Trackhouse Racing

After more than two decades behind the wheel, Justin Marks knows a thing or two about motorsport. Now, as the Founder and Owner of Trackhouse Racing, he’s shaking things up in NASCAR. 

With the SafetyCulture platform in their toolbox, Trackhouse is uniting tech and data to make decisions both on and off the track. And when every second counts, that could make all the difference at the checkered flag.

The rise of data in racing

NASCAR has always been a hotbed of innovation. For decades, teams pushed the boundaries of aerodynamics, suspension geometry, and engine design to gain an edge. But the sport has shifted gears.

Now, with standardized cars and parts, the race for innovation has moved from the garage to the cloud. This change levels the playing field and opens up new opportunities for teams to find a competitive advantage. 

Relatively new to the game, Trackhouse is embracing new pathways. “We’re a new player, challenging everything to find that next edge through technology,” explains Justin, “We live in a data world. Innovation now comes from mining data and distilling it into performance on the track.”

Trackhouse knows that taking advantage of data can make a difference. That’s why it’s using SafetyCulture across its operations.

As Trackhouse grows into a three-car organization, having the right processes in place is more important than ever. “As we scale up, we need to make sure the level we’ve set for ourselves is achievable and it’s repeatable,” says Justin. SafetyCulture is a key tool to give teams the data they need to achieve consistency, especially as they grow.

Keeping everyone on the same page

Trackhouse uses SafetyCulture’s Inspections feature to ensure every car is race-ready and gets the same level of preparation and attention. 

Every detail counts in NASCAR, where races can be won or lost by fractions of a second. Trackhouse won a race in Atlanta by just 0.002 seconds. “That was because we did everything right. There’s no other way to explain it. All the little details were right, and that’s how close the margin was,” explains Eddie D’Hondt, Trackhouse No. 99 Car Chief.

Trackhouse uses Inspections for managing:

• Car safety checklists for road crews
• Build lists for the assembly group and fab shop
• Tracking car movements throughout the production process
• Recording information for NASCAR compliance.

“Using the app has really helped me stay focused. When I get pulled in different directions, I can just open my phone back up and it picks me up where I left off. It keeps me on task as I walk across the shop,” says Ben Hatt, Race Car Quality Manager. 

Putting out fires before they start

In the lightning-fast world of NASCAR, problems need quick solutions. Ben sees himself as a “fireman,” tackling issues head-on to prevent them from recurring. With SafetyCulture’s Actions, he can quickly alert the right people when something needs attention by:

• Sending instant notifications about issues
• Collaborating on solutions in real-time
• Updating checklists and procedures on the fly.

“It means less time running around the shop and more time interacting with the cars and finding improvement,” Ben explains.

For team-wide updates he turns to SafetyCulture’s Heads Up feature. “I used to spend a lot of time on my feet going from department to department to have these conversations. Now I can assign Actions, or send a Heads Up to let people know what needs doing.”

Every part counts

Trackhouse also uses SafetyCulture’s Assets feature to grade and measure parts, building a performance history database. “We can go, ‘Okay, this is our best part for this racetrack,’ and build what we hope is the perfect car,” says Eddie.

“Most people would say that there are no variations with these parts, but we’re racers, and we know that while the variations are minimal, they make a big difference on the racetrack. When we’re building the car, we can’t look at every part, but we can use the information from our database to save time and build the best race car possible.”

This level of detail helps Trackhouse optimize its car builds more efficiently. Justin adds, “Good enough is never good enough in racing. Preparation is key when you’re trying to build a winning race team. The smallest details matter.”

Empowering every team member

At Trackhouse, innovation comes from everywhere. They’ve set up QR codes throughout the shop. Team members can scan these to submit ideas through SafetyCulture anytime, anywhere.

This feedback system helps create a culture where every idea counts, and every person is valued as an improvement specialist. In NASCAR’s competitive world, this open approach to innovation could be Trackhouse’s secret weapon.

The future of racing

Justin sees technology playing an even bigger role in NASCAR’s future. “AI and machine learning, data mining, simulation – technology is really going to take a prominent role in the sport,” he predicts.

But it’s not just about the tech. For Justin, building a winning team is about supporting people and helping them reach their full potential. “Performance is driven by support, by having the tools you need to do your job, and really feeling like you’re part of a group of people united with a common goal,” he says.

That’s why tools like SafetyCulture are so important. They help Trackhouse turn data into real-world performance, giving them an edge in a sport where every millisecond counts.