Daniel Suarez was by no means apprehensive about his job safety with Trackhouse Racing as a result of his contract extension had been carried out for “some time” earlier than it was introduced Aug. 9.
“I used to be by no means apprehensive,” Suarez mentioned Saturday at Richmond Raceway. “It was only a matter of working particulars. Truthfully, my greatest fear within the final 4 months hasn’t been the contract, I promise you; it’s been the efficiency.”
Suarez was in a contract yr with Trackhouse Racing earlier than signing the extension. He’ll go into his fifth season with the group based by Justin Marks in 2025.
Though he’s locked into the postseason by means of a victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which was the second race of the season, Suarez is seventeenth within the total NASCAR Cup Sequence standings. The triumph at Atlanta is one in all 4 top-10 finishes his No. 99 staff has earned, and his common end is eighteen.2.
“For me, that’s the principle factor,” Suarez mentioned. “In case you carry out, all the pieces takes care of itself. I’ve been right here within the Cup Sequence for a while now, and I perceive the way it works, and also you simply should carry out, and at Trackhouse [the last three years have] been a bit of little bit of a battle; it’s not a secret. You guys know the numbers.
“We have now work to do. We aren’t proud of the place we’re at, however we’re proud of the place we’re heading. We’re working very, very arduous behind the scenes to get the practice in the precise course. We have now nice folks. We have now numerous help from numerous sponsors and from Chevrolet, and we all know we’re on course.”
Suarez described the connection between himself and Trackhouse Racing as a “nice journey thus far.” The group signed Suarez as its cornerstone driver when it debuted in 2021, and it has since expanded to discipline an entry for Ross Chastain, who’s nonetheless preventing for a postseason berth as he’s winless and simply seven factors above the cutline.
“This yr has been stuffed with challenges,” Suarez mentioned. “Trackhouse, this yr, has had a giant activity — I might say a much bigger activity than in earlier years on the subject of efficiency, changes and issues like that. However we face the problem with a face-up and able to combat.”
Regardless of the deal for subsequent season being carried out and his focus being on the racetrack, Suarez won’t be carried out answering questions on his future. The contract extension was for the 2025 season solely, and he admitted there are numerous issues “within the air” going ahead.
“The reply is, for certain, it’s one [year], however there are … choices for either side,” Suarez mentioned. “I need to win races, and Trackhouse desires to win races as properly, and now we have work to do collectively. Trackhouse by itself gained’t make it occur. Me on my own, I gained’t be capable of make it occur, so now we have work to do.
“However the good factor is now we have nice folks, sponsors, and we’re dedicated to doing it. If issues go the best way that we predict it to go, possibly in a few weeks, we could signal a pair extra years as a result of that’s within the contract. However we need to carry out first.”
