Is WeatherTech Out? Shane van Gisbergen’s Sponsorship Mystery
If you’ve been following the meteoric rise of Shane van Gisbergen the Kiwi road course ringer who turned the Cup Series upside down in Chicago you know sponsorships have been flooding in. But now, eagle-eyed fans have spotted a glaring omission on the Trackhouse official partner list: WeatherTech is gone.
It’s the kind of subtle detail that sends the garage rumor mill into overdrive. You’re scrolling through a team website, checking out the fresh paint schemes or driver lineups for the new season, and you notice something missing. That seems to be exactly what’s happening right now with Trackhouse Racing and one of their major partners.
This has left a lot of us scratching our heads. The Illinois-based automotive accessory giant isn’t just a sticker on a quarter panel. they are a massive player in American motorsports, serving as the title sponsor for the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Their relationship with Trackhouse was supposed to be a cornerstone of the 2025 and 2026 campaigns, covering a huge chunk of the schedule for both Shane van Gisbergen and the young phenom, Connor Zilisch.
A Quiet Exit or a Glitch in the System?
Here is what we know. Late in 2024, the ink seemed dry on a deal that would see WeatherTech branding across 36 races split between Van Gisbergen and Zilisch. It felt like a perfect match a premium automotive brand backing two of the most exciting international and developmental talents in the garage.
Yet, as we gear up for the 2026 season, that familiar logo is nowhere to be found on the team’s digital roster. Instead, Shane van Gisbergen’s partner list reads like a who’s who of his previous backers: Moose, Chevrolet, Tootsie, Quad Lock, Siemens, Busch Light, SafetyCulture, Wendy’s, Jockey, and Kubota.
It’s worth noting that neither Trackhouse nor WeatherTech has released an official “break-up” statement. In this sport, silence is often louder than a press conference. Is the deal dead? Did something happen behind closed doors? Or is this just a massive website oversight?Considering Shane van Gisbergen’s performance, it’s hard to imagine a sponsor wanting to walk away.
The guy didn’t just show up. he kicked the door down. After that stunned-the-world victory at the Chicago Street Race in his debut, he ran a full Xfinity slate and is now hunting trophies full-time in the Cup Series behind the wheel of the No. 97 Chevy switching from the No. 88 designation previously discussed.
The Red Bull Revival and New Numbers
While the WeatherTech situation is murky, there is some undeniably good news for the No. 97 team. The energy drink giant that gave so many of us wings is back in a big way.Red Bull has expanded their footprint significantly.
After testing the waters, the Austrian powerhouse is locked in as a primary partner for 25 races in 2026.This is a massive vote of confidence in Van Gisbergen. Seeing that iconic silver and blue livery back on track at places like Daytona, Las Vegas, and Kansas just feels right. The team dynamics are shifting, too.
Ross Chastain is holding down the fort in the No. 1, but the rest of the stable is shuffling. Shane van Gisbergen takes the No. 97, a number he’s made famous globally, while the young gun Zilisch steps into the No. 88.It is a time of transition for Trackhouse. They lost freeway and Coca-Cola when Daniel Suarez exited after 2025, so maintaining solid corporate backing is critical.
Losing a heavyweight like WeatherTech would be a blow, but gaining ground with Red Bull softens the impact. For now, we wait. Maybe the website gets updated tomorrow, and this was all a false alarm. Or maybe, just maybe, the business of racing has taken another ruthless turn.
