Kevin Magnussen to pilot Project 91 entry at San Diego

It is happening: Kevin Magnussen is trading the precision of Formula One for the raw intensity of stock-car racing. The 33-year-old Danish driver, who has 185 starts in the highest tier of open-wheel racing to his name, has been confirmed to pilot the No. 91 Qualcomm Technologies Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing at the historic San Diego street course on June 21.

This is a massive addition to the Project 91 program, an initiative spearheaded by Justin Marks to bring international racing talent into the NASCAR world. Magnussen, who previously raced for McLaren, Renault, and Haas, brings a wealth of experience—including an IMSA victory at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix alongside Renger van der Zande. He will be joined on track by Trackhouse teammates Ross Chastain, Connor Zilisch, and Shane van Gisbergen.

While Magnussen is a newcomer to NASCAR, he is no stranger to the feel of a stock car. After testing a Gen 6 machine at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he described the experience as a complete departure from his F1 career, noting that the cars are an entirely different animal. With Phil Surgen acting as his crew chief and the integration of Qualcomm’s artificial intelligence to assist with data analysis, it will be fascinating to see how the former F1 driver handles the unique challenge of the Naval Base Coronado circuit.