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NASCAR driver Daniel Suarez was recently spotted with the 82nd Airborne Division at their Fort Liberty base, formerly known as Fort Bragg. A key component of the XVIII Airborne Corps, this division specializes in rapid and strategic deployment, besides planning forcible entry parachute assaults.
It was all part of promoting this year’s Coca-Cola 600, a points-paying Cup Series race held annually at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Notably, Suarez and his crew chief, Matt Swiderski, had shown up at Fort Liberty to kick off the Mission 600 campaign back in 2024 as well.
Charlotte Motor Speedway's Instagram handle shared a few glimpses from the day, where Suarez was seen doing all sorts of activities, from firing shells to throwing hand grenades. They captioned the post, writing,
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“Ready for battle. @daniel_suarezg got a taste of what it takes to train and be anywhere in the world in 18 hours or less with the @82ndairbornediv at Fort Bragg.”
Last year, Daniel Suarez finished 23rd in the crown jewel race. This year, the event has been scheduled for May 25 and will be televised live on Amazon Prime with radio updates on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio from 6 pm ET onwards.
Winning the Coca-Cola 600 would be a first time for the Mexican-American driver. As of today, Suarez sits 27th in the driver standings with 151 points to his name. His teammate at Trackhouse Racing, Ross Chastain, is 11th and 78 points ahead of him.
NASCAR insider namedrops Daniel Suarez’s potential replacement for the 2026 season
Nine races into the season, Daniel Suarez has been able to pull off only one top five and one top 10 finish. With an average finish of 22, the Chevy star has led just 12 laps in his previous nine Cup starts. His latest win came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February 2024.
Suarez’s contract with Trackhouse Racing will expire before the 2026 season kicks off at Daytona. Therefore, some suggest that his future in NASCAR is somewhat uncertain.
If the seat is vacant in 2026, 18-year-old Connor Zilisch, who is currently signed as a development driver for Trackhouse, is one of the top prospects to fill Suarez’s seat. Reflecting on the same via NASCAR mailbag, Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic wrote,
“Trackhouse’s Cup Series driver lineup next year hinges on whether the team feels 18-year-old wonderkid Connor Zilisch is ready for a promotion after just one year in the Xfinity Series. So far, he’s lived up to the hype that accompanied his arrival with one win and ranking third in laps led.”
Reports have confirmed that Ross Chastain has multiple years remaining in his contract with Trackhouse Racing. So if the team wants to add Zilisch as a full-time driver, they will have to choose between Daniel Suarez and series newcomer Shane van Gisbergen.
