“I never felt like I was in the hot seat”: Daniel Suarez talks contract speculation, outlines 2024 goals post Atlanta victory

Trackhouse Racing star Daniel Suarez believes he was never in the "hot seat" with regards to his future on his current team.

On Sunday, February 25, Suarez secured the second NASCAR Cup Series victory of his career in Atlanta. Piloting the No. 99 Chevrolet for Trackhouse, the 32-year-old clinched a last-gasp three-wide finish, one that will go down in the history books as one of the closest finishes in the sport.

Suarez's victory has come at a crucial time for him. Since joining the team in its inaugural season in 2021, the former Xfinity Series champion has been a cornerstone of their efforts. His breakout year in 2022 saw him qualify for the playoffs for the first time, marking a significant milestone in his career.

However, a winless 2023 campaign where he finished 19th in the standings fueled rumors about Suarez's tenure with the team. The arrival of Shane van Gisbergen and Zane Smith only intensified the speculation surrounding his position within the lineup.

Addressing these rumors, Daniel Suarez stated following his victory (via The Associated Press):

"I never felt like I was in the hot seat. A lot of people were talking about it. I knew that last year wasn’t the year that I really wanted. We worked hard, but we were not efficient. We were missing something. We were not firing on all eight cylinders."

According to the Mexican, the team has bounced back strongly after a dismal 2023 NASCAR season. Addressing the addition of his new crew chief, Matt Swiderski, Suarez said:

"I can feel the team strong, I can feel the communication, the preparation, everything that we have. (Matt) Swiderski has done a hell of a job helping me to build a strong team, and I can feel it. I can feel it."

Daniel Suarez has "bigger" aspirations than winning races

Following his recent triumph in Atlanta, Suarez underlined his ambitions for the remainder of the season and beyond.

He said:

"The goal for me personally has never been to win a race a year, to win two races a year. The goal is bigger than that. I knew that to be able to get that, we needed to do something."

Looking ahead, Suarez articulated his vision of sustained success, aiming to contend for multiple wins annually and establish a formidable presence in the Cup Series playoffs. He said:

"I feel that right now we are slowly making steps in the direction of where I want to be, where I want to go with this race team, that I want to accomplish to be able to win several races a year, to be able to be strong in the playoffs, not just to make the playoffs but to be strong in the playoffs and to be able to have a real shot for the championship."

With a victory early on in the 2024 season, Daniel Suarez has virtually locked his spot in the playoffs, solidifying his place as a crucial cog within the Trackhouse camp.