Suarez takes aim on Cup Series championship run

HAMPTON, GA. >> Daniel Suarez knows he will return to Atlanta Motor Speedway as a playoff contender on Sept. 8.

Suarez also can count on retaining his spot on Trackhouse Racing’s team when the NASCAR Cup Series makes its 2025 stops in Atlanta. The popular driver from Monterrey, Mexico, ended speculation about his future with the team by winning Sunday’s Cup race in a memorable three-wide finish.

It was only the second career win in 253 Cup races for Suarez and the first since June 2022 at Sonoma. A winless 2023 raised speculation about the future for Suarez entering his 2024 contract year with Trackhouse Racing. Co-owner Justin Marks insisted Sunday he never saw this season as an audition for the driver.

“On the hot seat? He just didn’t have the year that he wanted last year,” Marks said. “But we know that he can get it done, and he’s a guy that can get it done. I don’t envision necessarily a situation where Daniel is not a driver for Trackhouse Racing.”

Suarez scoffed at suggestions he should be relieved to know he secured his spot in the playoff field in only the second race of the season or that he may no longer have to worry about his future with Trackhouse.

Instead, Suarez emphasized the goal of winning more than one race and competing for a championship. Atlanta will host the opening race of the playoff schedule.

Bolstered by the addition of new crew chief Max Swiderski, Suarez says it’s time to win more races and forget about contract talk that continued after he signed a one-year extension in 2023.

“I never felt like I was in the hot seat,” Suarez said.