A Formula 1 driver is going to try his hand at stockcar racing this summer.
Kevin Magnussen, a Danish driver who competed in F1 for 10 years, will get behind the wheel of the No. 91 Qualcomm Technologies Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing when NASCAR’s Cup Series goes to San Diego later this month. For the first time ever, NASCAR will race on an active military base, as drivers will navigate a road course designed on Naval Base Coronado on June 21.
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“I’m incredibly excited and honored to have the opportunity to compete in NASCAR,” Magnussen said in a statement. “What Justin Marks and Trackhouse have done with Project 91 is unique, to provide drivers from outside of the NASCAR world with a chance to compete at this level. I’m proud to have this opportunity.”
Project 91 was created by Marks in 2022 to expand Trackhouse’s global footprint and bring more international drivers into NASCAR. It was the pathway for Shane van Gisbergen to enter the series, and in 2023, he became the first driver since 1963 to win his Cup Series debut when he took the checkered flag at the Chicago Street Course.
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van Gisbergen, who is from New Zealand, has acclimated well to NASCAR since becoming a full-time driver. He has dominated road courses, winning seven of them so far, and is just two victories behind Jeff Gordon for the all-time wins record on that style of track in the Cup Series. He’s also getting better at ovals, notching a pair of top 10 finishes at Atlanta and Nashville this season. van Gisbergen is currently eyeing a spot in the postseason Chase, ranking 12th in points heading into Michigan this weekend.
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Trackhouse’s last entry for Project 91 came at the 2025 Daytona 500, when four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves got behind the wheel. He was involved in a seven-car crash that day and finished 39th.
Magnussen competed in F1 from 2014 to 2024, notching four top-five finishes. He has also driven in IMSA SportsCars, winning at Detroit in 2021. The 33-year-old holds the F1 record for most points scored on debut with 18 at the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.
“I’m thrilled to be able to bring back Project 91 again this year, especially at San Diego,” said Marks, the owner of Trackhouse. “We were waiting for the right opportunity with the right partner and driver to bring this Project 91 entry to fruition. Qualcomm is a worldwide brand, and Kevin Magnussen is a global driver, and both are elements we look for when it comes to running Project 91.”
Phil Surgen will be the crew chief for Magnussen’s No. 91 at San Diego. He joined Trackhouse in 2022 and has six Cup Series victories and three playoff appearances.
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Magnussen won’t be the first F1 driver to give NASCAR a try. The most famous crossover driver is Mario Andretti, who won the 1967 Dayton 500, the 1969 Indy 500 and the 1978 F1 Championship. Juan Pablo Montoya won seven F1 Grand Prix and competed in NASCAR’s Cup Series full-time from 2007 to 2013, winning twice and notching 22 other top-five finishes. In the 1960s, Dan Gurney won four F1 races and five NASCAR races.
Other F1 drivers who have crossed over to NASCAR include Kimi Räikkönen, Jenson Button, Jacques Villeneuve and Kamui Kobayashi.
In 2022, Magnussen drove some practice laps at the Charlotte Roval in Chase Briscoe’s Gen 6 car.
“NASCAR, it’s a different animal to a Formula One car,” Magnussen said. “When you drive in NASCAR, as a Formula One driver, it’s like you’ve never driven a race car before. It’s completely different.”
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Former seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will also return to the driver’s seat for the race at San Diego. The 50-year-old will race for the team he now owns, Legacy Motor Club.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: F1 driver coming to NASCAR for race on Navy base in San Diego
