Albany Times Union

Suárez signs deal with Trackhouse

- Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daniel Suárez has signed a second extension in six months with Trackhouse Racing, getting a multiyear deal done after landing a one-year contract last August.

The team announced Suárez’s latest extension Wednesday as NASCAR kicked off Speedweeks with Daytona 500 media day and pole qualifying.

The team declined to release details but will keep the 31-year-old Mexican behind the wheel for a third season and beyond for co-owners Justin Marks and Pitbull.

“Obviously, everyone at Trackhouse Racing is pleased with the performanc­e and profession­alism of Daniel both on and off the track,” Marks said in a statement. “Culture has been of prime importance since the idea of Trackhouse existed only on a whiteboard in an office. Daniel has fulfilled every expectatio­n and we look forward to the future. The best is yet to come.”

Suárez, the 2016 Xfinity Series champion, has one victory in 215 Cup starts.

He won last year at Sonomo Raceway, becoming the first Mexican-born winner in NASCAR’S top series.

He insisted in August, after signing the one-year extension, that he believed he would get a long-term deal done once the team had more financial clarity regarding the racing series’ next media rights deal.

But as the season opener neared, Suárez talked to team management about getting the deal done.

“I’m the kind of person that once I start racing, I like to focus on that,” Suárez said. “I feel like at times it can be a distractio­n. This time, when we started having all these conversati­ons, I said, ‘Hey, let’s get it out of the way before the Daytona 500.’

“It’s a good day because we are announcing this and I am answering these questions, but I don’t want to have to think about it during the weekend, not really heading into next week.”

Trackhouse competed as a single-car team with Suárez in 2021.

That summer, Trackhouse acquired Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR assets and cleared a path for expansion.

Trackhouse moved into its race shop in Concord, North Carolina, in 2022 and fielded cars for Suárez and Ross Chastain.

They combined for three wins, 21 top-five finishes and 34 top-10s last year.

“The future of Trackhouse is very bright,” Suárez said. “Everybody at Trackhouse believes in me. I believe in Trackhouse since Day 1. We’re building something great here. I think we have something special going on. It would be silly not to see that and to take advantage of that, to take it to the next level.”

Indycar: Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapol­is 500 champ, said Wednesday he will compete in Indycar’s biggest race this May before retiring again. The 48-year-old Brazilian made the announceme­nt on Twitter. He is scheduled to appear at a news conference in Indianapol­is later Wednesday as part of the 100-day countdown to this year’s 500. The race is May 28.

Formula 1: Mercedes is determined to give an energized Lewis Hamilton both a winning car and a contract extension this season. Toto Wolff just doesn’t have a timeline for either. Mercedes on Wednesday revealed it has returned to an all-black color scheme for this Formula One season and team principal Wolff was confident the car has improved from last year. Wolff was cautious on when the car might actually be capable of winning, but said the continued developmen­t would not be a deterrent in negotiatio­ns with Hamilton.

 ?? Chris O'meara / Associated Press ?? Daniel Suarez during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race media day Wednesday in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Chris O'meara / Associated Press Daniel Suarez during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race media day Wednesday in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States