Kevin Magnussen expects 'intense introduction' to NASCAR in Cup debut

At Naval Base Coronado this Sunday, former F1 driver Kevin Magnussen will take a step into the unknown as he makes his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the No. 91 Qualcomm Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing.

The Dane has competed in Formula 1 for a full decade, but also has a handful of starts across both WEC across IMSA, and even competed in an IndyCar race during the 2021 season. But this weekend, he’ll be racing around a 3.4-mile street course with the 39 entries in the field for the first-ever NASCAR Cup race on an active military base.

Magnussen will be joined by Shane van Gisbergen, Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch for Trackhouse Racing. He was in France last week-end for the 94th edition of the Le Mans 24 with the BMW Hypercar team.

The team has posted several videos of K-Mag’s preparation for San Diego, practicing pit stops and getting fitted for his custom race seat.

Magnussen said, “I’m so excited and honored to get the opportunity to race in NASCAR and so big thank you to Trackhouse Racing and Justin Marks for giving me this chance. “I’ve always been interested in trying different types of motorsport and NASCAR is one of the most iconic racing series in the world with a huge passionate fanbase.“I’ve already spent some time with the team in North Carolina – meeting everyone, doing the seat fit, going through pit stop procedures and all the details that go into preparing for a NASCAR weekend. They’re an amazing group of people, so dedicated and just as excited about this debut as I am. “I’m really excited to get to San Diego and experience it all for the first time.”

Trackhouse has a strong road and street course record with Van Gisbergen winning six of the last seven on the Cup Series schedule. Chastain’s first Cup win, as well as Daniel Suarez’s when he drove for the team, came on a road course.

Magnussen will turn up to the race weekend with no running whatsoever and will have just one 50-minute practice session on Friday before qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday.

“It’s a discipline that is very different to what I’m used to so there’s been plenty to learn already,” said Magnussen ahead of the challenge. “My dad (Jan) had the opportunity to race in NASCAR back in 2010 and I’ve heard him talk about that experience with so much enthusiasm over the years that it only made me that much more interested in trying it out myself one day. "I am coming in with no NASCAR experience at all and we haven't had a chance to test the car on track, so my first laps will be during practice. That means it’s going to be a pretty intense introduction but luckily we are heading to the only street race on the calendar, which is something I’m very familiar with from my years in Formula 1.”

Phil Surgen, who led Chastain to all six of his Cup wins from 2022 to 2025, will be Magnussen’s crew chief this weekend in San Diego.