Getty Joey Logano (rear) has spoken out about Trackhouse Racing.
Trackhouse Racing has made waves in the NASCAR Cup Series since the Next Gen era began. The team has also gained the attention of a two-time champion while winning three total times and contending for many other trips to Victory Lane.
Team Penske’s Joey Logano spoke about Trackhouse Racing’s rise to prominence during a media session at Phoenix Raceway. He joked that he had hoped Trackhouse’s performances were just anomalies before explaining that the first few races of 2023 have shown that the Justin Marks-led team is still a threat every single week.
“We saw speed in their cars fairly early in the year,” Logano said, transcript courtesy of Ford Performance. “Kind of right off the bat. And you were like, ‘Okay, it is a new car, let us all figure it out and see if they are still there.’ Obviously, they are still there. They are still there now and they are hitting every area for the most part when we come to the speedway.
“Even on pit road, they are super fast. They have done a good job at bringing the heat to the racetrack for sure. I would say at this point it is not some one-off thing. That is honestly what I was hoping for (laughter). I would say they are definitely a competitor that is here to stay.”
Daniel Suarez Has Made More Positive Strides
GettyDaniel Suarez has several strong performances with Trackhouse Racing.s
Daniel Suarez, the driver of the No. 99, came to Trackhouse Racing in 2021 after stints with Gaunt Brothers Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Stewart-Haas Racing. His first season had some strong performances, but he finally won a Cup Series race in 2022 during the race weekend at Sonoma raceway.
Suarez set out to surpass his career-best year, and he has put himself in a position to do so early. His first three points-paying races — Daytona, Fontana, Las Vegas — have all resulted in top-10 finishes. He and Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman are the only two Cup Series regulars to achieve this feat in 2023.
The driver of the No. 99 will now have an opportunity to add to this total at Phoenix Raceway. This is a track where he has 12 top-10 starts with three top-10 finishes. His first two were with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017 and 2018. His most recent was during the spring race in 2022.
Ross Chastain Sits in a New Position
GettyRoss Chastain has strong performances of his own.
While Suarez has been one of the most consistent drivers in the Cup Series in 2023, his teammate has turned in strong performances of his own. Ross Chastain is currently the points leader after the first three points-paying races.
The driver of the No. 1 has two top-10 finishes and one top-five in the first three races of the season. The lone exception is the event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he finished 12th overall.
Chastain’s three-point advantage over Bowman is due to the moves that he made early in the season. He has a series-leading three stage wins. William Byron has two while Brad Keselowski has one. No other driver has won a stage yet in 2023.
Chastain will have another opportunity to add to his points total. He will next take on Phoenix Raceway, a track where he has finished top three in his past two starts. Both were as a member of Trackhouse Racing.