Kevin Harvick delivered a direct assessment of Trackhouse Racing after another uneven weekend in the NASCAR Cup Series. Speaking on his Happy Hour podcast, the former champion pointed to recent results as clear evidence that the team is struggling to keep pace. Once viewed as one of the fastest-growing organizations in the NASCAR Cup Series, Trackhouse now faces a stretch where speed has not translated into results.
Harvick used what happened at Bristol Motor Speedway to explain the issue. Drivers set an early pace but faded over time, a pattern that has become apparent across races. His comments focused on performance trends, team changes, and where the problems persist.
NASCAR Cup Series Crew Chief Changes are not Delivering Results
Harvick pointed to recent changes inside Trackhouse as part of the struggle. The team brought in new crew chiefs for Ross Chastain and rookie Connor Zilisch to improve results in the NASCAR Cup Series. So far, the results have not improved.
“They’re struggling. When you see Ross Chastain qualify sixth and get lapped… We saw that from a lot of guys this weekend.”
He said the team has not found the right rhythm since those changes. “In the end, SVG has been the best Trackhouse car,” Harvick added, referring to Shane van Gisbergen. “But look at the changes, Ross has got a new crew chief. You got Connor in the mix now; he’s got a new crew chief. We saw some changes within the organization that have happened, and right now it’s not clicking.”
The standings reflect that trend in the NASCAR Cup Series. Van Gisbergen sits highest among the team’s drivers. Chastain has dropped to 21st in points. Zilisch ranks 33rd as he continues his rookie season.
Long-Run Speed Issues Continue in NASCAR Cup Series Races
Harvick said the biggest issue remains how the cars perform over long runs in the NASCAR Cup Series. He explained that Chastain’s car shows speed early but cannot maintain it.
“The interesting part that I’ve heard Ross talk about in some of his interviews is the car will qualify okay, and it’ll take off good, but they’re terrible on the long runs,” Harvick said.
He used Bristol as the clearest example. Chastain could move forward on restarts and hold position for about 20 to 25 laps. After that, the car began to fade.
“And that’s exactly what happened to him at Bristol. He would make that car fire off on restarts with bold moves. He could hang in there for 20-25 laps. And then it’s just, ‘Alright, I’m fighting for my life here.’ Eventually, he just got further and further back in track position and wound up where that car was actually capable of running.”
Trackhouse entered the season with high expectations after expanding its lineup. The team showed strong performance in 2025, especially on road courses. In the NASCAR Cup Series this year, the cars have shown short-run speed but continue to lose pace during long green-flag runs.
Van Gisbergen has remained the most consistent driver for the team. Chastain has one top-10 finish this season, a third-place run at Atlanta. Zilisch continues to gain experience at the Cup level.
The upcoming schedule includes more intermediate tracks where long-run speed is important. Harvick’s comments highlight the same issue the team must fix. Until Trackhouse improves its long-run performance and builds better communication within its new setups, results in the NASCAR Cup Series are likely to remain inconsistent.
NASCAR Cup Series Trouble Emerges as Kevin Harvick Questions Trackhouse Racing Form