, profitable 17 of them, and Kurt Busch even drove the #97 to the 2004 NASCAR Cup Collection championship.
Whereas the elder Busch brother is liable for most of its success, Parnelli Jones and Invoice Amick additionally gained with the No. 97.
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