Trackhouse’s 2023 season a success despite early playoffs exit – Marks

Trackhouse Racing may not have been a contender for the NASCAR Cup Series championship, but they managed to secure the final checkered flag of the 2023 season, ending on a high note as they head into the winter.

In terms of statistics, Trackhouse Racing did not maintain the same level of success as the previous year, when both of their drivers made it to the postseason and secured wins. Despite this, Ross Chastain, who won at Phoenix Raceway as the first championship contender to win the finale in the elimination era, was the sole representative for Trackhouse Racing in the playoffs, with his championship hopes ending in the second round.

However, the organization did match its three race wins, with Shane van Gisbergen contributing to the total in his first of two appearances, achieving a highly-publicized triumph on the streets of Chicago in July.

Founder Justin Marks expressed his pride in the season, stating, “I’m every bit as proud of this season as I was of last season. The series has gotten tougher. These teams are bigger than us, have a lot of resources to figure out these cars, and now everybody is understanding the cars more and more, what it takes to make them go fast. The drivers are understanding how to drive them. So, the level of competition has seemed to have gotten much more difficult this year.”

Chastain finished ninth in the championship standings with victories at Nashville Superspeedway and Phoenix, along with 14 top-10 finishes, a decrease from the 21 he had the previous season. Daniel Suarez, on the other hand, failed to make the playoffs and struggled in his third season with the organization.

Marks acknowledged that a closer look needs to be taken at Suarez’s team in the offseason to ensure they have all the tools needed for success, despite acknowledging that Suarez was fast “at times” and had great races, as his numbers were down in all categories.

Heading into their fourth season in the series and third as a two-car operation, Marks is optimistic, stating, “We won two races, three in the organization. I think it’s a wonderful success. I think the playoffs are just very, very difficult. One race can make a difference. Ross had some great races in the playoffs and the 1 team put up a heck of a fight, but it’s so difficult to get to Phoenix. I think this is a very successful season, another season that rewarded all the hard work in the company with multiple wins and a lot of happy people. It definitely gives us some momentum during the winter to get fired up for next year and try to make it back to Phoenix for the championship run.”