Trackhouse Racing makes Harris hire official

Trackhouse Racing made it official on Monday that Blake Harris will work with Shane van Gisbergen beginning next season.

The confirmation came through a social media post that Harris will lead van Gisbergen’s No. 97 team. RACER reported the move on Friday.

Harris will replace Stephen Doran, who Spire Motorsports announced will join the organization to lead the No. 71 team with Michel McDowell next season. Doran and van Gisbergen won seven races in their two seasons together. Van Gisbergen also claimed rookie of the year honors for 2025 and made the postseason.

Doran and van Gisbergen finished 17th in the championship this season as Trackhouse Racing's highest-finishing driver. The two missed making the Chase when Ryan Preece won the regular-season finale.

“We’ve had a pretty good run. It’s been awesome,” van Gisbergen said over the weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “I feel like he’s done really well. He’s pretty new as well, not quite a rookie; he had one more year than me, but I feel like we sort of grew together a lot, and I feel like he’s a really good person, an asset for Trackhouse.”

Harris joins from Hendrick Motorsports after four seasons and one win working with Alex Bowman. Over the weekend, Bowman told reporters he’s “super happy” for Harris to get his new role and has enjoyed working with him. Contrary to internet posts about Bowman and Harris, the driver has been adamant the two are friends. Bowman even defended Harris in a farewell post to the 2026 season on Instagram after Sunday’s race

“It wasn’t my decision,” Bowman said at Homestead-Miami Speedway about the change. “I’m confident in everyone around me to make the right decision to have us in the right spot to go from next year. Honestly, from my side of things, I’ve tried to tell everybody that I’m going to show up in February and be as prepared as I can be, regardless of who’s on the team and in what position. I’m focused on myself and being the best version of myself I can be.”

Hendrick Motorsports is yet to announce who will work with Bowman on the No. 48 team next season.