Red Bull Going Big With Trackhouse Racing Sponsorship in 2026

A pair of rising stars at Trackhouse Racing will see an increased sponsorship commitment from Red Bull during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Connor Zilisch (No. 88) and Shane van Gisbergen (No. 97) will share the Red Bull colors for a total of 25 races during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. | Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull, it gives you wings. And in the case of Trackhouse Racing, it has given two of its rising stars a solid chunk of primary sponsorship funding for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. On Tuesday, the iconic energy drink brand and the race team announced a continuation of its existing partnership, which began in 2025.

With the partnership extension, the blue, red, and yellow Red Bull colors will adorn Trackhouse Chevrolets for a combined 25 races next season. The 25-race primary sponsorship schedule will be split between Rookie of the Year contender Connor Zilisch (No. 88) and 2025 Rookie of the Year Shane van Gisbergen (No. 97).

Zilisch, 19, will get the first turn behind the wheel of the Red Bull car during the 2026 campaign, as the Red Bull colors will be plastered on his No. 88 Chevrolet in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 15.

Van Gisbergen will sport the colors for the first time on the season a week later at EchoPark Speedway, located in Hampton, GA, on Sunday, February 22.

In addition to the announcement, Red Bull pulled back the curtain on the paint schemes that each driver will pilot during the season, which gave both drivers a chance to see their new NASCAR Cup Series car numbers in person for the first time.

Zilisch's No. 88 machine will feature blue accents throughout the car's design, while SVG's No. 97 will feature red accents.

Debuting 2️⃣ new @redbull schemes for 2026‼️ pic.twitter.com/VK7jdKOfBc

— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) November 25, 2025

For the native of New Zealand, he's swapping from the No. 88 to the No. 97 in 2026, a number which has special significance within the van Gisbergen family.

“It means a lot to have the number No. 97 on my Cup car,” van Gisbergen said. “It’s a number that means so much to my family and me, so to see it on my car for the first time was surreal. I love the red flash designs on both sides of the car. It's going to look epic on the track."

Van Gisbergen is looking to follow up on an ultra-impressive rookie season, where he captured an all-time NASCAR Cup Series rookie record five wins in 2025. SVG would come home 12th in the NASCAR Cup Series championship battle in his first season on the circuit.

Zilisch, who drove No. 88 in a 10-win season in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2025, competed behind the wheel of the No. 87 Chevrolet last season in a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Cup Series. The impact of the legendary No. 88, which he will carry in 2026, is not lost on the phenom.

“It’s so cool to be driving No. 88 in the Cup Series,” Zilisch said. “The number is historic and so many great drivers have driven it. I certainly have big shoes to fill but I can’t wait to get the season started. I love the blue streaks across the side of car. The dark matte blue allows the light blue streaks to pop. I’m excited to have it on track next year.”

Zilisch, who will become the youngest competitor in the Daytona 500 since Joey Logano (18 years old) in 2009, has big shoes to fill in the No. 88 machine. Some of the sport's biggest names have piloted the number over the years, including Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Buddy Baker, Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and his teammate Van Gisbergen.

However, if Zilisch's debut season in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series taught us anything, it's that he's likely up for the challenge.