Trackhouse Racing Phoenix Championship Weekend is generating excitement as the NASCAR season draws to its conclusion at Phoenix Raceway. With only one event left, fans are encouraged to participate by casting votes for their favorite drivers, especially Ross Chastain, who is among the top contenders for NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Award. This intense period for Trackhouse Racing highlights the organization’s deep connection with fans and competitive ambition heading into the finale in Avondale, Arizona.
Ross Chastain Chases Fan Support and Season Triumphs
Ross Chastain, piloting the No. 1 Chevrolet under Trackhouse Racing, is calling on his supporters as he seeks to clinch the Most Popular Driver Award. Fans can show their support by voting up to five times daily, using their unique email addresses, as the race to the prestigious fan-driven honor intensifies.
During this highly anticipated weekend, Chastain’s car will feature Busch Light’s iconic blue and white paint scheme, underscored by a design celebrating mountainous landscapes—a nod to both the drink’s branding and the Sonoran Desert backdrop. Chastain will compete in his 15th Cup Series start at Phoenix and his eighth behind the wheel of the No. 1 for Trackhouse Racing. Since 2022, he has amassed one victory at the track (November 2023), three top-five finishes, and four top-tens, highlighting his consistency and competitiveness at the venue. His dominant win last fall, including 157 laps led, saw him edge out Ryan Blaney by 1.23 seconds.
Chastain’s successful season is marked by a win at the Coca-Cola 600 in May, four top-five finishes, and a commendable twelve top-tens. With 83 total laps led and guided by crew chief Phil Surgen since 2021, Chastain and Surgen now stand as the third longest active driver-crew chief pairing in NASCAR. Notably, Chastain’s six wins in the No. 1 car have set a new record for victories by a single driver in that number, surpassing Jamie McMurray’s previous mark.
The Martinsville race last weekend added another highlight, as Chastain led eight laps and brought home a fourth-place finish, marking his third top-five at the historic short-track since taking over the No. 1 seat. Chastain’s strong end to the season puts him in the spotlight as a potential spoiler in Phoenix—a role he has relished before and embraces.
Chastain will also be active off the track, signing autographs for fans at the Trackhouse Racing merchandise hauler in the Fan Zone on Friday afternoon, and making an appearance at the Team Chevy stage on Sunday morning before the race. These engagements offer fans direct access to one of NASCAR’s standout personalities.
“A lot of that depends on how good your car is. Typically, we always run pretty well at Phoenix and Phil (Surgen) does a great job in giving me a car that’s really drivable there. We also get a little extra practice which is different from most weekends. And when you’re not running for the championship and are solely focused on winning, you can use different strategy in comparison to the Championship 4 guys. Winning in the championship race is just as important as it is any other weekend. There is nothing better than going to victory lane at the last race of the season like we did in 2023.”
— Ross Chastain, Driver
“I’m going to stay in Phoenix and hit the NASCAR banquet. I plan to get home to Florida and see the family and we’ll have a fall crop harvesting and get the spring crop ready. Not that I do a lot of work but I like to look at it and get in my brother’s (Chad) way when I can (laughs). December in South Florida staying in a double-wide, it’s hard to beat it.”
— Ross Chastain, Driver
Shane van Gisbergen’s Historic Rookie Season and Future with Trackhouse
Shane van Gisbergen, the Kiwi sensation, enters his second Cup Series start at Phoenix bolstered by a rookie campaign that has rewritten NASCAR history. After starting 29th in his March debut at the one-mile oval, van Gisbergen aims to improve on his previous 31st-place finish. Coming off a solid 14th-place effort at Martinsville and a recent series of top-15 results, he sits poised to further cement his reputation.
Van Gisbergen has set new records for a Sunoco Rookie, including five race wins—an achievement that makes him the fastest driver to five Cup victories since Dan Gurney’s 1968 run. With triumphs at iconic venues like Watkins Glen and Chicago’s street race, he now stands out as the only non-U.S.-born driver with at least four NASCAR Cup victories. His versatility and race craft have drawn comparisons with legends such as Jeff Gordon and earned him recognition for winning three road course Cup races from pole position in a single season.
This success led to a multi-year contract extension for van Gisbergen with Trackhouse Racing, ensuring his continued presence in the Cup Series alongside crew chief Stephen Doran, who has five Cup wins to his name since stepping into the role in June. Doran’s leadership and strategy have helped van Gisbergen achieve these milestones, furthering Trackhouse’s aggressive growth and international appeal. Van Gisbergen will connect with fans during a Q&A session on Saturday at the Chevrolet Display and sign autographs on Sunday at the Trackhouse merchandise hauler.
“It’s been a fun season but challenging too. The road courses, obviously, have been amazing, and then the ovals – I started the year finishing in the 30s, but I feel like we’ve grounded out, now we’re a 15th to 10th place car on most weeks. I think how much better we’ve gotten is a pretty awesome feeling, but certainly those first ten weeks of the year were eye-opening. We’ve made huge progress on the ovals the last couple of months, so we just need to keep building off that and we will be in a good spot to start next season.”
— Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
“It means everything. That’s why I moved here, and that’s why Justin believed in me, and he knew I could do this. I’ve changed my life to come and do this, and to come and make true of what everyone believed in me and to execute myself and get everything right, it’s why I go racing. As I said, sharing it with those people and seeing how much it means to the guys who work so hard every week on the car and their pit stops, it’s so cool. It means the world to everyone. To see the guys at the shop who did all the prep work for these wins too, and I love the team environment. It’s been a great year for the team.”
— Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
Many of van Gisbergen’s victories came in WeatherTech colors, a brand recognized globally for American-made automotive products. This partnership has seen WeatherTech’s presence grow within NASCAR, leveraging the synergy between innovative engineering and high-level motorsports competition.
Daniel Suárez Bids Farewell to Trackhouse at Phoenix
This Phoenix weekend marks the final start for Daniel Suárez with Trackhouse Racing, closing a notable chapter for both the driver and the organization. Suárez, a pivotal figure since Trackhouse’s inaugural entry at the 2021 Daytona 500, leaves having delivered key victories and memorable moments. The Monterrey, Mexico native won on the Sonoma road course in 2022, leading 47 laps, and he added a second victory at Atlanta in 2024. Over 180 starts with Trackhouse, Suárez has notched 16 top-five and 43 top-ten finishes, alongside earning a pole position at Indianapolis in 2023.
At Phoenix, Suárez’s record includes four top-tens in 17 starts, with his best finish a seventh in 2017 and a 10th in this year’s season finale. He has completed nearly 96 percent of all laps attempted at the venue, underscoring his durability and racecraft. Despite a tough weekend at Martinsville battling handling issues, Suárez persevered, securing a 22nd-place result in his penultimate race for Trackhouse.
Beyond the track, Suárez celebrated personal milestones this year, marrying Julia Piquet, daughter of Formula One legend Nelson Piquet, and becoming a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States. He participated in a public naturalization ceremony in June, sharing the moment with media, NASCAR peers, and Commissioner Steve Phelps. In Mexico City, Suárez thrilled fans with a dramatic drive from last to first in the Xfinity race, marking another milestone: the first time an international driver sweep occurred during a NASCAR weekend since 2009.
“My years with Trackhouse have been the best years of my Cup career, not just on-track, but off-track, building something with people and thinking outside the box, being different; I loved that. That’s something that can’t be taken away from me. I’ve been part of huge organizations that never made me feel as important as Trackhouse made me feel in the early years and that’s what I want to keep with me. At the same time, I can’t wait for the future. I’m only 33 years old and feel like I’m in the prime of my career.”
— Daniel Suárez, Driver
“I followed my gut, and I wasn’t wrong. I was super happy because I believed Trackhouse was probably the first team in the NASCAR Cup Series that gave me 100% trust. We were able to build something very good together and I’m very proud of that. Definitely the best moments of my career in the Cup Series have been at Trackhouse and that’s another thing I’m going to keep with me.”
— Daniel Suárez, Driver
This weekend, Suárez will celebrate his heritage and Trackhouse tenure with a custom Mexico City helmet designed by Juan Latapi, mirrored in his No. 99 Chevrolet’s unique paint scheme.
His departure comes after Trackhouse and Suárez mutually agreed to part ways at the conclusion of the 2025 season, closing the book on a successful collaboration that shaped the team’s identity in NASCAR’s upper echelons.
Manufacturers and Crew Chiefs Power Trackhouse’s Success
Trackhouse’s Phoenix Championship Weekend isn’t just about its drivers; its crew chiefs and manufacturer partners like Chevrolet, Busch Light, and WeatherTech play key roles. Crew chief Phil Surgen has guided Chastain through an impressive run, while Stephen Doran’s engineering and race strategy have helped van Gisbergen reach new heights. These partnerships foster consistency, performance, and innovation throughout the organization.
Busch Light, whose branding is center stage on Chastain’s No. 1, embodies the spirit of the sport—highlighting outdoor adventure, Americana, and grassroots fandom. Their ongoing investment since 2019 keeps them tied closely to NASCAR’s community. Likewise, WeatherTech’s American-made ethos resonates with fans and racers alike, promoting durable design and reliability on and off the track.
What Lies Ahead for Trackhouse and Its Stars
The 2024 season finale at Phoenix Raceway not only concludes another year but sets the stage for critical transitions and future promise. Ross Chastain remains a fan favorite with strong support, seeking to further cement his place in Trackhouse’s record book and NASCAR’s elite. Shane van Gisbergen’s continued partnership signals Trackhouse’s global ambitions and willingness to nurture diverse driving talent. Daniel Suárez’s departure marks the end of an era, but his contributions and championship moments will shape Trackhouse’s culture and values into 2025 and beyond.
In the broader motorsports world, Trackhouse Racing’s performances and public engagement at Phoenix will influence manufacturer strategies, team partnerships, and the evolution of NASCAR as it welcomes fresh talent and international influence. As teams head into the offseason, preparation for the next campaign is already underway, ensuring that Phoenix’s impact will echo throughout the sport long after the checkered flag falls. With drivers connecting directly with fans, brands amplifying their identities, and new faces poised to take center stage, Trackhouse Racing Phoenix Championship Weekend marks both an ending and a beginning in NASCAR’s ongoing story.
