This Sunday, former Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen will step onto the track at Naval Base Coronado for his first NASCAR Cup Series race, piloting the No. 91 Qualcomm Chevrolet fielded by Trackhouse Racing.
A Historic Setting for a New Era
The 33‑year‑old Danish driver brings a decade of top‑level motorsport experience, having competed in Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship, IMSA and IndyCar, giving him a versatile skill set that he hopes will translate to the unique demands of stock‑car racing.
Magnussen will share the garage with teammates Shane van Gisbergen, Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch, forming a lineup that the team believes can contend on the 3.4‑mile street circuit that winds through the historic naval installation.
The weekend will be tightly scheduled; Magnussen will have only a single 50‑minute practice session on Friday before qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday, a limited on‑track window that underscores the steep learning curve he faces.
Working alongside crew chief Phil Surgen, who has guided Ross Chastain to six Cup victories between 2022 and 2025, Magnussen will rely on a seasoned partnership to fine‑tune the Chevrolet for the demanding layout.
The driver also noted a personal connection to the sport; his father, Jan Magnussen, attempted a NASCAR career in 2010, a footnote that helped spark Kevin’s own curiosity about the American series.
Trackhouse Racing’s recent dominance on road and street courses, highlighted by Shane van Gisbergen’s six wins in the last seven Cup road‑course events, adds a layer of expectation that Magnussen feels both exhilarating and daunting.