Trackhouse drivers Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez enter CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro

CONCORD, North Carolina — The NASCAR Cup Series has not raced at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Motor Speedway since 1996 — a long time before the Trackhouse Racing drivers Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain began their racing careers.

To get both drivers ready for a chance to win $1 million at the May 21 NASCAR All-Star Race held for the first time at the historic North Wilkesboro track, Trackhouse Racing announced today Suárez and Chastain will enter the May 17 CARS Tour Late Model Stock race on the .625-mile oval.

The pair join a field of CARS regulars plus Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase Briscoe and Kevin Harvick.

“I have never been to North Wilkesboro nor really spent much time driving a late model,” said Suárez who became the first Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race when he dominated at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June. “Every little bit helps. Plus, it is going to be a lot of fun going short track racing. Getting familiar with the track will help our program a lot.”

Suárez will drive the No. 99 Jockey Chevrolet for R and S Race Cars, a full-service race car facility, in South Boston, Virginia.

The Jockey partnership with Trackhouse began last year and was the first such team sponsorship in the 147-year history of the apparel brand. At the core of the partnership was the launch of the brand‘s Made in America* Collection — an effort aimed at delivering premium quality product, support reshoring American manufacturing jobs, supporting families and farmers in local communities, and providing a more sustainable option for American consumers.

Chastain echoed Suárez‘s comments about the importance of track time at North Wilkesboro.

“They are paying $1 million dollars and giving out a beautiful trophy to win that race so we are going to do everything we have to do to prepare for that night,” said Chastain who won at Circuit of the Americas in Austin Texas and at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last year in a season that saw him finish second in the standings.

Chastain will drive the No. 28 Ambetter Health Chevrolet for the Pinnacle Racing Group of Mooresville, North Carolina.

Ambetter Health is a health insurance offering that is available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or exchange, established by the Affordable Care Act. It is one of the healthcare programs provided by Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise. Ambetter Health is made available through local health plans and covers a wide variety of healthcare services, including preventive and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health and substance misuse services, prescription drug coverage, and more.

The CARS Tour debuted in 2015 and features Late Model Stock Cars and Pro Late Model divisions. At the end of the 2022 season, an ownership group consisting of Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Trackhouse Entertainment Group founder and owner Justin Marks purchased the series.

The CARS Tour event will be part of a full week of racing at North Wilkesboro. The ASA STARS National Tour will compete on Tuesday, May 16 in the ECMD 150. Suárez will also race in that series where he will drive the No. 99 for Rackley W.A.R. of Nashville, Tennessee.

Rackley W.A.R. competes nationally in the NASCAR Craftsman® Truck Series with driver Matt DiBenedetto as well as operating a driver development program based at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and in regional Super and Pro Late Model events.

Both Suárez and Chastain have qualified for the 200-lap NASCAR All-Star Race on May 21. FS1 will televise the All-Star Race while the subscription service Flo Racing will broadcast the late model events.