NASCAR Team Trackhouse Racing Moving To Two Wheels

Trackhouse Racing is expanding, but not in NASCAR.

The team, co-owned by former driver Justin Marks and Grammy award winning artist Pitbull, announced Tuesday they will field a MotoGP World Championship team beginning in the 2024 season.

Trackhouse will manage the team from the U.S. but operate in Noale, Italy in an alliance with motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia and the Piaggio Group.

“This is a monumental moment for Trackhouse Entertainment Group,” said the 42-year-old Marks.

“It has been in the ethos of Trackhouse since the very first day to put in the work, have the vision, and deploy the enthusiasm and passion necessary to build one of the most valuable motorsports entertainment companies in the world. Our entry into the MotoGP World Championship is another step in the execution of that vision.”

The rumors that Trackhouse was negotiating for ownership of the RNF Racing team came a few weeks ago after the team’s principal, Razlan Razali, announced his departure and just prior to the series conducting testing in Valencia, Spain.

Founded in 1949, the MotoGP World Championship sanctioned by Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) with headquarters in Mies, Switzerland, is the premier motorcycle racing series in the world with eleven teams each fielding two riders. The 2024 schedule includes 22 races in 19 countries across five continents, The season begins on March 10 in Qatar with an American race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on April 14.

Trackhouse was founded by Marks in 2020 as a one car team with driver Daniel Suarez. After acquiring the support of Pitbull and the assets of Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 the team added driver Ross Chastain to its lineup.

In 2022 the team added its Project91 initiative as a way to bring racers from other motorsports into NASCAR. Drivers there have included former F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen and most recently Australian Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen who won the inaugural NASCAR street race in Chicago earlier this year.

Trackhouse Racing will be the only American team in the MotoGP class. The U.S. however has a long list of successful riders including Eddie Lawson, Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, Kenny Roberts Jr, Freddie Spencer, Randy Mamola, Colin Edwards and the late Nicky Hayden.

The rider line-up for the team of Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira will remain the same. Trackhouse Racing revealed their bike presentation Tuesday showing off an all-American scheme with the RS-GP bike clad in red, white and blue, with white stars on the front fairing.

The move for Trackhouse with co-owner Pitbull whose nickname is “Mr. Worldwide” allows the team to step up to a truly global stage.

“We feel that MotoGP is perfectly positioned for massive growth in the coming years not only in the United States, but internationally,” Marks said.

“It has all the ingredients necessary to continue its rise to global prominence: a thrilling on-track product, aspirational stars, unmatched fan and partner experience, and an environment that’s fan-friendly and welcoming.”

On the NASCAR side, Trackhouse will start its fourth NASCAR Cup Series season in February.