Editor’s Note: Today’s Trackhouse Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2026 Cup Series season.
TRACKHOUSE RACING
Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: ECR Engines
Driver-crew chief pairings: Ross Chastain-Brandon McSwain (No. 1); Connor Zilisch-Randall Burnett (No. 88); Shane van Gisbergen-Stephen Doran (No. 97)
Team outlook: Trackhouse Racing looks to build on the increased success it had in 2025, particularly Shane van Gisbergen’s team record of five wins and both SVG’s and Ross Chastain’s qualifying for the playoffs. One major new face in 2026 will be Connor Zilisch, who gets a promotion to the Cup Series, replacing Daniel Suárez, whose contract was not renewed and will drive for Spire Motorsports this season. Zilisch will have veteran crew chief Randall Burnett atop the pit box, which should be an immediate boost to his chances for success as a Cup rookie. Also, Chastain will have Brandon McSwain as his new crew chief, with former crew chief Phil Surgen moving to a different position within the company.
RELATED: Trackhouse Racing through the years
ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 CHEVROLET
Experience: 7 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series; 259 starts
2025 stats: 10th in final Cup Series standings; 1 win, 4 top fives, 12 top 10s, 0 poles, 83 laps led
Driver outlook: Chastain bounced back from a non-playoff season in 2024 and wound up with a memorable 2025 campaign. He looks to improve his overall performance in 2026 and has high hopes for working with new crew chief McSwain. Two key goals for the season are better track position and more laps led.
MORE: Ross Chastain driver page
CONNOR ZILISCH, NO. 88 CHEVROLET
Experience: 0 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series; 3 starts
2025 stats: 2nd in final O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings; 10 wins, 20 top fives, 23 top 10s, 8 poles, 1,013 laps led
Driver outlook: Oddsmakers such as DraftKings have very high hopes for the 19-year-old Zilisch, including the possibility of finishing the 2026 season as Sunoco Rookie of the Year. He’s a very unique talent who comes along once every decade or so. If he can quickly adapt to the tougher Cup style of racing, it would not be surprising to see Zilisch make The Chase and potentially finish the year strong in his first campaign.
MORE: Connor Zilisch driver page
SHANE VAN GISBERGEN, NO. 97 CHEVROLET
Experience: 1 full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series; 50 starts
2025 stats: 12th in final Cup Series standings; 5 wins, 5 top fives, 7 top 10s, 3 poles, 312 laps led
Driver outlook: Van Gisbergen was one of the biggest and most refreshing surprises in the 2025 Cup Series season, dominating with wins in five of the six road-course races. He made the playoffs but exited quickly after the first round. He’s slowly gotten better and gained more confidence in oval racing and could face a significant uptick in overall performance in 2026. Expect him to once again dominate road-course events, make The Chase and potentially make a leap in the final standings.
MORE: Shane van Gisbergen driver page