“Tough times don’t last”: Daniel Suarez looks back on DNF result at COTA 

Daniel Suarez tweeted his reflections on his DNF at the Circuit of the Americas. He tweeted to his Spanish as well as English speaking fans.

Daniel Suarez’s foray at the Circuit of the Americas ended prematurely when the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Ty Gibbs, wrecked into the driver, an incident occurring due to Gibbs attempting a squeeze between Suarez and Todd Gillard. This was another setback for the Mexican-born driver, which has come after the crash he suffered at Atlanta. COTA has historically been a tough track for Suarez, with his best finish coming in at 24th in 2022.

Daniel Suarez reflected on his DNF at the COTA, as he tweeted:

"Not how we wanted to end our day. Our @freewayinsurance Chevy wasn’t great on restarts but we showed speed in the middle of the runs. Frustrated because we deserved a better result at COTA after all of our hard work. Tough times don’t last, tough people do, and this storm will eventually end. We are putting in the work and already looking ahead to Phoenix."

The Mexican-born driver became the first in history to win an Xfinity Series race in 2016. In 2022, Suarez achieved another milestone by becoming the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, securing victory at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. He followed this up with a thrilling win at the 2024 Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he triumphed in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history.

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Daniel Suarez broke silence after ‘very disappointing’ incident with teammate Connor Zilisch at COTA

Daniel Suarez expressed his disappointment and apologized to his Trackhouse Racing teammate, Connor Zilisch after a wreck at COTA ended both their races prematurely. The incident occurred on lap 50 during the final stage when Suarez spun out and collected Zilisch, who was making his NASCAR Cup Series debut. Suarez acknowledged that his car had the potential for a top-five finish but lamented the unfortunate circumstances that led to the collision.

“Very disappointing. This is not the way I want to talk to you,” he told FOX Sports. “Our car was good. I thought we were going to have a top-five run. I don’t know if we were good enough for the win, but a top-five run for sure, top-seven maybe. And lower pressure, the car is lower, you know it hits everything harder. I just hit the curb, that big section right there, and it spun me out.”

Despite the disappointing end to his race, Zilisch showcased impressive speed and skill during his debut. He recorded eight fastest laps in Stage 1, a feat achieved by only a handful of drivers in their Cup Series debut since 2005. Zilisch climbed into the top 15 during Stage 2 and restarted the final stage in 14th.