Trackhouse Racing Makes Lewis Hamilton Argument After Castroneves Scrutiny

Trackhouse Racing Makes Lewis Hamilton Argument After Castroneves Scrutiny


Trackhouse Racing’s owner, Justin Marks, has addressed the recent scrutiny surrounding Helio Castroneves’ special provisional exemption for the Daytona 500.

NASCAR has allowed the renowned four-time Indianapolis 500 champion, Castroneves, to join the prestigious race behind the wheel of Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 car through a new Open Exemption Provisional rule.

While some fans and critics have questioned this decision, arguing it could undermine the traditional qualifying process, Marks defends the change as a move to attract bigger audiences, hinting at the potential participation of figures like seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.

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Sir Lewis Hamilton greets fans during his first official days as a Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver at Fiorano Circuit on January 20, 2025 in Fiorano Modenese, Italy.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Trackhouse Racing, founded by Justin Marks and musician Pitbull in 2020, has rapidly gained prominence within the NASCAR Cup Series. With drivers such as Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez, the team has not only demonstrated competitiveness but also introduced its innovative ventures like Project 91.

This program was created to bring international racing stars into the NASCAR fold, successfully debuting Formula 1 champion Kimi Räikkönen at Watkins Glen in 2022 and later witnessing Shane van Gisbergen’s triumphant NASCAR debut in 2023.

Now, Helio Castroneves enters the scene with aspirations of winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, a feat achieved only by racing legends like A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti.

The Open Exemption Provisional rule is part of NASCAR’s 2025 Charter Agreement. It permits a “world-class driver” to secure automatic entry into the race even if they fail to qualify traditionally.

This decision has sparked controversy, with some in the NASCAR community worrying that it compromises the sport’s prestige.

However, Justin Marks sees things differently, viewing the provisional rule as an opportunity to boost the sport’s visibility. He explained to FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass:

“I think I understand the philosophy around it.

“I think that if there’s these big names that are going to put more eyeballs on the race and take the sport to new people. Think if one day if we have Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen or somebody like that come and race the Daytona 500 and he like misses a shift on a restart on Thursday and misses the race, it really would take a lot of wind out of the sails.

“So, I think if you look at the business as an event business as a promotional business, they have the opportunity to make rules like that, make decisions like that. So, I understand it.

“I think, I have to go read it, I think we can still race our way in … and then not use it. That’s what we’re going to be trying to do, that’s a pretty material change to the business being able to race in. I understand the philosophy behind it.

“That showed up in the charter agreement, everybody read it, I think we were the only ones who put our hands up, everybody could but we did.”

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Speaking about his upcoming debut in the Daytona 500, Castroneves explained, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports:

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing.

“This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. I am so thankful to Wendy’s for allowing me to wear their uniform and drive their car, (Trackhouse owner) Justin Marks and everyone that made this happen. I wish the race were tomorrow.”

For the latest NASCAR news, head over to Newsweek Sports.





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Kevin Harson

I am an editor for Glamour Canada , focusing on business and entrepreneurship. I love uncovering emerging trends and crafting stories that inspire and inform readers about innovative ventures and industry insights.

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