An organizational test is scheduled for Tuesday for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series, with both circuits preparing for their springtime return to Rockingham Speedway.
The test is set for 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. Fans will be admitted free to watch test-day activity from the Turn 4 grandstands.
The tune-up time comes as a prelude to the April 18-19 race weekend for Xfinity and Truck Series teams, which will share the card at the 1.017-mile track with the ARCA Menards Series East. The Truck Series will hold a 200-lapper Friday, April 18 (5 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), followed by the Xfinity Series’ 250-lap event on Saturday, April 19 (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The Xfinity Series will race at Rockingham for the first time since 2004, the last year that the facility hosted Cup Series events. The Truck Series will be back for the first time since 2013.
“We’re excited to see cars and trucks on the track and to let race fans catch a glimpse of what they can expect when NASCAR returns to Rockingham Easter weekend,” said Bob Sargent, president of speedway promotion group Track Enterprises. “This will be the first opportunity of the new year for a lot of these teams to work together before they head for Speedweeks in Daytona, so not only is this test important to our team, it’s equally important to all the race teams that will be here. It’s a unique situation so we’re thrilled to see them get some preseason work in at the Rock.”
The one-day test is also expected to mark a return for former Cup Series standout Kasey Kahne, who was announced Friday as the driver of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33 Chevrolet for the April 19 Xfinity event. Kahne, 44, will be making his first NASCAR start since 2018. He was named as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
Rockingham has undergone significant renovations since NASCAR’s last visit, including a repaving project in 2022. The track was included in a 2021 bill introduced by then-North Carolina governor Roy Cooper that allocated funding to revitalize speedway venues in the state.
Corey LaJoie had multiple options on the table for the upcoming 2025 NASCAR season. Ultimately, he chose a path that will put him in new territory.
LaJoie will compete in a limited Cup Series schedule for Rick Ware Racing, piloting the No. 01 Ford in 2025 while creating the Stacking Pennies Performance Brand. He will also serve as a race analyst for Prime Video’s five Cup Series races, beginning on Memorial Day Weekend for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and concluding June 22 at Pocono Raceway.
“The Amazon piece is one of the reasons why this year is going to look a little bit different,” LaJoie told NASCAR.com. “When those guys were pursuing me towards the end of last year, I felt like there were things that were materializing in my life and doors that were opening from the Lord to allow me to see that there are other things that I can do outside of being a full-time Cup driver.
“My entire racing life, since I was 7 years old, I’ve been blindly focused on being a competitive race-winning Cup Series driver. I’ve worked and leveraged and did everything with that clear vision in mind. The way this past year went and the way my cards were dealt of not being in the right system at the right time, you can always Monday morning quarterback it because hindsight is always 20/20 as far as what you would change. But I think everything happened for a reason with the way my career had gone up to this point.”
With seven races remaining in the 2024 season, Spire Motorsports and RWR made an in-season trade that saw Justin Haley take over the No. 7 car, the seat LaJoie had piloted for nearly four years. LaJoie replaced Haley in the No. 51 Ford, but RWR announced in mid-January that Cody Ware would run the full 2025 campaign for the family-run operation. The team is leasing its second charter to RFK Racing in 2025, meaning RWR’s second car is an open entry and must qualify on time for races.
After he tied the best finish (fourth) of his Cup career in the season-opening Daytona 500, LaJoie experienced a 2024 slump that saw him in dust-ups with multiple Cup champions, including Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. He got back on track late in the summer, scoring top-10 finishes at Darlington Raceway and Watkins Glen International, where all three Spire cars cracked the top 10 for the first time in team history.
For 2025, LaJoie also didn’t want to get in the way of team owner Rick Ware putting Cody full-time in the No. 51 Ford. After leaving a discussion with Ware, he went into a meeting with the head of talent at Amazon and confirmed he wasn’t going to drive the full season. LaJoie was hired after one interview.
“With the Amazon guys knocking on my door and I had fallen out of love with the sport a bit and became disenchanted with the sport, I was looking for ways to love it again,” LaJoie said. “I’ve never not liked it; it’s kind of like a marriage. There are days where you don’t like each other, but you always love each other, and that’s how my last 16 months of my career have been.”
In launching the Stacking Pennies Performance Brand, LaJoie sought after driving the No. 01 car to distance himself from anything that involved the No. 7. The value of a penny is 1 cent.
The idea of creating the Stacking Pennies Performance Brand stemmed from LaJoie’s “Stacking Pennies Podcast,” which is among NASCAR’s most popular podcasts. The idea is akin to Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91, which will include merchandise and social media content.
“For me, it’s a proof of concept of the branding and how we want to treat our partners, how our cars look and bringing people to the race track,” LaJoie said.
LaJoie understands he could be the modern-day Neil Bonnett, who was frequently in the media landscape while competing. His first time in the No. 01 will be this year’s Daytona 500 attempt (Feb. 16, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), a race in which he has three top-10 finishes in the last five contests. LaJoie will be sponsored by DuraMAX and Take 5 Oil Change during the event.
While LaJoie is focused on happiness and being the best at his multiple roles this season, he knows that once the season shifts into high gear, it might get tough.
“It doesn’t surprise me that my career isn’t what I thought it was going to be,” LaJoie said. “I envisioned being wheel to wheel with those guys a decade ago, and those guys got in the system, evolved and developed and became champions. I’ve had to just play the cards that I was dealt. Sometimes, I didn’t play them very well. I’m man enough to admit that. When you have a year as [expletive] as we did last year, you’re going to get fired. I wish there were some things that we could have changed internally before we cut off the snake.
“The last three months have been like a faith walk. I’m not sure where the destination is going to be, but the short-term destination is going to be the Daytona 500 with an 01 Stacking Pennies Performance Ford Mustang.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the penalization of the No. 8 LMP2 entry.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – History was made on several levels in the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona to kick off the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
Porsche Penske Motorsport won its second consecutive Rolex 24, the third overall for team owner Roger Penske and fourth for the team, with the No. 7 Porsche 963 driven by Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy and Laurens Vanthoor claiming the overall and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class triumph.
Nasr is the only member of the trio who was part of last year’s winning entry, with a reshuffled lineup. Tandy moved from the team’s No. 6 car, and with the win is the first driver globally to have won all four major 24-hour endurance sports car races in Daytona, Le Mans, Spa-Francorchamps and the Nürburgring overall. Vanthoor was part of last year’s FIA World Endurance Championship-winning lineup with Penske.
The win is Nasr’s third (2024 in GTP/overall, 2022 in Grand Touring Daytona Pro), Tandy’s second (2014 GT Le Mans) and Vanthoor’s first at the Rolex 24.
The team nearly completed a 1-2 sweep, but a late pass by Tom Blomqvist delivered his second straight runner-up finish. Blomqvist co-drove the No. 60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06, and got around Matt Campbell’s No. 6 Porsche 963.
“It’s amazing to see the work we’ve done with this Porsche program the last couple years, winning the (IMSA) championship last year, and with the relationship we have with Porsche, our organization, I’m thrilled,” Roger Penske said in Victory Lane. “It was quite something there at the end!”
History was also made in the two Grand Touring classes, as two iconic brands – Mustang and Corvette – both won.
Ford’s newest Mustang scored its first IMSA victory, with Dennis Olsen holding off all comers in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class in his No. 65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3 he shared with Christopher Mies and Frederic Vervisch.
While Mustang beat Corvette in GTD PRO, Corvette emerged victorious in Grand Touring Daytona courtesy of the customer effort from AWA, which scored its second Rolex 24 win (2023 in Le Mans Prototype 3). Drivers Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern and Marvin Kirchhoefer shared the winning No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R.
Tower Motorsports crossed the line first in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class, in the hands of Sebastien Bourdais, John Farano, Sebastian Alvarez and Job Van Uitert, sharing the No. 8 ORECA LMP2 07. However, IMSA announced Wednesday that the entry will be penalized to last in the class after the car exceeded the maximum allowable wear to the regulated area of the skid block on the underside of the car. The rulebook states that the maximum allowable wear for skid blocks is 5 mm.
NASCAR superstars Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch and Austin Cindric represented the stock-car racing world in the premier event, with the former two teaming in the No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3 and the 2022 Daytona 500 winner in the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3, subbing for an injured Ben Barker. Both entries competed in the GTD Pro division, with the No. 64 landing third (19th overall) and the No. 91 finishing ninth (25th overall).
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A series of overnight cautions broke up the rhythm of the 63rd Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. But Porsche Penske Motorsport was unaffected, and the team continued to hold down the top two overall positions as the classic endurance race reached the three-quarter mark.
Nick Tandy in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class No. 7 Porsche 963 took the lead from the team’s sister No. 6 driven by Matt Campbell car in the second half of the 18th hour after Mathieu Jaminet paced most of the night in the No. 6. Tandy held a 5.608-second lead over Campbell at the 18-hour mark, with Philipp Eng holding third place in the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8, albeit almost half a lap behind.
Seven of the 12 GTP entries were still running after 18 hours, with five on the lead lap. The No. 60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06 ran in fourth place, followed by the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R.
In Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Dane Cameron in the No. 99 AO Racing “Spike” ORECA LMP2 07 led by 5.243 seconds over fellow ex-GTP driver Sebastien Bourdais, in the No. 8 Tower Motorsports ORECA, as Cameron drove into the lead during the night.
AO Racing was also in great shape in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class, where its No. 77 “Rexy” Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) ran second to the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, with a deficit of 2.284 seconds.
The race in the GTD class was even closer, with Matt Bell (No. 13 AWA Corvette Z06 GT3.R) ahead of Ralf Aron (No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3) by just 1.637 seconds.
The yellow flag flew just four minutes past the halfway point of the race when a fire broke out in the rear of the GTD class No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R that was quickly extinguished by a track safety crew. Just four minutes after racing resumed, another caution waved when the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07 competing in the LMP2 class left debris on the circuit.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR
Another stoppage occurred early in the 14th hour when defending LMP2 series class champion Tom Dillmann’s No. 43 ORECA LMP2 07 fielded by Inter Europol Competition stopped on track.
One of the major stories of the race is the comeback of the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, the defending WeatherTech Championship GTD champion. The entry fell seven laps behind in the third hour due to a sticking throttle and was three laps in arrears at the halfway point, but drivers Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje, Lucas Auer, and Russell Ward rallied to lead 68 laps. A pit penalty for an unrestrained wheel dropped the car to ninth in class, but still on the lead lap.
“Luckily, it was early in the race, and we have time to make up for it,” said Ellis. “I am super proud of the guys. We earned so many laps back with half the race to go, so I would say we are back in the race, to be honest. It all proves to me we are one of the best in the IMSA paddock. The crew put us back in the game again.”
Through the first 18 hours and three Michelin Endurance Cup segments, unofficial leaders with the most points so far are the No. 7 Porsche in GTP, No. 99 AO ORECA in LMP2, No. 1 PMR BMW in GTD PRO and No. 70 Inception Ferrari in GTD.
Live coverage of the 63rd running of the Rolex 24 continues on Peacock, with NBC rejoining at noon ET to broadcast the conclusion of the race. International coverage continues on the Official IMSA YouTube channel.
Richard Childress Racing announced Friday morning that Kasey Kahne will return to NASCAR national-series competition, driving for the team in the Xfinity Series’ return to Rockingham Speedway on April 19.
Kahne will drive RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet in the 250-lap race (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with primary sponsorship provided by HendrickCars.com. The event will mark the 44-year-old Kahne’s first NASCAR start since 2018.
Kahne, who was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023, is scheduled to participate in an organizational test Tuesday for the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series at the 1.017-mile Rockingham track. The trucks and the ARCA Menards Series East will share the bill with the Xfinity tour in April as Rockingham hosts its first NASCAR event since 2013.
Kahne was a Truck Series winner at Rockingham in 2012 during the track’s brief revival nearly a decade ago. The venue, which hosted NASCAR’s Cup Series from 1965-2004, has undergone renovations to prepare for its national-series return.
Kahne stepped away from Cup Series racing in 2018, citing health concerns amid the demands of the NASCAR schedule. He returned to sprint-car competition soon after his stock-car retirement and is racing full-time this year on the High Limit Racing circuit.
Kahne won 18 times in a Cup Series career that began in 2004. His most recent victory came in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, driving Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Chevrolet.
Team outlook: In 2024, Rick Ware Racing had its most successful season yet in the NASCAR Cup Series. With Justin Haley behind the wheel of the No. 51 Ford for 29 of 36 races before swapping seats with Corey LaJoie late in the year, Haley picked up two top 10s, led 25 laps and had an average finish of 23.1. However, Haley’s two top-10 finishes at Darlington Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway did not tell the full story of the team’s potential.
In other races, RWR’s No. 51 Ford showed a significant step up in performance compared to previous seasons but did not have the results to show for it after not putting together a complete race on a few occasions. Heading into 2025, the team brings back crew chief Billy Plourde, who will be paired up with Cody Ware for the full season. In addition, they will roll out the No. 15 Ford for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium for “Madhouse” great Tim Brown. Corey LaJoie will also run a part-time schedule in the renumbered No. 01 Ford to align with the Stacking Pennies Performance Brand. LaJoie will attempt the Daytona 500 with sponsorship from DuraMAX and Take 5 Oil Change.
Experience: 106 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series 2024 stats: 36th in final standings; 9 starts, 1 top five, 1 top 10 2025 championship odds (DraftKings): N/A
Outlook: With 106 Cup Series starts under his belt entering 2025, Ware called his return to the premier series the “best opportunity I’ve had in NASCAR.” There is good reason for him to feel optimism after a career-best average finish of 21.0 in nine starts last year. His best result was a fourth-place finish in the Daytona summer race, and he finished in the top 25 six times. If Ware and his No. 51 team can continue RWR’s upward trajectory, we could see the 29-year-old Greensboro, North Carolina driver line up for a career year in the Cup Series.
BOLD PREDICTION: For the first time in his Cup Series career, Ware will finish inside the top 30 in the final standings. Also, he will earn at least 15 top-25 finishes and get at least two top 10s. Rick Ware Racing has plenty to build on after overachieving on numerous occasions with Haley in the No. 51 Ford last season. Now, with Ware as the team’s full-time driver for 2025, expect them to continue working hard to keep the momentum rolling. In a team release, Ware said, “I’ve improved as a driver and RWR has improved as a team.”
LOS ANGELES — FOX Sports Films and NASCAR Studios announce the premieres of two compelling new original documentaries marking the start of the 2025 NASCAR season.
“The Madhouse: NASCAR’s Return to Bowman Gray Stadium,”narrated by FOX Sports’ Emmy Award-winning storyteller Tom Rinaldi,debuts Monday, Jan. 27 (7 p.m. ET, FS1). The film explores the rich and rollicking history of the venue while weaving a narrative that focuses on preparations for The Clash at Bowman Gray. Featuring exclusive interviews with NASCAR’s Jim France and Ben Kennedy, plus other notable racing figures such as Leonard Wood and Chocolate Myers, along with Bowman Gray stalwarts Burt Myers, Jason Myers and Tim Brown, the documentary tells a story that intersects two unique worlds: the biggest motorsports series in North America, and the grassroots charm of small-town America at Bowman Gray Stadium.
“So Damn Close: Atlanta ’24” premieres Thursday, Feb.13 (10 p.m. ET, FS1), immediately following the Duel at Daytona. Focusing on the closest three-way finish in NASCAR history between Daniel Suárez, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch in last year’s Ambetter Health 400, the documentary will feature all three drivers getting together to revisit the dramatic race, plus separate shoots with their crew chiefs and spotters. The film provides candid exchanges and a forensic breakdown of the most pivotal moments of the race, revealing the untold stories on and off the track leading up to the split-second decisions that shaped the historic outcome.
“FOX Sports is excited to partner with NASCAR Studios to bring fans closer to the fast-paced racing action than ever before,” said Barry Nugent, vice president of development and original programming at FOX Sports. “From the historic return to Bowman Gray to the unforgettable moments of last year’s race in Atlanta, these films not only showcase the electrifying action behind the world of motorsports but provide unprecedented access into the stories that bring this sport to life.”
“We’re thrilled to team up with FOX Sports to explore the rich stories of these two events,” said John Dahl, NASCAR senior vice president of content. “It’s the first time the NASCAR Cup Series has been at Bowman Gray in over half a century, and last year’s race in Atlanta was historic in its own right. Our team at NASCAR Studios has enjoyed diving into these projects to help give them the attention they deserve.”
FOX NASCAR’s 25th season kicks off with The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 2, on FOX, with coverage beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Not even one day into the Roar Before the 24 testing sessions last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, young NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch realized what he was dealing with in teaming with a pair of New Zealand champion drivers and a veteran sports car ace.
While Zilisch was turning his first laps, his teammates — NASCAR star Shane van Gisbergen, IndyCar standout Scott McLaughlin and American sports car ace Ben Keating — were having some fun with the 18-year old Zilisch’s cell phone, left innocently inside the scoring stand while he was in the car on track.
The result was a series of funny, candid selfies published on Zilisch’s own social media accounts.
It’s easy to have fun, when you know you are fast. And they are.
“They definitely mess with me, but I enjoy it and we have fun with each other,” Zilisch said, breaking into a grin. “It’s been so cool to get to know Shane and Scott and Ben — he’s got a lot of expertise and experience and a good sense of humor, too.
“It’s a great group of guys and we’re already having a lot of fun together and hopefully that translates to on-track success.”
That’s certainly the plan. This Daytona dream team is made up of former Australian Supercars champions McLaughlin and 2025 NASCAR Cup Series rookie Shane van Gisbergen — who stunned the stock-car world winning in his first NASCAR start in 2023 at the Chicago Street Race. Joining them are the 53-year-old Keating and NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie-to-be Zilisch, who both have already won Rolex watches in this prestigious IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship series opener.
They will all share the GTD Pro class No. 91 Trackhouse by TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R — a car fielded in part by NASCAR Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks, himself a former Rolex 24 competitor. Zilisch announced Thursday that he will make his Cup debut driving for Trackhouse in March at Circuit of The Americas.
As they have all discovered, fun is an essential part of the chemistry that makes this foursome a favorite to earn new Rolex watches by Sunday afternoon’s checkered flag.
This will be the 35-year-old van Gisbergen’s sixth entry in the Rolex 24 and he’s been on the podium before with a runner-up finish in the GTD class in 2015. The last time he competed was in 2020, teaming with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch on the AIM Vasser Sullivan team.
“This is my favorite endurance race of all the ones I’ve done. Spa, LeMans, Bathurst, this is the best by far,” said van Gisbergen, who will make his full-time driving debut in the Cup Series in the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet this season.
“This is just enjoyable. It’s so much fun. Like [endurance races] Spa [Belgium] and Le Mans [France] you’re just flat-out the whole time and the safety car comes and everyone stays spread out. Whereas, here, you get your laps back and everyone’s always battling.
“It really feels like a 24-hour race and you’re always battling someone. I feel the atmosphere here is always good. All the other stuff [other endurance races] I’ve done is far too serious. Here it’s always just fun to be at. First race of the year and everyone’s fresh.”
Interestingly, despite their shared background and crossed paths during the years, this will be the first time van Gisbergen and McLaughlin — a seven-time IndyCar Series winning driver for Roger Penske — have shared the same car in a race.
And they have fully embraced the driving partnerships with the young Zilisch and the veteran Keating. Zilisch signed a Trackhouse Racing contract last January to compete in the Rolex and will drive JR Motorsports’ No. 88 Chevrolet as a rookie in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Zilisch brings an incredible resume with him, and in some ways shares a storybook stock car beginning with van Gisbergen. As the New Zealander did in the Chicago Cup Series race a year earlier, Zilisch won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start — claiming the trophy last summer at Watkins Glen International from pole position — then adding a pair of fourth-place finishes at Kansas and Phoenix in three more starts last year.
Zilisch won pole position in his first NASCAR national series start — a Craftsman Truck Series race last spring at the Circuit of The Americas, where he finished fourth. He then won pole position again in the series at one of the most famous stock car tracks in the world, the half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway — all before he turned 18.
And that stock car success came after Zilisch won the LMP2 class of the Rolex 24 last January at Daytona and answered immediately with the LMP2 class win in the 12 Hours of Sebring six weeks later.
“I’ve been with Connor pretty much every day the last couple weeks doing photo shoots,’’ van Gisbergen said, offering high praise for the young driver.
“He’s an awesome young kid and the experience he’s had already and what he’s done is amazing. He’s committing now to NASCAR away from this [sports car] world and it will be really fun to see how he goes. He’s got a massive future ahead.
“He’s just an awesome young kid and so fast, but a lot to learn still at that age,’’ van Gisbergen continued. “He’s asking Scott and I and Ben a lot of questions, and we’re having a lot of fun, bouncing ideas off each other about the car.’’
James Gilbert | Getty Images
That support means so much more coming from someone Zilisch admires.
“It’s really cool,’’ he allowed, flashing a smile. “The last 12 months for me have been really crazy and definitely changed the trajectory of my career path, so it’s cool to team up with them here, guys who have so much experience not only in sports car racing but motorsports as a whole, whether it’s V8 Supercars, IndyCars, and Ben, with everything he’s done in sports cars.
“I have a lot to learn from these guys. Definitely going to try to soak it in as much as I can. Be a sponge. Just try to have fun.
“Obviously these big moments can be stressful, but at the end of the day, what we’re doing and what Justin has put together, I just want to make sure I enjoy it as well.’’
Both McLaughlin and the sports car champ Keating say they have also enjoyed working as a team with the two NASCAR competitors.
“Really exciting for me,’’ said Keating, 53, noting that his children are all older than Zilisch. “I’ve never been in the same car with any of those guys. I’ve raced against them all and have a ton of respect. I really like them all. Same with Justin [Marks].”
His experience — including a 2015 Rolex 24 class win — has included a driver’s seat view of watching his co-drivers compete in the past, however. And that’s provided both perspective and praise. He recalled watching van Gisbergen driving in the pouring rain in the 2017 Rolex 24.
“I was driving around the track in amazement of Shane when he was driving the car because of all the classes and all the cars, he was the fastest car on track — he was faster than all the prototypes. SVG is special,’’ Keating said, emphasizing that van Gisbergen’s and McLaughlin’s trio of Australian Supercar championships automatically elevates their stature in his mind.
“And I have grown to have a lot of respect for Connor in the LMP2 class last year,’’ Keating continued. “He won this race at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in class and was a rock star in the car. … I’m not surprised at all he wins in Trans Am, IMSA or NASCAR. The kid is just really, really talented.’’
That seems to be the prevailing theme for this foursome. They were among the top-five GTD Pro class cars in four of the six practices at the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course during the three-day Roar Before the 24 test — and that included a best showing of second fastest in the Saturday morning session — with Zilisch posting that fastest lap.
“It’s really cool having so much diversity between the four of us and I definitely see it in the way we talk about the car, we all have our own ways to explain things, but we’ve all come to an agreement at the end of every session with how we feel and that’s really positive in that sense,’’ Zilisch said.
“It’s tough in endurance racing that everyone has the same sense of the car, but I feel like we’re really aligned with how we feel. I’m excited to hopefully continue to make the car better.”
It’s a sentiment shared by this talented lineup that has already proven they are up for the task. And having a great time doing it.
“The biggest thing for me is we’re racing for fun and when you’re having fun you’re going to do well, as well,’’ van Gisbergen said. “We’re all happy with the car and the balance of the car, who knows what could happen.”
Connor Zilisch will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut driving the No. 87 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing at Circuit of The Americas, the team announced Thursday.
Zilisch, a highly touted prospect and the team’s development driver, will have primary sponsorship from Red Bull, which joins Trackhouse as a primary sponsor in 2025 after a long absence from the sport. Red Bull will also sponsor Shane van Gisbergen in five NASCAR Cup Series races, rejoining the series after sponsoring Red Bull Racing from 2007-11.
The 18-year-old Zilisch made his NASCAR national series debut at COTA in March 2024 in the Craftsman Truck Series with Spire Motorsports, storming to the pole position and ultimately finishing fourth. Zilisch later won his Xfinity Series debut with JR Motorsports in September at Watkins Glen International, solidifying his reputation early. At age 18, he is set to become the youngest driver to make a Cup start since Joey Logano’s debut in 2008.
“I was surprised when they presented me my Red Bull helmet and hat last summer and doubly surprised when they told me I would make my Cup debut in the No. 87 with a Red Bull paint scheme,” Zilisch said in a release.
Zilisch will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet for the full 2025 Xfinity season with JRM, his first season-long campaign in one of NASCAR’s national series. In four starts in 2024, Zilisch earned three top-five finishes, placing fourth at both Kansas Speedway and Phoenix Raceway in addition to his Watkins Glen win. He additionally finished 12th at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Van Gisbergen is making the leap from Xfinity to Cup in 2025 for his own rookie campaign, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse. SVG, who won his Cup debut at the Chicago Street Race in 2023, is no stranger to the Red Bull family.
“I have enjoyed a lot of new experiences and met a lot of new people since coming to NASCAR, but it is nice to be joined by Red Bull, who has been a big supporter of mine for many years back home,” van Gisbergen said in a release. “I’d love nothing more than to give Red Bull a victory as a way to thank them for joining myself, Connor and Trackhouse Racing.”
Red Bull will be featured on SVG’s car at the March 16 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, July 13 at Sonoma Raceway, Aug. 3 at Iowa Speedway, Aug. 23 at Daytona International Speedway and Sept. 28 at Kansas.
“It’s an incredible chapter in the history of Trackhouse Racing to welcome Red Bull back to NASCAR,” Trackhouse founder and owner Justin Marks said in a release. “Red Bull is one of the most powerful brands in the world, and it’s an honor for us to embark on a partnership with such an iconic company.”
Spire Motorsports announced on Thursday that 2024 ARCA Menards Series champion Andrés Pérez de Lara will drive full-time for Spire Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series during the 2025 season.
The Mexico City native will pilot the No. 77 Chevrolet in pursuit of 2025 Rookie of the Year honors. Previously, Pérez de Lara made two starts at the Truck Series level for Spire Motorsports in 2024, garnering one top-10 finish at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
“As Spire Motorsports continues to look toward the future, it’s important that we identify who we expect to be long–term contributors to the growth of not only our organization but to the sport as a whole,” Spire Motorsports co–owner Jeff Dickerson said in a press release. “Andrés Pérez de Larahas a very bright future. He has a huge upside and isalready integrated into our processes and methods of preparation. We’re thrilled to officially add him to the Spire family.”
The team also announced that veteran crew chief Chad Walter will move over from the No. 71 truck and lead the No. 77 team’s efforts in the new year. Walter has over two decades of experience, spending the last two seasons with Rajah Caruth and leading Caruth to his first Craftsman Truck Series win and the 2024 playoffs.
“After two successful seasons with Rajah Caruth, I’m excited to work with Andrés Pérez de Lara,” Walter said in a press release.“I’ve always enjoyed the opportunityto help mold drivers into the future stars of NASCAR.Andréshas proven that he can be that next ‘one.’We’ve taken the time to assemble a great race team to surround him.Our goal is always to be competitive, maximize our weekends, and race the right way with our competitors.I’m grateful to our leadership team for having the confidence in me to lead Andrés and the No. 77 team in 2025.”
The 19–year–old drove theNo. 2Chevrolet for Rev Racing to his first ARCA championship in 2024, racking up 10 top–five and 17 top–10 finishes.He is the first Mexican–born driver to win the ARCA national title in its 72–year history.
“It’s such a great opportunity for me and one that I have been working extra hard to get,” Pérez de Lara said in a press release. “It’s awesome to workwith a team like Spire, and what that means for me as a driver having so many experienced and very accomplished people working with me to make the most of this opportunity.I think I’m looking forward to the competition more than anything, and I’m ready to step up my game and ready to work on getting the most out of every race.Daytona can’t come soon enough. All the new tracks I’ll be racing will be another big challenge.I am really looking forward toit.”
Partners for the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet include Telcel, Infintium and Claro, which will all be featured throughout the 2025 season. Primary sponsorship for Pérez de Lara’s rookie campaign will be announced at a later date.
