Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 Gets a Reality Check: Justin Marks Spills the Tea

NASCAR fans have been wondering what happened to Trackhouse Racing’s fancy Project 91 program, and honestly, who can blame them? The car has been about as visible as a ghost at Daytona since the 2025 season opener. However, before everyone starts writing the obituary, Trackhouse owner Justin Marks finally decided to discuss what is going on behind the scenes, and his answer is both refreshingly honest and mildly disappointing. Here’s why.

Project 91 Isn’t Dead: It’s Just Taking a Backseat

During a recent interview, Trackhouse Racing’s Marks was asked point-blank about the future of Project 91, and his response was essentially the NASCAR equivalent of “we’ll get back to you on that.” According to the Trackhouse boss, Project 91 remains “important” to the organization. However, it’s not exactly a priority right now.

Why? Because apparently, Trackhouse has bigger fish to fry. Marks explained that the team needs to focus on getting their full-time cars performing before they can worry about their part-time specialty program. Translation: when your regular drivers aren’t setting the world on fire, maybe don’t stretch yourself even thinner with a third car.

It’s a brutally practical approach that makes perfect sense, even if it leaves fans of the program feeling like they’ve been left hanging. After all, Project 91 was supposed to be Trackhouse’s way of bringing international talent and star power to NASCAR. Instead, it’s become the racing equivalent of that gym membership you keep paying for but never actually use.

The Reality Behind Trackhouse’s Current Struggles

 Trackhouse hasn’t exactly been dominating the Cup Series lately. While the team had some memorable moments and decent runs, they’re not exactly threatening to win championships with their current lineup. Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez are solid drivers, but neither has been lighting up the leaderboard consistently enough to justify adding another car to the mix.

Marks’ admission that Project 91 isn’t a priority actually shows some self-awareness that’s rare in NASCAR ownership circles. Too many team owners try to expand before they’ve perfected what they already have, leading to mediocre results across the board. At least Marks is being honest about where his team stands instead of pretending everything’s hunky-dory while secretly scrambling behind the scenes.

The Project 91 program was always an ambitious undertaking. Bringing in drivers from other racing disciplines and international markets sounds great on paper, but it requires significant resources and attention to detail. When your primary focus should be on making your full-time operation competitive, splitting attention and resources becomes a luxury you can’t afford.

What This Means for NASCAR’s International Appeal

Project 91 was more than just another car on the track. It represented NASCAR’s attempt to broaden its international appeal and showcase talent from around the world. The program brought drivers like Kimi Räikkönen, Mike Rockenfeller, and other international stars to NASCAR, creating buzz and potentially attracting new fans from different markets.

With the program essentially on life support, NASCAR loses one of its more visible efforts to globalize the sport. Sure, other teams occasionally bring in international drivers, but Project 91 had the marketing muscle and media attention to make these appearances feel like genuine events rather than one-off curiosities.

The timing is particularly frustrating because NASCAR has been making legitimate efforts to expand internationally. With races in countries like Mexico and ongoing discussions about further international expansion, having a visible program that celebrates international talent would seem like a no-brainer. Instead, we’re left with Marks essentially saying “maybe later” while focusing on domestic concerns.

The Bottom Line on Project 91’s Future

So, where does this leave Project 91? In limbo, essentially. Marks didn’t kill the program outright, but he didn’t exactly inspire confidence in its immediate future either. The message seems to be along the lines of “We’ll think about it once we figure out how to make our regular cars competitive.”

It’s a disappointing but understandable position. Trackhouse is still a relatively young team in Cup Series terms, and spreading itself too thin could hurt its long-term prospects. It’s better to be honest about limitations than to continue a program half-heartedly, as it won’t receive the attention it deserves.

Final Thoughts

For fans who enjoyed seeing international drivers tackle NASCAR’s unique challenges, this news stings. Project 91 offered something different in a sport that can sometimes feel repetitive. But if Marks is right and focusing on their full-time operation leads to better overall performance, maybe that’s the smart play.

Whether Project 91 ever makes a meaningful return remains to be seen. For now, it’s just another example of NASCAR’s ongoing struggle to balance tradition with innovation, domestic focus with international appeal. At least Marks isn’t sugarcoating the situation, sometimes brutal honesty beats false hope.