NASCAR drivers — at least according to those within its industry — are the best drivers in the world.
Many are quick to smear those who mock Formula 1 for claiming to have the best drivers in the world, while also unironically doing the same to NASCAR drivers.
During the NBC broadcast of the NASCAR Cup Series championship race last month, Rick Allen outright called Kyle Larson the best driver in the world. It was a jarring claim considering Formula 1 fans tuning in had just watched Max Verstappen score his 323rd win of the season in that series that morning, while Larson ended up not even winning the Cup championship.
The reality is there is no best driver in the world. It’s foolish to seriously argue there is one. It’s not the days of the 1960s, when guys like AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti and Dan Gurney dominated in anything into which they strapped themselves.
The world is much more specialized now, with the vast majority of major series drivers only focusing on their given series as a full-time job instead of ride hopping, save for maybe some endurance or dirt racing on the side.
But for years, guest drivers were locked out of NASCAR winner circles. Sure, a Boris Said here or a Ron Fellows there could get wins in the lower national series. But they had largely been around NASCAR forever by the time they were winning.
Guest drivers generally didn’t get a proper chance. A few rides are open at every road course race. But why waste a bunch of build-up time prepping for a race where at best, your equipment might get you to 15th?
Enter Justin Marks.
When Trackhouse Racing announced its Project 91 program, it made a big splash by signing former F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen to drive the first two races. For his experience level in stock cars, Raikkonen did a fine job, but it was still not satisfying. Raikkonen is now 44 years old and was fairly washed his last year in F1 in 2021.
In May 2023, Project 91 revealed its second driver: Shane van Gisbergen.
Van Gisbergen had been the best in Supercars down in Australia for years, winning race after race, championship after championship. He’s also had a very extensive history in touring cars and has even done both rallying and sprint car racing in recent years.
And there were few bigger stages on the NASCAR calendar for the van…
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