Non-playoff drivers won the first three races in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series driver playoffs – No. 99 Freeway.com Chevrolet driver Daniel Suárez hopes that trend continues in the 2023 playoffs that begin Sunday night at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
Suárez finished the regular season in 17th, just one spot short of earning a second consecutive playoff berth, but that isn’t going to slow his Trackhouse Racing team’s effort to win races and score more points.
“We are going to Darlington with plans on winning the race,” said Suárez. “We are disappointed we aren’t in the playoffs but we know we have work to do and we are going to use these final 10 races to bring home trophies and get ready for 2024.”
Sunday’s Southern 500 on the treacherous 1.3-mile oval in Darlington known as the “Lady in Black” is one of the crown jewels on the NASCAR schedule and a trophy every driver would like to hoist in victory lane.
Suárez hopes he has the same speed but better luck at Darlington on Sunday than he had in May. Suárez was the victim of a nine-car accident on the opening lap of the final stage triggered by a car losing a tire towards the front of the field. The No. 99 had climbed to fourth in the opening stage.
USA Network will televise Sunday’s race at 6 p.m.
Daniel Suárez:
What are your plans for the final 10 races?
“You saw last year how the non-playoff drivers won races. That shows you how deep the field is. Martin Truex Jr. missed the playoffs last year and has scored the most points this year. Chase Elliott was in the Final Four last year and missed this year. There isn’t much difference between the playoff and non-playoff teams. We feel like we are a good team and we plan to show it in these final races.”
Thoughts on Darlington’s Southern 500?
“I love this race. It’s going to be hot, slick and such a challenge. I put a lot of effort into physical conditioning and hope that gives me an advantage on Sunday. It’s so easy to get into trouble at Darlington, but its such a rewarding track if you stay patient and run well. We had a really good car here in May so I am optimistic about Sunday night’s race.”
Suárez Notes
Suárez, 31, became the first driver from Mexico (Monterrey) to win in the NASCAR Cup Series on June 12, 2022 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
He is one of six drivers not from the United States to win a NASCAR Cup Series race: Shane van Gisbergen (New Zealand), Marcos Ambrose (Australia), Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Earl Ross (Canada) and Mario Andretti (Italy).
Suárez owns one victory and three Busch Light Pole Awards – Pocono (Pa.) Raceway July 2018, Kentucky Speedway July 2019 and on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway August 2023.
Suárez drives for the third-year team Trackhouse Racing – a team owned by former racer Justin Marks and partner Pitbull.
Suárez, came to America to race. He did not speak English when he arrived in Buffalo, New York.
He is the only Spanish-speaking driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Suárez became the first Latin American, as well as the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate, to win a NASCAR national series title when he won the 2016 Xfinity Series championship.
In 2016, he 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.
He was the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year – the first Mexican driver to win the award.
In 2013, Suárez finished third in the ARCA Menards Series East final championship standings, the highest finish for an international driver in series history.
Suárez and fiancé Julia Piquet were engaged in November 2022.
Suárez received the National Series Driver Award during the NASCAR Diversity Awards in Los Angeles in February.
Suárez is a fan of the Mexican Soccer team Tigres UANL – he grew up playing soccer.
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: Brad Thurlow, Poland, Maine
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: Dustin Zacharyasz, Berea, Ohio
Engineer: Troy Davis, Windham, Maine
Mechanic: Matt Petrea, Kannapolis, North Carolina
Mechanic: Tony Barkman, Rio Vista, California
Interior Mechanic: Collin Hoeffner, Bay Shore, New York.
Truck Driver: Glenn Shano, Toronto, Canada
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
