Trackhouse Racing could once again be preparing one of NASCAR’s boldest modern experiments, as growing rumors suggest PROJECT91 may return for the inaugural San Diego street race weekend at Naval Base Coronado on June 19–21, 2026.

This again caught fans by surprise after an Instagram post from Stock Car Rumors & Nostalgia made a tall claim that Trackhouse intended to field a special fourth entry at San Diego.

San Diego is already proving itself to be the face of this new, revitalized modern NASCAR with a featured 3.4-mile, 16-turn street circuit adorned with the title Qualcomm Circuit that stands across an active military base. With growing attention from sponsors, international and young audiences, all of which NASCAR is deeply invested in attracting, the event naturally fits the exact identity that PROJECT91 was created to represent.

Justin Marks, who envisioned PROJECT91, saw it more as an international gateway into the sport, pushing NASCAR’s borders. The project debuted in 2022 with 2007 Formula 1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen at Watkins Glen before producing one of NASCAR’s most historic moments in 2023.

 If we take a look deep into our memory, we can still envision the magnificent drive that Shane van Gisbergen took in the No. 91 Chevrolet in Chicago, becoming the first driver in over 60 years to win his Cup Series debut. That win, even though monumental, also did something else: it proved that Trackhouse had now created such a program that could bring in world-class driving talent to America’s streets.

Now speculation also drifts to who the mystery driver of that car could be if PROJECT91 were to return. The name that’s all on our minds is that of the Dutch prodigy Max Verstappen, as Formula 1 has no race scheduled that weekend, and with growing Red Bull interest in the sport, it could soon become a very real possibility.

Could Verstappen headline PROJECT91 return?

For Max Verstappen to realistically race in San Diego, several things must fall into place. Even though there are no scheduling concerns, several other issues could arise.

First, the reasons that we could see him race include his Red Bull links with Trackhouse, friendship with Shane van Gisbergen, and growing interest in non-F1 categories. Verstappen has already been previously cited as “literally screaming” watching SVG win Chicago in 2023 and has come out several times praising NASCAR’s difficulty.

Now to the issues, which include approval from NASCAR to run a fourth entry that Trackhouse must acquire, manufacturing clearance from Ford-Red Bull connections, and finally Verstappen’s own last-minute willingness.

If Mad Max were to decline, names such as Kimi Räikkönen, Jenson Button, Valtteri Bottas, Brodie Kostecki, Chaz Mostert, and Kamui Kobayashi remain realistic candidates for the fourth seat because of their street-course experience and how they handle these heavy stock machines.

What happens during the race weekend remains to be seen, yet one thing is certain: even before the race, the excitement has us on edge, unable to wait for the mystery driver’s reveal.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Uday Jakhar

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason