Justin Marks Discloses Chip Ganassi’s Reason Behind Ditching NASCAR Legacy With $20 Million Sale

Chip Ganassi Racing was probably the Trackhouse Racing or 23XI Racing of the early days of the 20th century. While the likes of Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and RCR had their foothold, Chip Ganassi came out with his ambitious project in 2001. And for the most part, Chip was successful in creating his space among the veteran teams and ecosystem.

However, the team was in a tough spot with the controversy that erupted with their driver Kyle Larson and his racial comments in 2020. While the CGR had won prestigious events like the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400, they were headed in a different direction. Their NASCAR operation did take a massive hit due to the controversies, which could’ve forced them to shut their doors. But Justin Marks had a brilliant plan that could see the team survive the tough times and kickstart his business venture.

Justin Marks recalls how he made Chip Ganassi an offer he couldn’t refuse

Marks wasn’t the most prolific NASCAR driver of his generation. He had a few stints at the Cup level, but in Xfinity, he had a good time racing under the Chip Ganassi umbrella. Driving the No. 42 Chevy, he won his first and only NASCAR race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. And then he started to pursue his ambitions of forming a team of his own. The process began in 2020 when he leased out a charter from Spire Motorsports.

But to grow and develop his business, Marks knew he needed ownership rights that came with charters. At the time, the price of the charters was $10 million each, and his best bet was to try and strike a deal with Chip and takeover these two charters. This was his last shot, as he wasn’t able to get hold of any other charters. But he had to muster up the courage to pick up the phone and give a call to his ex-team owner.

“I called him and said, Look I have big dreams and big plans and big ambitious vision for my company but I’m not gonna get there if I don’t make a serious investment…I think there’s no grand design behind it; there’s no real piece of wisdom or anything like that. Sometimes you just gotta pick up the phone and make the call and throw caution to the wind, and luckily for me, I have a great relationship with Chip and flipped to Pitsburg and walked through what my vision was for my company.” Marks said this on episode number 60 of the Happy Hour podcast.

Marks also shared what he felt was the vital factor in getting Chip on board with his plans and business ideas. “I don’t wanna speak for him, but I got the impression maybe that when his days of being a NASCAR Cup series team owner were over, he wanted to do something like he did with someone like me. Someone that was gonna take it with the same ambition and passion, and love for the sport that he had when he got started and then put our own spin on it,” he added.

Justin Marks wasn’t just all talks; he’s proved himself to be a successful entrepreneur with success following both on and off the racetrack. Moreover, his idea and brand of the NASCAR team are what set him apart from the rest.

Trackhouse Racing looking to challenge the big boys in 2025

Having entered the NASCAR scene in 2021, the Trackhouse Racing team has established themselves as a fiercely competitive team. Ross Chastain has been leading the charge in wins and he also has a Championship 4 appearance to his name. Daniel Suarez has found his NASCAR home with Justin Marks & Co. and has carried the baton alongside Chastain.

But a two-car team wasn’t enough for the talent pool Trackhouse has at their disposal. After handing Shane van Gisbergen a full-time opportunity in the Xfinity Series for 2024, the team bought a third charter to help him live his dream of a full-time opportunity at the Cup level. SVG is a history maker; he won the first-ever Chicago street race in his debut run, and since then he’s grown to be the best road racer in NASCAR.

Not only that, the THR team has also signed Connor Zilisch to its roster. The talented youngster will head to JR Motorsports in partnership with Trackhouse to compete in his rookie season in 2025. Suarez and the #99 team have kept the hopes of a deep playoff run alive after barely making it past the Round of 16. But, it’s fair to say the 2025 version of the team is set to make a lot of noise in the Cup Series.