“Well, don't hit them!": Daniel Suarez issues a blunt response to drivers concerned about the barriers removed from the esses at new COTA layout

Daniel Suarez spoke on NASCAR removing the barriers from the esses in the new layout for COTA. Suarez said that he is happy to race with whatever conditions are presented to him.

The race on Sunday at Austin, Texas, will see several changes as the length of the track has been reduced from 3.41 miles to a 2.3-mile configuration. This reconfiguration removes from Turn 7 through to the Turn 11 hairpin. Laps have increased from 68 to 95 in the Cup Series. This revised layout includes a new “calamity corner” at Turn 6A, which requires the drivers to make a turn on a 90-degree angle, a place for potential crashes. The track has been repaved, offering a fresh surface for the drivers, which means it will have better grip at the start, but may evolve differently over time. Goodyear is also introducing its new road course tires for the COTA.

Daniel Suarez spoke about the changes to the barriers on track. NASCAR teams and drivers have complained about the barrier removal being a cause for concern for the body of the cars. If they crash, it will cause damage. Suarez responded to NASCAR removing the barriers:

"And I was actually one of the drivers, I was okay with those things being there because that was gonna be one way to not cut the esses. A lot of people were talking about, we're gonna hit and destroy the car. Don't hit them!"

"Don't hit them, that's gonna fix everything. But anyway, to be honest, I tried to just give my comments, my thoughts, and I don't try to deal with them too much because they always change things last minute. I just try to control what I can control and whatever they give me, I want to deal with it," he added.

Daniel Suarez has made history in NASCAR as the first Mexican-born driver to claim both a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and a Cup Series victory. Suarez's breakthrough came in 2016 when he won the Xfinity Series title, marking a significant milestone for international drivers in the sport. Driving the No. 99 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, Suarez continues to inspire a new generation of drivers and fans.

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Daniel Suarez gave self-assessment of his race after being wrecked out at Atlanta

Following a multi-car crash at the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Daniel Suárez took responsibility for his role in the incident. Lap 184 saw Suarez lose control, impacting Ty Gibbs and triggering a chain reaction that involved several other drivers, including Cole Custer and Noah Gragson. While Gibbs continued racing, Suarez and the other affected drivers were forced to retire early. In a post race interview, he said:

"I haven't seen the replay yet. I wasn't good enough today. I felt like... I didn't know that the 54 was there. I think it was on me. I didn't know that the 54 was there. Today, we were just not good enough."

Daniel Suarez admitted to being unaware of Ty Gibbs's position, suggesting that the incident was his fault.