DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Trackhouse Racing has the most international driving lineup in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series and the Daytona 500.
The Chevrolet team’s four drivers for Sunday’s 67th running of the Great American Race hale from four different countries.
Ross Chastain is from Florida, Daniel Suarez is Mexican, Shane van Gisbergen is a native of New Zealand and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who has joined the operation for the Daytona 500, is Brazilian.
“It’s a cool thing that we’re all from our different countries,” said Chastain, who drives the No. 1 machine. “That’s what Justin (Marks) wanted when he did this. He wanted to be different. This is a way to do that. Just look worldwide and see what’s out there. Helio was in Miami, so America is home for him. South Florida guy so we have that in common.
“How to look at it from a bigger picture – that will probably hit me on Sunday when I realize that little old Trackhouse that I remember was a one-car team. I remember when Justin was just a driver – not just – but when he was a driver and an owner. Then when he hired me to be the second driver, I remember how big of a deal that felt. And now we’ve doubled that size. It’s going to be a cool moment on Sunday.”
A veteran of Australian Supercar racing, Van Gisbergen is the uniqueness of the situation.
“It’s just amazing what Justin and Trackhouse have achieved,” he said. “Have such a diverse lineup at a race like this, it’s epic. Four different nationalities, we’re probably going to be talking about loose, tight, oversteer and understeer in different languages but probably meaning the same thing.”
Language may be considered an obstacle in such situations. Suarez was asked specifically what language the drivers use to communicate.
“So far we speak in English,” Suarez said with a laugh. “Actually, I have a lot of people don’t know this, but I have a very hard time understanding Shane (van Gisbergen). His English, I don’t know. I don’t know if you guys do the same or not, but my English clearly is way more limited than most of you guys. Every time he’s talking to me, I really have to pay attention. Eighty percent of the time I have to have him repeat something because his accent is just way different than what I’m used to, I guess.”
Suarez as well credits Marks and Trackhouse Racing for the diversity of the team.
“Obviously, Trackhouse has been known for the last several years to do things like this,” he said. “So I’m not surprised having a teammate from New Zealand and another one from Brazil and myself. I guess Ross is the outlier right now.”
Castronveves said the team’s driver lineup increases exposure in other countries.
“They’re innovating,” Castronves said. “This project, I would say I don’t think a Team Penske or MSR or any other big team would be able to do it. They are thinking outside the box, which I like that.
“In terms of organization, the people that Justin also have the past and hire, wow, it’s incredible. As I said, my crew chief is a Daytona 500 winner. It’s not like a B team when you’re thinking about. This is a real deal and I’m glad they put this group together.”
