Coming into 2024, there was plenty of talk regarding whether Justin Marks and his Trackhouse Racing team could move on from Daniel Suárez after the season.
While Suárez was the driver Trackhouse first tabbed as their wheelman when they started their operation, he’s been consistently out-performed by his teammates over the last couple of seasons, as Ross Chastain has blossomed into one of the sports young stars.
With some talented racers chomping at the bit for his ride, Suárez was hoping fend off the competitors over the course of the 2024 season. Well, during the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, that’s exactly what he did.
In an incredible finish, Suárez clinched his spot in the playoffs with a victory, edging out Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch across the start-finish-line. Afterwards, the aforementioned Marks put to bed any questions of doubt Trackhouse reportedly had of Suárez’s future with the team.
“There are a lot of things in these businesses that no one really knows about. Does this mean this is Daniel’s audition? No. We know he can get it done,” Marks said, as he told Lee Spencer of Catchfence that he can’t imagine the wheelman of the No. 99 racing for any other team in the future.
So not only was it an amazing win for Suárez, but perhaps a seat-saving one, as well. Now, Suárez can race free over the rest of the season as he hunts for a championship, not worried about whether he needs to save his job or not with Trackhouse for the remainder of 2024.
The elation was evident in Suárez’s post-race interview, where he spoke with FOX’s broadcast team after coming home P1 in Atlanta.
“It was so damn close man, it was so damn close,” the Trackhouse wheelman said, standing on the finish line. “It was good racing, Ryan Blaney there, Kyle Busch. Austin Cindric also was doing a good job giving pushes. In the back of the straightaway, he didn’t push me because he knew I was going to go by his teammate, but man what a job.
“We wrecked lap two, the guys did an amazing job fixing this car. Man, I can’t think everyone enough.”
With the confidence of Justin Marks and his Trackhouse team behind him, Daniel Suárez has revived his career. Moving forward, the sky is the limit for the driver of the No. 99, as he looks to continue his success over the course of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
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