Trackhouse Racing revealed on Tuesday that Red Bull will continue its partnership as a sponsor for Cup Series drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch throughout 2026. The announcement positions Shane van Gisbergen Red Bull as a focal point for the team’s competitive efforts, with the energy drink company first joining at the start of the 2025 season.
With this extended sponsorship, Zilisch will make the jump from the Xfinity Series and take on the Cup Series next year. He is set to drive the #88 Chevy Camaro ZL1, while Shane van Gisbergen will take the wheel of the newly unveiled #97 Camaro. The refreshed livery boasts Red Bull’s trademark dark blue and shimmering designs, punctuated by the iconic bull featured prominently on both sides and the hood of the car.
Zilisch is scheduled to debut in the Red Bull-branded ride at the Daytona 500 on February 15, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway. Meanwhile, van Gisbergen will compete in his freshly liveried #97 Red Bull Chevy soon after, at EchoPark Speedway on February 22.
Shane van Gisbergen expressed his excitement in a statement released through NASCAR:
“It means a lot to have the number No. 97 on my Cup car. It’s a number that means so much to my family and me, so to see it on my car for the first time was surreal. I love the red flash designs on both sides of the car. It’s going to look epic on the track.”
Shane van Gisbergen, Cup Series Driver
Van Gisbergen’s Impressive Cup Series Debut and Road Course Dominance
In his rookie season, Shane van Gisbergen quickly gained attention with Trackhouse Racing, securing historic results. He became the first driver since Jeff Gordon to clinch three consecutive road-course Cup Series victories from pole position. Adding to his achievements, van Gisbergen captured victory at NASCAR’s first international event in decades, staged at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
Oval Track Progress: Crew Chief Stephen Doran Weighs In
Progress on oval tracks was a central topic for van Gisbergen and his team during 2025, a year marked by significant improvements in his performance. Crew chief Stephen Doran discussed the development of their oval-track strategy during an August 2025 interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, emphasizing their efforts to acclimate van Gisbergen, a driver from New Zealand, to the unique challenges of oval racing.
The learning curve was steep, as the Kiwi racer arrived with little prior oval experience. However, Doran had a structured plan for adaptation, leading to van Gisbergen intensifying his involvement in oval track competitions with the #97 Chevy Camaro ZL1. The hard work bore fruit when van Gisbergen captured his first oval track triumph at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Legends Car Series in July 2025.
Discussing his driver’s progress, Stephen Doran commented:
“He’s equally as good of a student on the ovals, and I think you’ve seen the progress from the beginning of the year until now. Really, I think since in the All Star race, our oval program has continued to get better. Even Iowa, we had a really good race going, gotten the fence, got the car fixed, and he drove back through the field to 16th with a kind of a dinged up race car, and then ended up getting wrecked again towards the end.”
Stephen Doran, Crew Chief
Season Achievements and Forward Momentum
Shane van Gisbergen wasted little time making his mark in road course events, notching up five victories, seven top-ten finishes, five top-five results, and securing three pole positions over 36 Cup Series starts this season. This performance not only elevates Trackhouse Racing but also highlights van Gisbergen’s rapid ascent as a strong competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series.
With the continued backing of Red Bull and the inclusion of Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing is poised for an ambitious 2026 campaign. The team expects to see further development from van Gisbergen and aims for continued success in both oval and road course events. The new sponsorship solidifies the organization’s momentum and energizes efforts to capture more wins in the seasons to come.
A primary partner for 25 races in 2026 🤝 @redbull
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88 ➡️ Daytona
97 ➡️ Atlanta https://t.co/uBG9kIjo4P pic.twitter.com/tpFHvlA8wN— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) November 25, 2025
