Entering Atlanta Motor Speedway, it had been 57 races since Daniel Suarez last visited Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series. Since then, Trackhouse has won races with Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, and almost the 2022 title as well.
Suarez was not part of the 2023 playoffs, but after a dramatic win on Sunday, his position in the 2024 NASCAR postseason is nearly guaranteed. A margin of 0.003s is all that stood between him and Ryan Blaney, but that was enough to completely change the conversation around the driver of the No. 99 Chevrolet.
Race winner Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet Camaro
Photo by: Getty Images
But for team co-owner and founder Justin Marks, there was never any doubt in his mind.
“Daniel was employee No. 4 at Trackhouse, and we’re huge fans of him and believers in his talent and ability and believe that he can do these things. He can win these races.
“We made a couple changes during the off-season, and to be able to punch our ticket to the playoffs week two is a great feeling.”
One of those changes came atop the pitbox with Matt Swiderski coming over from Kaulig Racing and taking over the role of crew chief from Travis Mack. The two men essentially switched places.
“It’s not an emotional thing, it’s a pragmatic thing,” said Marks, speaking on the change. “It’s like tools and it’s people and all that kind of stuff. Travis Mack is a huge part of our company and a dear friend of mine and an amazing human being, and we just decided we needed a different type of crew chief for Daniel.
“It was very, very hard to make that change emotionally and personally, but it was one that we felt like was necessary to give Daniel what he said he needed.”
Never on the hot seat
Trackhouse recently signed both van Gisbergen and Zane Smith, and as a two-car team where Chastain was consistently outrunning Suarez, questions began to arise over his future with the organization.
Despite the media speculation, Marks asserts that Suarez was never on the hot seat.
“Yes, this is a contract year for Daniel. Does that mean that this is Daniel’s audition? No. It means that basically we are working on growing this company and making Trackhouse one of the powerhouse perennial championship-contending companies in this sport.
“On the hot seat? He just didn’t have the year that he wanted last year. But we know that he can get it done, and he’s a guy that can get it done,” said Marks.
“I don’t envision necessarily a…
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