Kimi Raikkonen Returning to Trackhouse Project 91 Car at COTA

After a strong start to the 2023 Cup season, Trackhouse is ready to run the next Project 91 entry, with the same driver that debuted the car last season at Watkins Glen. Former Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen will make his second NASCAR start, but this time he will do so on a track that he is very familiar with.

Raikkonen has eight starts at COTA in F1, and won the race in 2008 while driving for Ferrari. He led 39 laps in that race, and hopes to find his way to the front for the March 26 Cup race. "There was a lot to learn in a very short amount of time last year, but everyone was very helpful, the competition was a big challenge. This time I get to race on a track I am familiar with, so there won’t be as steep of a learning curve. I want to have fun but also do as well as we can."

Although he finished 37th in his debut at Watkins Glen, Raikkonen qualified 27th and was running inside the top-ten before being taken out in a crash. He will again have veteran crew chief Darian Grubb on his pit box, which should again strengthen their performance as a whole. Grubb has won 23 races as a crew chief in Cup, which includes the 2011 championship with Tony Stewart.

Team owner Justin Marks said that Raikkonen will not be in the car before the race weekend, but that he will be in the shop with the team to prepare. "When we announced Kimi last year I said he was the global superstar I had in mind when we created Project 91. I think you saw the fan reception across the world and Kimi’s performance in the car was proof of the concept. Kimi’s following is massive and it’s great for NASCAR, and I think Kimi really enjoys our racing."

Marks has cited the increased number of road course races on the schedule as a major reason for launching this project. Raikkonen believes it can grow even more this season. "I’m sure there are a lot of drivers that would like to have a chance to try NASCAR," Kimi said. "It’s not very easy, so maybe it will open some doors in the future for more chances to try and get more Europeans into the sport."

Kimi will not be the only champion from another series racing at COTA. Hendrick Motorsports recently announced that IMSA champion and Rolex 24 winner Jordan Taylor will be driving the No. 9 Chevrolet in the event, filling in for the injured Chase Elliott.