NASCAR lives on thrilling race moments. In 2024, Ambetter Health 400 race put on such a moment, as the last lap witnessed a three-wide photo finish. Daniel Suarez, Kyle Busch, and Ryan Blaney were all battling it out to fetch the spring race victory. However, while it marked the beginning of a long year of struggles for Busch, Suarez punched his tickets into the 2024 playoffs early.

And in retrospect, the Mexican speedster thanks the Atlanta Motor Speedway’s renovation efforts. Since its inception in 1960, the 1.54-mile racetrack has undergone several changes. The first reconfiguration was in 1996 – however, the latest one in 2021-22 earned the approval of Daniel Suarez.

Daniel Suarez looks back fondly

The current No. 99 Chevrolet driver has been through ups and downs. Daniel Suarez previously drove for teams like Joe Gibbs Racing, and his 2020 stint under Gaunt Brothers Racing saw him racing in outdated equipment. However, Suarez found his mojo at Trackhouse Racing, winning his first Cup Series race in Sonoma in 2022. Then Suarez won his second race last year in Atlanta – a trend which started earlier. After NASCAR reconfigured the track, the driver discovered his knack for it. He clinched top-ten finishes in both Atlanta races in 2022. In 2023, he floundered in spring, finishing 29th, but bounced back to a runner-up spot during the fall race.

Daniel Suarez credits his excellence in Atlanta to the reconfiguration. Before Atlanta got a facelift that turned it into the third drafting-style track on the circuit, Suarez did not enjoy it so much. He said, “A few years ago, Atlanta used to be an amazing racetrack for a race driver…As a racing driver, I used to have a lot of fun…Every single time I was going back home on Monday, do my notes and review everything. I used to rewatch the race, and more times than not, the race was a little boring.” That same boring racetrack witnessed Kyle Busch clinch two victories in the past in 2008 and 2013.

Now, however, the tables have turned. Kyle Busch could finish in third place at a slim 0.004-second margin from Daniel Suarez. Suarez could not understate his excitement about the reconfigured track. “Once Atlanta reconfigured the entire racetrack, it has changed completely. What we had in the race was unbelievable from start to end…and it produced great racing…And we have only been doing this for a couple of years…We finished second last time, first the previous time than that, and I think before that I finished 2nd as well. We’re actually pretty good here. So looking forward to continuing the trend and hoping for another victory.” That’s some confidence there.

Even so, Daniel Suarez could not help but tip his hat to his worthy rivals as well.

Acknowledging the good fight

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After all, Kyle Busch is a two-time Cup Series champion. His 63 Cup Series race wins among 231 NASCAR national trophies out-perform any active driver. What is more, Busch has run in Atlanta since 2004 and has witnessed the evolution of the track. The latest configuration saw the banking increase from 24 to 28 degrees in the turns and the width of the surface consolidated from 55 to 40 feet. Adapting to this changed racetrack is a challenge as well. Along with Busch, Daniel Suarez also had to contend with Ryan Blaney during the 2024 spring race in Atlanta. The Team Penske driver was fresh off a Cup Series championship in 2023.

So the Trackhouse Racing driver could not help but tip his hat to his rivals, soon after securing the victory. Daniel Suarez got emotional about how narrow his win was: “It was so damn close, man. It was so damn close. It was good racing. Ryan Blaney there, Kyle Busch, and Austin Cindric also were doing a great job giving pushes. In the back straightaway he didn’t push me because he knew I was going to (expletive) his teammate, but man, what a job.” He had also shown his respect to his hardworking team which guided him through a mishap. “We wrecked lap 2. The guys did an amazing job fixing this car. I can’t thank everyone enough … all the amazing fans here. Let’s go!”

Daniel Suarez is bringing the same energy to the 2025 Cup Series season. As the Atlanta race is less than two months away, let us see if he can conjure his magic again.