DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — International recording star Pitbull and Trackhouse Racing have ended their relationship effective immediately.
Both Pitbull and Trackhouse Racing representatives announced the news on social media on Friday.
Pitbull partnered with Justin Marks to create Trackhouse Racing in 2021 and the team began competing in the NASCAR Cup Series the following season.
“Ending partnership with Trackhouse Racing,” Pitbull posted on social media. “Over the past five years, we’ve made history by introducing NASCAR to a whole new audience and falling in love with NASCAR fans at the same time. We have made the decision to terminate the partnership with Trackhouse Racing, effective immediately. We’re looking forward to performing on the sport’s biggest stage this Sunday, the Daytona 500.”
Trackhouse Racing posted: “We’re honored and humbled that Pitbull has chosen to take this journey with Trackhouse. Thank you for all you’ve done and good luck on your next venture!”
Trackhouse Racing will field four drivers (Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen, Daniel Suarez and Helio Castroneves) from four different countries in Sunday’s 67th Daytona 500.
“This is a great business story. Armando (Perez, Pitbull) came in when we had no certainty of any material success and took a chance to help build a brand,” Marks wrote on X. “Now that we’ve scaled up and have new parters, he’s been able to be rewarded for the impact he’s made. A great investment on both ends. Excited to see what he does next!”
• Erik Jones nearly won Thursday’s second Daytona Duel, finishing second after NASCAR ruled the yellow light came on before the finish line. Jones believes he has a strong car for Sunday’s Daytona 500.
“It was good. I thought our speed was good,” said the Legacy Motor Club Toyota driver. “We obviously kind of leap-frogged the back there when they were saving, but I thought we were able to maintain when the pace picked up. The handling was good, and the speed was good. We led and pushed and did kind of all the different stuff so the Advent Camry’s got some speed and hopefully we can just use it all on Sunday.”
• Ty Dillon has returned to the NASCAR Cup Series full time this season and showed tremendous speed in his Daytona debut with Kaulig Racing, finishing third in his Duel.
“The raw speed of our Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevy has been quite obvious all weekend already, so that’s a great thing and a great start for our team,” Dillon said. “Our goal is to let everyone know we are here early in the season and we’re happy about that finish.
“I think if we had been running in the back, we probably would have made a couple different moves to be a little bit smoother at the end. This is the first time working with the team here at Kaulig Racing and I’m really proud of what we accomplished tonight.”
• From Florida’s beaches to screens around the globe, the 67th running of the Daytona 500 (Sunday, Feb. 16), with its record $30 million purse, will be broadcast to fans in more than 190 countries and territories in 26 languages, reaching over 650 million households worldwide.
• J.J. Yeley held the final transfer spot into the Daytona 500 several times during the first Duel, including with only two laps remaining, but he came up short in the end, losing the fight to Justin Allgaier.
“I just needed more pace, unfortunately. The Green River Whiskey New York Racing car was really good,” Yeley said after the race. “I just didn’t have that pole to where I could make something happen. Like seven to go, and I got by the 40, and 56 went by us on the outside, I just committed to the bottom and put all my whiskey in one glass, hoping that was where I needed to be.
“Three to go, it looked like that was going to work out. I know with two to go, it just kind of goes into full chaos.”
• Daytona Int’l Speedway officials announced the family behind the iconic Wood Brothers Racing team has been named the honorary starter for the Daytona 500 this Sunday. Celebrating their 75th anniversary this season, they’ll wave the green flag for the 67th running of The Great American Race.
• During the offseason Toyota’s domestic racing program rebranded from Toyota North America to Toyota Gazoo Racing to be in line with Toyota’s racing ventures around the globe.
On Wednesday, Toyota driver Chase Briscoe owned the manufacturer’s first Daytona 500 pole.
“Changing branding has been really — it’s an honor for us,” said Tyler Gibbs, president of TRD USA. “When you look at what Gazoo Racing means across the globe with the WEC (World Endurance Championship) program and the success they’ve had, the WRC (World Rally Championship), the Dakar program, and for us to be part of that family, we’ve always been a part of it from a technical perspective, but now to be racing under that banner is really an honor for us and a great call for us.
“To go out and set our first pole at the Daytona 500 is a great way to start that,” Gibbs said on Friday. “A lot of excitement across the company for that. They all understand the Daytona 500, so we’ve got a lot of work still left to do.”
