Trackhouse Racing is making bold moves as it gears up for its fourth season in 2025. The team is expanding to three cars by acquiring a new charter, adding to their existing two-car lineup. They’ve signed Shane Van Gisbergen from the Xfinity Series to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. This aggressive expansion highlights Trackhouse Racing’s championship ambitions, but it also means that rookie Zane Smith will be leaving the team.
Smith, currently on loan to Spire Motorsports, has shown promise but will be without a ride for the 2025 season. Trackhouse Racing’s decision to bring in Van Gisbergen has led to Smith’s departure, leaving Denny Hamlin sympathetic towards Smith’s situation.
Hamlin expressed his disappointment over Smith’s departure on ‘Actions Detrimental,’ noting that Smith had hoped for a long-term future with Trackhouse. Smith had passed up other Cup Series opportunities to join Trackhouse, and now faces a challenging situation as he searches for a new team. Despite this setback, Hamlin remains optimistic about Smith’s potential and future opportunities.
This season, Smith has begun to show his capabilities, achieving two top-10 finishes and a top-5 finish, including a notable second place in Nashville and a seventh-place finish in Michigan. Hamlin believes Smith still has untapped potential and hopes he will secure a competitive ride soon.
Smith has acknowledged his disappointment but remains hopeful about finding a new opportunity for the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, Shane Van Gisbergen will take over the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, a car with historic significance in NASCAR, previously associated with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other NASCAR legends. Van Gisbergen, who raced full-time with Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series in 2024 after leaving Australia’s Supercars Series, joins Trackhouse Racing alongside Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez.
Justin Marks, the team’s founder and owner, announced that Van Gisbergen’s experience, especially his Chicago Street Race win, aligns with the vision for Trackhouse Racing’s PROJECT91 initiative, which aims to attract international racing talent.
