Despite only stepping into the NASCAR arena as a team owner four years ago, Justin Marks has swiftly made his mark. The 43-year-old entrepreneur has launched various initiatives including Project 91 which introduces international drivers to the fold, and branched out into MotoGP. Recently, his drivers Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) and Connor Zilisch showcased their skills at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Marks is confident this venture will also yield dividends in NASCAR.
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The Missouri native opined that SVG and Zilisch’s participation in the endurance race would enhance their fellowship, serving as an early team-building exercise before the season starts. “I think what’s good about SVG and Connor racing together is it just builds their relationship. They both work for the same company now,” he explained.
Elaborating further, he added, “Connor’s going to be absorbing a lot of what SVG and what Ross [Chastain] and what Daniel [Suarez] are gonna be doing every single week as he prepares for his Cup future.”
“So, it’s just good relationship building and it’s just good to be in a race car before we go to Daytona, get the rust knocked off, and get the juices flowing again and everything… I think in a lot of those ways it is super beneficial.”
Trackhouse founder and co-owner Justin Marks on why he is fielding a car in the Rolex 24, whether he wanted to drive, whether he can take any best practices to NASCAR and whether it helps SVG and Zilisch to be teammates by being among the co-drivers. pic.twitter.com/lFJi8D4Tme
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 26, 2025
The two drivers flew the flag for stock car racing at the Rolex 24 event, alongside Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, who took the wheel of the #91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3 and the #64 Ford Mustang GT3, respectively.
Both entries vied for top honors in the GTD Pro division, with the #64 finishing in a commendable third place (P37 overall), while the #91 crossed the finish line in ninth place (P25 overall).
Venturing beyond NASCAR can have operational advantages as well according to Marks
Marks discussed the benefits of participating in diverse motorsport events, such as refining pit setups and enhancing fan engagement. The Trackhouse Racing team owner explained that his foray into MotoGP was driven by a desire to immerse in different racing disciplines to spark creativity and gather fresh ideas for his team, Trackhouse.
“I think there’s elements of that that will find its way into the NASCAR operation. But in general, I just think it’s good to just not be siloed in one thing in life. So just try to get a wide experience- hopefully helps us build something special,” he noted.
With Trackhouse Racing’s new driver, SVG slated for his first full-time stint in the NASCAR Cup Series, it will be fascinating to watch how he adapts to the sport’s top tier now that he will be racing on all types of tracks NASCAR has to offer.
