Suarez’s fellow racer, Ross Chastain, achieved his first victory of the year in Nashville two weeks ago. Shortly after, Shane van Gisbergen, the driver for Trackhouse’s Project 91, delivered an impressive triumph in his NASCAR debut at the inaugural Chicago Street Race.
Suarez, starting in the 26th position and initially struggling in the race on Sunday evening, managed to gradually advance to the front during the final stage, primarily due to strategic pit stops.
After the race resumed, William Byron made a move by going to the outer lane and passing the previous leader A.J. Allmendinger. With Suarez closely following him, Byron successfully took the lead by advancing the outside line.
Byron maintained his lead, with Suarez in second place, until a caution was issued on lap 179 due to a collision involving two cars. As a result of persistent heavy rain, NASCAR ultimately decided to officially end the race after completing 185 laps out of the scheduled 260. This decision resulted in Suarez securing a second-place finish.
“I believe our performance in the race had its ups and downs, but we managed to improve by making some adjustments. Initially, we faced difficulties with the car’s balance, but we were able to rectify it and I successfully climbed up to the top 15 positions,” he expressed.
“However, I have conflicting emotions as I desired another opportunity during the final restart to determine if we could have taken the lead.”
Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports, Gainbridge Chevrolet Camaro and Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Quaker State Chevrolet Camaro
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
Suarez’s top priority is securing a spot in this season’s playoffs, making a victory the ideal outcome. Nevertheless, his second-place finish is a satisfying achievement considering the unpredictable nature of his rollercoaster season as a native of Monterrey, Mexico.
Before the race on Sunday night, Suarez had only achieved one top-five finish this season, which was a fourth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway in February. He had been involved in a crash during the previous race at Atlanta.
“I have been consistently quick in nearly all our endeavors, yet errors have been made. I have personally made mistakes, resulting in our inability to achieve the outcomes that we rightfully deserve. This extends to my team, mechanics, and all those who support me,” he expressed.
“We were in desperate need of some fresh air. It seems like that’s exactly what occurred today. We managed to have a productive and satisfying day, and we’ll gladly accept it as a starting point for further progress.”
Teams quickly responded to the imminent rain during the race, hastily devising plans and tactics to secure a favorable position in case the race was cut short, which ultimately occurred.
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Quaker State Chevrolet Camaro
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
Suarez, aged 31, expressed that the rain arrived later than anticipated, but everything turned out fine. He believed that the car’s adjustments improved continuously, allowing them to advance in the race. Ultimately, they secured a second-place finish, which was satisfactory.
“Half of the accidents occurred ahead of me. I believe there were a few areas where we could have improved, but overall it showed potential.”
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