This is the moment Trackhouse Racing fans have been waiting for ever since Daniel Suárez took the checkered flag at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway on June 12 and secured a berth in the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs.
The playoffs begin Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in the first of three Round of 16 races. After the third race, four of the 16 drivers will be eliminated from the playoffs.
The 30-year-old Monterrey, Mexico driver knows to advance to the Round of 12 he must avoid all trouble on the always treacherous 1.3-mile oval in Darlington known as the “Lady in Black.”
Suárez joins teammate Ross Chastain as rookies in the playoff field as the Trackhouse Racing team placed both cars despite this marking their first year as a multicar team.
The Trackhouse duo has combined for three wins, 16 top-fives, 24 top-10s and led 821 laps in the 2022 season.
Suárez, who will pilot the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro carrying Jockey livery for the second time in 2022, begins the 2022 playoffs in 13th place with 2,007 points just two points behind the transfer position. Over the next three races, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to move up in the standings.
The USA Network will televise Sunday’s race in Darlington at 6 p.m. EDT.
Ever wondered what Daniel Suárez’s life is like behind the wheel of a race car, at his home, in his race shop, in his car?
This is the week to find out.
USA Network will premiere “Race For The Championship,” a new unscripted series about the drivers and teams of the NASCAR Cup Series, on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Suárez will be featured prominently in the opening episode as the Cup Series ventures out to Los Angeles in February to hold its first race at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
The series will give a behind-the-scenes look at the elite drivers and teams competing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Documenting the lives of the sport’s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform. Packed with action, heart and drama, this exhilarating series will offer up a taste of what it’s really like to partake in the world’s top level of stock car racing. Watch as the drivers are pushed mentally and physically to their limits, navigating a NASCAR season unlike any other – with a new car, new tracks and new challenges – for their chance to make history.
Over 10 episodes, “Race for the Championship” will tell the story of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season and playoffs.
Suárez and other drivers will attend the world premiere of the series Thursday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which fans are invited to attend for free (space is limited) and can RSVP here.
Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 99 Jockey Chevrolet
After waiting since June, are you ready for the playoffs?
“I am. Let’s hammer down.”
What is your strategy?
“I don’t know if you have a strategy other than to do the same things you have been doing all year that got you to this place. You have to drive smart, learn as much as you can and make no mistakes.”
Are you entering the playoffs with momentum?
“Things were looking good Sunday before before the rain on the track in Daytona ended our race. We ran pretty good at Watkins Glen. My team has been improving all year so we feel very confident.”
Daniel Suárez will have a special guest crew member with him this weekend in Darlington.
As part of Workforce Appreciation Weekend in Darlington, the No. 99 Jockey Chevrolet will host Whitney Baynard, Jockey store manager in Lake George, New York.
Whitney and her store team, have one of the highest levels of guest compliments and recognition for the level of store service. She will attend Sunday’s race with her husband Adam.
Sunday’s initiative showcases the NASCAR industry’s appreciation to the American workforce throughout the traditional Labor Day Race Weekend.
Along with the celebrated kickoff to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Darlington Raceway will showcase opportunities for NASCAR, race teams and industry partners to pay tribute to their workforce’s tireless efforts throughout the year. Darlington Raceway will recognize the American workforce as part of pre-race ceremonies and , offer Workforce Appreciation Weekend ticket packages to organizations.
As part of the initiative, Baynard will receive the ultimate Labor Day Weekend experience at the track including an invite to the Labor Day Weekend Cookout, serve as an ‘honorary crew member’, guided tour of the Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum, her name will be listed in place of Suárez’s name above the right-side door, gifs from NASCAR and Darlington Raceway, and more.
No. 99 Trackhouse Team Roster
Founder: Justin Marks, Rocklin, California
President: Ty Norris, Sumter, South Carolina
Driver: Daniel Suárez, Monterrey Mexico
Crew Chief: Travis Mack, Louisville, Kentucky
Car Chief: Eddie D’Hondt Jr., East Islip, New York
Spotter: Frank Kimmel II, Jeffersonville, Indiana
Engine Builder: ECR Engines, Welcome, North Carolina
Engine Tuner: Jason Watkins, Ridgeway, Virginia
Fueler: Milan Rudanovic, Wantage, New Jersey
Front Tire Changer: Josh Bush, Lexington, North Carolina
Rear Tire Changer: Jerick Newsome, Memphis, Tennessee
Jackman: Josh Appleby, Athens, Alabama
Tire Carrier: Jeremy Kimbrough, Decatur, Georgia
Engineer: Jose R. Blasco-Figueroa, CDMX, Mexico (Mexico City, Mexico)
Engineer: Dustin Zacharyasz, Berea, Ohio
Mechanic: Griffin Rider, Lawson, Missouri
Mechanic: Alex Lacognata, Scarborough, Maine
Mechanic: Tony Barkman, Rio Vista, California
Truck Driver: Glenn Shano, Toronto, Canada
Truck Driver: Ben Prince, Denver, North Carolina
Notes of Interest
Suárez became the first driver from Mexico (Monterrey) to win in the NASCAR Cup Series on June 12, 2022 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
He became the fifth different driver all-time not from the United States to win a NASCAR Cup Series race; joining Marcos Ambrose (Australia), Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Earl Ross (Canada) and Mario Andretti (Italy).
In 2016, Suárez became the first Mexican driver to win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, claiming three victories at Michigan, Dover and the championship finale at Homestead-Miami.
Suárez owns 84 Xfinity Series starts posting three wins, 33 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes.
Suárez owns 28 Camping World Truck Series starts posting a win (Phoenix, Nov. 11, 2016) 10 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.
In the Cup Series, Suárez owns two poles (Pocono, July 16, 2018), (Kentucky, July 12, 2019.
Trackhouse founder Justin Marks competed in six Cup Series races with a best finish of 12th-place in the 2018 Daytona 500. He made 35 starts in the Xfinity Series posting a win, three top-five and seven top-10s. He won the Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 13, 2016 driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Marks competed in 39 races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series posting four top-10s and capturing two pole awards. He started eighth and finished 31st at Mid-Ohio on July 9, 2022.
He joined four co-drivers in winning the 2009 Rolex 24 in the GT division.
Before turning a wheel in 2021, Trackhouse Racing became one of the more popular teams in NASCAR when it announced GRAMMY® Award-winning global superstar Pitbull had become a partner. Not only is he an active partner on the Trackhouse executive team, but Pitbull also serves as a brand and philanthropic ambassador.
The Trackhouse team won the 2021 NASCAR Diversity Team Award.
Marks won the 2022 “Byrnsie Award” from Fox.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
