Project 91: The Possibilities are Endless

When I first started watching NASCAR in 2017, Justin Marks was known as an excellent road course racer, especially when there was rain racing, but not much else. So in late 2020, when he announced he was starting a STEM-based NASCAR team, I admittedly doubted him. Now we are nearing the conclusion of 2022, the second year of Trackhouse Racing’s existence, and I think Justin Marks is a business genius and one of the greatest assets to the sport today. And by far, the most significant piece of excitement was the spontaneous creation of Project 91.

Project 91 was announced on May 24th, 2022. That left the NASCAR community two days to speculate who would be racing in the third Trackhouse Racing entry. We knew the goal, to bring global stars of racing to NASCAR. And by May 26th, we knew it would be the Iceman himself, Kimi Raikkonen. As a motorsports enjoyer, I was pumped. Kimi was a funny character in F1 and had a few starts in the Xfinity and Truck series. But I was more intrigued at what this meant for Project 91. And I started to think – who would I like to see in that car? So today, I am going to speculate. For the sake of this article, I will pretend there are no car manufacturers or team owners who would prevent someone from racing in the Project 91 car. I will probably suggest too many drivers and races, but I want to have some fun. So without any further adieu, let’s start with the Great American Race.

This one clicked immediately following the first SRX race of 2022. In his victory interview, Helio Castroneves mentioned a deal he made with Donald Hawk, the CEO of SRX. Hawk said that if Castroneves could win a race in SRX, he would make arrangements for a start in the Daytona 500. And wouldn’t you know, Helio wins the first race at Five Flags Speedway in Florida. For those who may be unfamiliar, Castroneves is a long-time INDYCAR competitor and four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Helio is the guy we want crossing over into stock car racing. He is very outgoing and would certainly fit in with the Trackhouse team. 

The second driver I’d want to see behind the wheel of the Trackhouse Chevrolet would be the current F1 driver, Daniel Ricciardo. As fans colloquially call him, Danny Ric is currently without a ride for the 2023 season. And while I think his personality is an asset to the F1 grid, maybe he tries out some racing in the states. He’s already said he isn’t a fan of the ovals in INDYCAR. But my brain began turning the second I saw him behind the wheel of the iconic #3 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, last fall. He is a big fan of NASCAR and a drive in the Project 91 car could perhaps tick off a lifelong dream of his. Not to mention the ties Circuit of the Americas has to F1. For fans who are maybe less familiar with Daniel Ricciardo, he chose his number in F1 based on Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s notorious #3. It would be a great fit and something many fans from “down under” would likely watch. (Or at least record to watch the next day, thanks to time differences.)

My third proposition would make most NASCAR fans very happy. It’s Jimmie Johnson completing the Memorial Day weekend double. Logistically, I am not sure how realistic this would be, but in my perfect scenario, anything goes. This scenario relies on Johnson, 46 years old, to return to the Indianapolis 500 next year, but he has expressed interest in returning in 2023 to INDYCAR. Following the conclusion, he would race the 500 first and hop on a jet to Charlotte, North Carolina. He then would attempt to complete the Coca-Cola 600 and race 1,100 miles in one day. Tony Stewart is the only guy to have accomplished this feat. NASCAR fans would see the seven-time champion race one more time, and motorsports fans would get an opportunity to witness history. Logistically, it’s tough. But I want it to work someway, somehow. 

The next race is another double, but this time at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 2021, NASCAR and INDYCAR held their first doubleheader weekend at the Indianapolis Road Course. And the fans seemed to support the idea. So they brought it back once again last year. And, in my perfect world, it comes back again next year. This scenario would give Scott McLaughlin, current INDYCAR driver and three-time Australian supercar champion, the chance to race both the INDYCAR race and Cup race. This race weekend is much more logistically feasible as the races are held on two separate days. Kevin Harvick recently floated the idea of Scott McLaughlin trying out a race in NASCAR, meaning other people see the potential too! I think he would perform pretty well, and it would be a chance for him to race in something most similar to his background in racing – heavy stock cars on a road course. Not to mention the ties with Chevrolet. It almost makes too much sense!

I didn’t go into too much detail on Kimi Raikkonen earlier, and that’s because I want him to come back again in 2023. He performed very well in the limited race time he got before being “Chastained” nearly halfway through the Watkins Glen International race. And I think he should get the opportunity to come back and do it again in 2023 at the same track, with the same team. Having an F1 world champion starting a NASCAR race is huge for the sport. And he seemed to have a ton of fun in his first attempt. He also said he would be open to the idea of returning. So I say, run it back and avoid Ross Chastain this time. 

The last driver I had envisioned racing next year would be a very successful IMSA driver. It’s Jordan Taylor. He currently competes for the Corvette factory team in IMSA, which means he has Chevrolet connections. He also has a very comedic personality. These NASCAR Next Gens are similar to the GT cars raced in IMSA. And Jordan Taylor has even admitted that he tried to run in NASCAR a few years back at the Daytona Road Course, where the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona takes place. I say, throw him in the 91 at the Charlotte Roval, a place on the IMSA calendar as recently as 2020, and see what he thinks of the sport. It could also be a big chance for NBC to advertise their IMSA programming to get some more NASCAR/IMSA crossover. With three Rolex 24 Hour victories, two of which are overall wins, and two IMSA championships, he should be a big target for Justin Marks and team Trackhouse. 

And now, I offer a bonus option. One that would make me the happiest man alive. It’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the North Wilkesboro All-Star Race. Hear me out here. He had an integral role in saving the speedway. He led a team to help preserve and clean up the track so iRacing could scan it and add it to their software. He then raced there in 2022 when it made its racing return. He was instrumental in getting NASCAR to agree to make the All-Star Race happen there. Not to mention his significant popularity amongst NASCAR fans. It would be wrong for him not to have the chance to compete there in the All-Star Race. He hops in the Project 91 car in collaboration with JR Motorsports, and it can be treated as JRM’s first foray into the Cup Series. The merchandise practically sells itself! 

Admittedly, most of these probably aren’t very realistic. And if I wanted, I could make a full 38-race calendar of the drivers I’d like to see at every race. But I think this is a good start for a sample of the endless possibilities with this Project 91 idea. I hope we see the guys I mentioned in this article in Next Gen stockcars at some point, but I understand logistics are hard to work out. Justin Marks is a visionary and a great businessman, and he has me sold on Trackhouse Racing. Regardless of who he manages to get in the 91 in 2023, it will surely be exciting and a crucial asset for NASCAR.

image source: trackhouse racing