Trackhouse Racing officially announced the return of PROJECT91 on Wednesday, as former Formula 1 and current FIA World Endurance Championship driver Kevin Magnussen will pilot the No. 91 Qualcomm Chevrolet at NASCAR San Diego Weekend presented by Anduril.
Magnussen made his Formula 1 debut with a second-place finish in the Australian Grand Prix in 2014 with McLaren, becoming the first Danish driver to finish on an F1 podium. He won the pole position for the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, earning Haas F1 Team’s first pole position.
Now, Magnussen will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the return of the heralded PROJECT91 effort. PROJECT91 debuted in 2022, with the purpose of offering international racing standouts the opportunity to compete in NASCAR Cup Series events.
Past participants in PROJECT91 include Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves. Most notably, Shane van Gisbergen won in his NASCAR Cup Series debut with PROJECT91 at Chicago, setting the stage for his transition to the Cup Series on a full-time basis.
“I’m incredibly excited and honored to have the opportunity to compete in NASCAR,” said Magnussen. “What Justin Marks and Trackhouse have done with PROJECT91 is unique. To provide drivers from outside of the NASCAR world with a chance to compete at this level. I’m proud to have this opportunity.
“I’ve already spent time with the team in North Carolina – meeting everyone, doing the seat fit, going through pit stop procedures and all the details that come with preparing for a NASCAR weekend. They’re an awesome group of people, incredibly dedicated, and just as excited about this debut as I am. I really can’t wait to get to San Diego and experience it all for the first time.”
Magnussen’s entry will give Trackhouse Racing four cars at the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at Naval Base Coronado. He will compete alongside the team’s three full-time competitors, including van Gisbergen, Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch.
“I’m thrilled to be able to bring back PROJECT91 again this year, especially at San Diego,” said Marks. “We were waiting for the right opportunity with the right partner and driver to bring this PROJECT91 entry to fruition. Qualcomm is a worldwide brand, and Kevin Magnussen is a global driver, and both are elements we look for when it comes to running PROJECT91.”
Phil Surgen will serve as Magnussen’s crew chief for the event. Surgen joined Trackhouse Racing in 2022 as Chastain’s crew chief. The duo made three NASCAR Cup Series playoff appearances, including a second-place points finish in 2022, and won six races. Surgen now holds the title of Director of Technology for Trackhouse Racing, but will be back atop the pit box for NASCAR San Diego weekend.
As part of the partnership, Qualcomm Technologies will assist Trackhouse Racing’s on-track performance with the Qualcomm Dragonwing AI on-prem appliance. The artificial intelligence will offer insights on real-time data to assist with in-race decision making at both the track and race shop.
“PROJECT91 is about pushing boundaries – bringing world-class drivers, bold ideas, and cutting-edge technology into one of the most competitive arenas in racing. With Kevin Magnussen behind the wheel and Trackhouse leading the charge, we’re excited to showcase how Qualcomm’s AI-powered innovations can help teams unlock real-time insights and elevate performance on race day. From our hometown of San Diego to the global stage, this is a powerful example of how advanced computing and connectivity are transforming the future of motorsports,” said Don McGuire, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Qualcomm Incorporated.
The NASCAR Cup Series Anduril 250 is scheduled for June 21 at Naval Base Coronado. Coverage of the event will be on Prime Video, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
