Kansas Marks Second Race in Round 2
And the Return of Trackhouse Live
NASCAR holds the third of 10 Playoff races and the third and final race of the first round Saturday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain enters the 500-lap event 11th in the standings, 19 points above the cutoff. Shane van Gisbergen enters the race in 14th position, 15 points below the final 12th and final transfer spot. Both drivers need good finishes on Saturday to advance to the second round.
NASCAR will eliminate four drivers from the playoffs every three races until the final four drivers will battle for the championship in a winner-take-all race at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., on Nov. 2.
Teammate Daniel Suárez seeks to turn around a recent streak of bad luck. After three consecutive top-10 finishes at Watkins Glen, Richmond and Daytona, Suárez has been collected in wrecks by other drivers in the last two races at Darlington and St. Louis.
Join us for Trackhouse Live Saturday Night
Trackhouse Racing is elevating the NASCAR race weekend to new heights in 2025 with its Trackhouse Live concert series, blending the thrill of racing with unforgettable live music. After a packed house debut in May at the legendary Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville, the series continued in August at the Broadberry in Richmond.
The next stop is Saturday night at Laney's Get Down in Kansas City, where everyone is invited to enjoy a night of music, energy, and celebration leading into the race weekend. Music starts at 8 p.m. Entry is non-ticketed and open to the public.
Laney's Get Down is nestled in the heart of Kansas City’s historic Westport neighborhood, an independent community founded nearly 20 years before Kansas City itself. Known for its eclectic mix of mouthwatering eateries, chic boutiques, and vibrant nightlife, Westport buzzes with energy day and night.
For more information, go to Trackhouse.com/Live.
Enjoy Wendy's Nuggets or Frosty on Us!!!
ROSS CHASTAIN
Kubota Tractor Corporation at Kansas: Ross Chastain returns to the site of his victory last season at Kansas Speedway to make his 14th Cup Series start at the mile-and-a-half track on Sunday. To capture the win, he took the lead on a restart with 20 laps to go in the No. 1 Kubota Chevrolet. He overcame a 20th-place starting position and quickly drove into the top-10 where he stayed for the majority of the race. In total, he led 52 laps enroute to his fifth Cup career victory. Chastain has one win, two top-five and four top-10 finishes at Kansas along with 103 laps led. Since driving the No. 1 Chevrolet, Chastain has started 11th or better five times while finishing 13th or higher five times.
Kubota Tractor Corporation Extends Partnership: Kubota Tractor Corporation and Trackhouse Racing announced in February that Kubota’s familiar black and orange paint scheme will appear on the team’s Chevrolets through the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season. Kubota will also continue as the Official Tractor Company of Trackhouse Racing extending the relationship that began in 2022.
Top-10 Finish Will Result in $10,000 Donation: For the third consecutive year, Kubota and Trackhouse Racing are putting the partnership into overdrive to support farmer veterans. In the races Kubota is serving as the primary sponsor of Chastain’s No. 1 Kubota Chevrolet, a $10,000 donation will be made to the Farmer Veteran Coalition for a top-10 finish. The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is a national nonprofit organization that assists military veterans and currently serving members of the Armed Forces to transition into careers in farming. Since 2015, Kubota has partnered with FVC on the “Geared to Give” program which has provided more than $1 million to the coalition in the form of organizational support, grants to veterans and 46 pieces of donated equipment. Chastain’s top-10 finishes throughout the last two seasons have generated a total of $70,000 in donations. Chastain's fifth-place finish at Las Vegas and ninth-place finish last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have resulted in $20,000 donated so far this season.
Playoff Position: Chastain’s ninth-place finish last weekend at New Hampshire leaves him 12 points below the Round of 8 cutline. He has two more races (Kansas and next weekend at the Charlotte Roval) to earn enough points to advance into the Round of 8.
Meet Chastain: On Sunday at 9:25 a.m. CT, Chastain will sign autographs at the Trackhouse Racing merchandise hauler located in the Fan Zone - wristband required. At 10 a.m. local time, he will sign autographs at the Kansas Department of Transportation Booth located in the Fan Zone - wristband required, distribution begins on Saturday.
Last Weekend at New Hampshire: Chastain ran inside the top-10 before finishing 12th in Stage 1, and 13th in the second stage. He saved his best for last, running well in the final stage to secure his 11th top-10 of the season with a ninth-place finish.
Crew Chief: Chastain and crew chief Phil Surgen have worked together since 2021. The duo is the third longest active driver and crew chief pairing.
Most Wins for No. 1 Car in Cup Series: The No. 1 car has been to victory lane six times with Chastain since 2022, the most wins by a driver with that number. Jamie McMurray previously held the record with four victories in the No. 1 car.
Chastain Quotes
How do the playoffs test a race team? Is there tension when it comes to being in the playoffs?
“I wouldn't say there's any more tension. Everyone is professional and you can't get into the playoffs and all of the sudden change everything you've been doing. Everyone goes in each day putting their best effort into the task at hand. You got into the playoffs because you did well, so I wouldn't say the attitudes or anything change just because we're in the playoffs.”
You won last year at Kansas and this year at Charlotte. How do you feel your intermediate program is?
"I feel our intermediate program is the strongest for the No. 1 car out of the different types of tracks. I think if we can replicate how we ran at Kansas last year and Charlotte this year, that we'll have a strong shot to win or definitely run inside the top-five. We haven't been able to do that at all of the mile-and-a-half tracks this year though. The little bit of a question mark going into Kansas is if we can replicate those races."
About Kubota Tractor Incorporation:
Kubota Tractor Corporation, Grapevine, Texas, is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-engineered and manufactured machinery and equipment, including a complete line of tractors of up to 200 Gross hp, performance-matched implements, compact construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, hay tools, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, contact: Kubota Tractor Corporation, 1000 Kubota Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051, (888) 4-KUBOTA [(888) 458-2682], Ext. 900, or visit KubotaUSA.com.
SHANE VAN GISBERGEN
On To Kansas: Shane van Gisbergen will make his second NASCAR Cup Series career start at Kansas Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Van Gisbergen's first Cup start at the 1.5-mile track was back in May, where he started 34th and posted a 20th-place finish. Van Gisbergen also owns one Xfinity Series start at Kansas, claiming an eighth-place finish in 2024.
Last Weekend in New Hampshire: Van Gisbergen started 10th at the one-mile track, his best oval qualifying effort to date. His hopes for a top-10 oval finish ended on lap 118 when the No. 88 was collected in an eight-car accident following a restart in Stage 2. Van Gisbergen returned to the race many laps down and was credited with a 32nd-place finish. His seventh-place finish in the first stage was one of his best on an oval.
Rookie Records: Van Gisbergen now holds the record of most wins by a Sunoco Rookie in a single season (four). The Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International victory makes Van Gisbergen the fastest driver to five Cup Series wins since Dan Gurney in 1968. Following his Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway win, Van Gisbergen became the first driver since Jeff Gordon to win three consecutive road course Cup races from the pole. The Auckland, New Zealand native is the only driver not from the United States to win at least four NASCAR Cup Series races.
Two-Time Inaugural Race Winner: Van Gisbergen has etched himself into the NASCAR history books by winning two inaugural NASCAR Cup Series races. The New Zealand native captured the win in the first-ever Mexico City race in June, and in 2023, Van Gisbergen won his debut Cup Series race with Trackhouse's PROJECT91 at the Chicago Street Race.
Winning Crew Chief: After last month's win at Watkins Glen, Stephen Doran is now a four-time winning crew chief. Doran's first win as a Cup Series Crew Chief in June at Mexico City with Van Gisbergen. Doran is in his first season as Van Gisbergen's crew chief on the No. 88 Chevrolet and his second year as a crew chief at the Cup level.
Multiyear Extension: What began as a one-off PROJECT91 race in 2023, continued as a successful Xfinity Series campaign in 2024 and turned into a record-breaking NASCAR Cup Series run in 2025, will continue for years to come as Shane van Gisbergen and Trackhouse Racing announced a multi-year contract extension. The agreement will keep the former V8 Supercars driver at Trackhouse Racing.
Meet SVG: On Friday at 6 p.m. CT, Van Gisbergen will sign autographs at the QuikTrip, located at 1201 Westport Road, Kansas City, Mo., - wristband required. On Sunday at 10:30 a.m. local time, Van Gisbergen will sign autographs at the Trackhouse Racing merchandise hauler located in the Fan Zone - wristband required.
Van Gisbergen Quotes
Your first full NASCAR Cup season is almost complete. What do you think of it so far?
"I think it's been awesome! To win the number of races that we have and then to show the improvement we have made over the last few months. We didn't have a great start to the season, and it's been a steady progression. I think we can be proud of that and know that we didn't expect to set the world on fire on the ovals, but I think we have done pretty well this season getting better and better."
What do you think of racing at Kansas Speedway?
"I really like Kansas (Speedway), you can run all over the track and try to find grip and speed. We did decent there at the beginning of the year, so hopefully we can capitalize on some things that we learned and get an even been result this time around. It should be a bit of fun this weekend!"
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DANIEL SUAREZ
Freeway Insurance Honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month: Longtime Suárez and Trackhouse Racing partner Freeway Insurance will field a special paint scheme on the No. 99 this weekend in Kansas as well as at the Oct. 12 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month. The month, observed annually from September 15 to October 15 in the United States, celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. The observance began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded to a month-long celebration in 1988 under President Ronald Reagan. Suárez is the first Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race.
Special Helmet: This weekend Suárez will wear a special "Day of the Dead" helmet he unveiled earlier this year. The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November 1 and 2, is like a family reunion—except dead ancestors are the guests of honor. Day of the Dead is a joyful time that helps people remember the deceased and celebrate their memory. The helmet also serves as a symbol of his Mexican heritage, drawing widespread acclaim for blending Mexican culture with motorsport.
Keynote Speaker: Suárez served as the keynote speaker at the 46th Annual United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Conference in Atlanta on Tuesday night, Sept. 23. He joined CEOs, government and entertainment leaders at the event. He told his story of coming to America and learning English, climbing up the NASCAR ranks, and his work to bring more Hispanics to the sport as fans, drivers, or work in the industry.
Career: Suárez owns two victories (Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway 2022 and Atlanta Motor Speedway 2024) and three Busch Light Pole Awards - Pocono (Pa.) Raceway July 2018, Kentucky Speedway July 2019, and on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway August 2023.
Personal Life: Suárez married Julia Piquet, daughter of three-time Formula One World Champion Nelson Piquet, at a ceremony on July 30 in Brazil. The couple took a delayed honeymoon trip to Japan in the offseason. He is also now a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States. He took the American Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony on June 18 in front of media, friends, the NASCAR industry and NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps, who gave the keynote address to the 48 new citizens from 28 countries who joined Suárez at the ceremony. The 33-year-old Monterrey, Mexico native arrived in America about 13 years ago, unable to speak English.
Mexico Success: Suárez returned to his native country in June as NASCAR held its inaugural race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. A week of fan and media activity included a 19th-place finish in the Cup race. But few will forget his drive from last place to first in the No. 9 Quaker State Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series race and the celebration in front of the raucous fans. It marked the first time in any NASCAR series that a driver had done that on a road course. His victory, coupled with Van Gisbergen's, marks the first time since 2009 that international drivers have swept a race weekend.
Trackhouse Racing and Suárez Agree to Part Ways: Trackhouse Racing and Suárez announced on July 1 that they have mutually decided to conclude their partnership following the 2025 season. The move allows Suárez to pursue new opportunities in his racing career.
2026: Trackhouse Development driver and Xfinity racer Connor Zilisch will join Trackhouse's Cup lineup in 2026. Trackhouse announced on Sept. 23 that Randall Burnett will serve as Zilisch's crew chief in 2026.
Suárez Quotes
What do you think of your new paint scheme?
"I like it a lot. My amigos at Freeway Insurance did a great job with the car, and I hope everyone in NASCAR likes what they see this weekend. Hispanic Heritage Month is very important to me and a lot of people in this country."
What do you think about this weekend's race?
"I think our luck has to even out here at some point, and I hope it happens soon, like this weekend in Kansas. We've been collected in three wrecks over the last three weeks, which ended our race early. I'm tired of that. We've run well in Kansas before and I know we can do it again this weekend."
About Freeway Insurance:
Established in 1987, Freeway Insurance offers a “click, call, or come-in” approach to provide insurance coverage nationwide. Constantly evolving to meet market needs, Freeway delivers a diverse range of plans—from basic to premium—in auto, truck, commercial vehicle, homeowners, renters, motorcycle, RV, fire, flood, and small commercial insurance. Since joining Confie in 2008, the leading national personal lines insurance distributor, Freeway has expanded its reach through neighborhood offices, online services, and a dedicated hotline at (800) 300-0227. For more information, visit www.freeway.com or explore franchising opportunities at www.freewayfranchise.com
