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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – AUGUST 09: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Trackhouse Racing confirmed its full driver lineup for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The team posted a video that revealed the car numbers and roster. Instead of a traditional press release, the team used personal letters to inform each driver. People close to the drivers wrote the letters. The No. 99 will not return to the Cup lineup.
The No. 99 belonged to Daniel Suarez for five seasons at Trackhouse Racing before he left after 2025. The announcement focused on how each number connects to results, history, or personal meaning. The video showed honest reactions.
It’s more than just a car number. pic.twitter.com/kqEcZwP2Pw
— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) November 7, 2025
Ross Chastain Stays in the No. 1
Ross Chastain will stay in the No. 1. Trackhouse founder Justin Marks wrote the letter to Chastain. The message noted Chastain’s results with the team. Chastain has six Cup Series wins with Trackhouse. One win came in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. The number stays with the driver who earned every victory for the program.
Chastain joined Trackhouse in 2022. His first win pushed the group into national attention. He became a consistent part of progress.
Trackhouse confirmed Brandon McSwain as Chastain’s crew chief for 2026. The pairing forms a new structure for the No. 1 group. Chastain keeps the number tied to his record. The team maintains stability with a proven driver.
Shane van Gisbergen Moves to the No. 97
Shane van Gisbergen will move to the No. 97. His father, Robert, wrote the letter. Shane became emotional while reading. He paused when the letter mentioned their family history with the number and spoke about his late mother. The number holds family value. Robert raced with the No. 97. Shane used the number during his Supercars career.
“That means so much to our family,” his father said. “Right from the beginning, both of us ran #97 in motocross, we both ran it in speedway. Mom would have been absolutely proud.”
Van Gisbergen picked up several championship titles, race victories, and pole positions while he was operating the No. 97 car in Supercars. In 2024, he carried on the tradition with the same number in his Xfinity races. His 2026 season will be his second full Cup year.
Van Gisbergen will be the fifth driver at the Cup level to have used the No. 97 as a different number in his career. Among his previous beginnings, he has been in the No. 91 when he won his debut in Chicago, as well as the No. 13 and No. 16 for Kaulig and the No. 88 for Trackhouse in 2025.
Stephen Doran will stay with van Gisbergen as crew chief in 2026.
The No. 97 has a strong NASCAR past. The number has nearly seven hundred Cup starts and seventeen wins. Kurt Busch won the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series championship with this number. Other winners include Parnelli Jones and Bill Amick.
Connor Zilisch Takes Over the Historic No. 88
Rookie Connor Zilisch will drive the No. 88. Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote the letter. The number already connects to Zilisch. He drove the No. 88 in the Xfinity Series during 2025 and won ten races. He reached the title race and came up short of the championship.
Zilisch will work with crew chief Randall Burnett. Burnett brings years of Cup-level experience. The support around Zilisch gives him a stable start for his first season.
Trackhouse Racing used this reveal to present clear information. Each number links to production, results, or a personal story. The team enters 2026 with Chastain in the No. 1, van Gisbergen in the No. 97, and Zilisch in the No. 88.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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