The dawn of the new NASCAR Cup Series season brings in hope, aspiration and ambitions to do better. Every year, there are several winning stories or those that take center stage. While the 2023 Cup Series celebrated the likes of Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, there have been a few drivers who found themselves on the bitter end of this stick. One of the big names who is under pressure to perform this season is Daniel Suarez.
Trackhouse Racing is moving forward in the right direction. With Ross Chastin leading the charge for the team and the likes of Zane Smith and Shane van Gisbergen coming up, the future looks bright. Unfortunately, the same progress trajectory has not been achieved by Suarez and his 99 team. Going into the next season, the Mexican driver will be hoping to imitate his performances from 2022. Needless to say, he is feeling the heat and will be looking to turn the corner in hopes of extending his time at Trackhouse Racing.
Primary objective for Suarez is to make the 99 team better irrespective of his future in the team
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The 32-year-old Mexican driver has shown that he has the potential to win races in the Cup Series. If we are to look back at his stint in 2022, he sure looked like the driver that Trackhouse could bank on to propel them to new heights. 6 top-five finishes including his first Cup win at Sonoma filled the team with hope for the next season. However, in 2023, Suarez had a hard time finding consistent results which saw his entire campaign derailed for 2024. From finishing P10 in 2022 in the final standings, to P19 in 2023, his trajectory took a hit.
Addressing his situation at the team and the pressure riding on his shoulders, Suarez in an interview said, “I feel like I got to perform every year regardless if it’s a contract here or regardless of they are hiring new drivers. To me, the most important part is, how to make the 99 team better, how to make the 99 team consistent and strong. There were a few times last year, that we had a car capable of winning the race. But if you are fighting for wins, you need more than that.”
Talking about how he and his team can improve, Suarez said, “We definitely have some things to learn from the No.1 team that they have done better than us. So I think that Matt (Swiderski) coming in with a fresh approach on how to do things, maybe that helps to give the 99 team a good direction in how to get to those goals. So far it’s been pretty smooth working with him and I can’t wait to see where we stack up in the first month of races.”
Daniel Suarez signed a contract extension a year ago with Trackhouse that would take him at least through the 2025 season, but does he feel he is on the hot seat with Trackhouse having signed Shane van Gisbergen and Zane Smith in the last year? pic.twitter.com/9veDK4GPxe
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 31, 2024
Read More: NASCAR News: Kevin Harvick Inc. Sign Shane van Gisbergen and Corey LaJoie
Change in crew chief is a major overhaul for any team and having undergone that feeling, Suarez is definitely looking for a comeback. Also aiding that cause is his new chief’s prior experience that speaks volumes.
Matt Swiderski has all the right credentials to run a successful team
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It was indeed difficult for Daniel Suarez to part ways with his crew chief Travis Mack. However, Matt Swiderski does bring in a ton of experience and knowledge having worked with top drivers. He’s worked with AJ Allmendinger, Noah Gragson, Daniel Hemric and champion drivers like Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney too.
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Welcome to The House, @SwiderskiMatt! 🤝
He joins to lead @Daniel_SuarezG's No. 99 team as crew chief in 2024. pic.twitter.com/UzTPhARyIe
— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) January 8, 2024
So the Trackhouse Racing team has found a formidable asset in Swiderski to help turn the tides in Suarez’s favor in 2024. Justin Marks, the owner and founder of Trackhouse Racing, was feeling confident with the arrival of the new crew chief for 99 team. He said, “Matt is a proven winner with a dynamic engineering background, and we are confident he will pair well with Daniel.”
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Do you think Daniel Suarez will have a major turnaround in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!
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