Sunday’s hold changed into once handiest the 2nd of his profession, but it’s refined to imagine Suárez can bear a extra memorable one – using a final-lap trail to snatch in a 3-broad photo fabricate.
But as most predominant because the hold is – both to the event of his racing profession and a chance to snatch his first series championship – Suárez is by no methodology overjoyed.
“My goal is to not snatch one proceed. I desire to pass into the playoffs with not much less than a handful – with a few wins to be in a position to contend for a championship,” he mentioned.
“This is not stress-free right here. This is handiest the muse. We must continue to work, continue to construct.”
Stride winner Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet Camaro
Portray by: Ben Earp / NKP / Motorsport Photos
That choice has pushed the 32-year-former native of Monterrey, Mexico, all the blueprint by his quest to proceed in NASCAR’s premier series.
Suárez debuted in NASCAR competition in Mexico in 2009 and grew to turn out to be the first Mexican-born driver to snatch a NASCAR nationwide series proceed in 2016 alongside with his Xfinity Series victory at Michigan.
For a whereas, his NASCAR future seemed on a fleet song.
Suárez changed into once amongst the first success reports to strategy out of NASCAR’s Drive for Vary program, and he went on to snatch the 2016 Xfinity championship with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Staunch as Suárez changed into once about to embark on a 2nd season in Xfinity, Carl Edwards out of the blue left NASCAR, leaving JGR with a Cup fade to possess for the 2017 season. The group tapped Suárez as Edwards’ change.
2016 Champion and proceed winner Daniel Suarez, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Portray by: Action Sports Pictures
Despite the indisputable fact that there were an extraordinarily good deal of flashes of attainable, Suarez’s Cup profession by no methodology gave the impression to salvage on dependable footing until he joined Trackhouse Racing in 2021. He earned his first Cup hold in 2022 but then did not originate the playoffs final season.
Again, Suárez went to work to invent no matter changed into once most predominant to salvage the fixed success he craved and knew changed into once attainable.
“I indubitably imagine that the previous couple of years with Trackhouse, we now bear had a colossal community of other folks working collectively,” he mentioned. “We were in a position to snatch a year-and-a-half of ago, and it changed into once very ideally suited.
“But the goal for me in my thought has by no methodology been to snatch a proceed a year, to snatch two races a year. The goal is bigger than that. I knew that to be in a position to salvage that, we wished to invent something.”
A brand contemporary crew chief
The largest trade came within the offseason addition of a brand contemporary crew chief, Matt Swiderski, who had previously labored at Kaulig Racing.
Suárez and his No. 99 Chevrolet team had a dependable bustle stepping into the season-opening Daytona 500 handiest to salvage caught up in a huge, 23-automotive atomize unhurried within the proceed.
Then came Sunday’s proceed at Atlanta wherein Suárez and his team needed to rally from involvement in a multi-automotive atomize on lap 2 to salvage in competition for the hold nearly three hours later.
“I feel that factual now we’re slowly making steps within the route of where I desire to be, where I desire to trail alongside with this proceed team,” he mentioned.
“Every person is aware of that there is a few issues that shall we bear done a chunk bit greater (Sunday). We’ll study from that, and we’ll continue to construct.”
That relentless pursuit of development has been a defining attribute of Suárez’s profession and even his participation in a single amongst NASCAR’s most renowned finishes acquired’t trade his methodology.
“In the Cup Series each and each driver is proficient. Every single driver is proficient,” Suárez mentioned. “So, you might perhaps construct a respectable team around you, and I’ve been very fortunate that Trackhouse believed in me since day one and so that they’ve supported me to construct a team around me.
“I’m elated that we’re dependable within the playoffs, but to be in a position to snatch the championship, you acquired’t invent it a success one or two races. It be a must to snatch not much less than a handful of races to blueprint facets, and that’s the goal for the No. 99.
“The goal for me with the No. 99 is for you guys to not be bowled over when the No. 99 is in Victory Lane.”
