In recent seasons, although Team Penske ultimately clinched the Cup championships, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have consistently set the pace and stats, be it the most wins or the teams that have dominated the highest number of races from start to finish. Trackhouse Racing once seemed ready to join them at the top, particularly in 2022 when Ross Chastain finished as championship runner-up.
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Since then, however, the team has struggled to maintain that momentum, aside from Shane van Gisbergen’s standout entry in 2023. Recently, even Daniel Suarez acknowledged the growing gap between Trackhouse and the big teams, including HMS and JGR.
The current points standings further show that dominance, with the entire top five split between Hendrick and Gibbs drivers. William Byron leads the standings by 30 points over Denny Hamlin, while Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott round out third through fifth.
Meanwhile, Hendrick’s Alex Bowman remains in the top ten, while JGR’s Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs sit 13th and 20th, respectively.
Reflecting on Trackhouse’s position, Suarez admitted the team still has ground to cover. He noted that while they have restructured internally, the results have yet to show up on track.
“Teams like Hendrick, Penske, Joe Gibbs — the big, strong teams are getting a little further away from us each time. And that’s the work we have to do,” he stated.
“What do we have to do to be able to compete with the big teams? What are we missing? In 2022, the first year of the Next Gen, we were very strong. I think Trackhouse was, if not, the strongest team.”
“One of the strongest teams that started. However, the big teams had a bit more of an advantage every three or four months. All the races this year have been won by three teams… We have work to do to catch up with them,” Suarez further added.
However, it isn’t just Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing drivers showing muscle on the track lately. Team Penske may not have found victory lane yet this season, but their speed has been on par with the dominant teams.
Ryan Blaney has finished three races in the top five and four in top-ten finishes in his nine starts this season, while Joey Logano, despite having only one top-ten finish, has already led 260 laps, proof of the speed they are carrying.
Historically, Penske tends to hit their stride in the back half of the season, so their slow start raises nearly no eyebrows. In contrast, Trackhouse Racing has struggled across the board, falling short on results, performance, and outright pace.
Suarez and Shane van Gisbergen have combined for just two top-ten finishes and currently sit deep in the standings at 27th and 34th, respectively.
The only Trackhouse driver inside the top 15 is Ross Chastain, who holds 11th place with one top-five and five top-tens. Yet compared to 2022, Chastain’s current numbers fall short; by this point two seasons ago, he had already captured a win and posted four top-five finishes, eventually ending the year with two wins and 13 top-five results.
Daniel Suarez also performed better that season, finishing 10th in points, winning a race, and recording five top-fives and seven top-tens. Clearly, Justin Marks’s drivers and engineers have plenty of ground to cover if they hope to return to the form that once put Trackhouse in the championship conversation.
