Daniel Suárez explains decision behind new contract extension at Trackhouse Racing

This week, Trackhouse Racing and Daniel Suárez announced a one-year contract extension to keep Suárez in the 99 car for 2025. Suárez is coming back to NASCAR for next season.

Another year in the Cup Series, newlywed, became a U.S. Citizen, has a win in his pocket and ticket to the playoffs – it’s been a pretty good year for Suárez. Now he has to go out and prove that he deserves that extra season, and then another and another after that.

There is no doubt the talent level at Trackhouse is high. Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez are multi-time race winners in the Cup Series. Shane van Gisbergen is a world-class driver who won in his NASCAR debut. Zane Smith is a driver many believe has superstar potential, despite struggles this season.

Then you have the teenage wunderkind, Connor Zilisch. Eventually, there is not going to be enough cars for five drivers. That’s why signing the extension is such a big deal.

“I want to win, they want to win too,” Suárez said, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “But like I said, we have some things in our contract that if tomorrow, things start heading the right direction the way that we’re working, that contract is going to change very quickly by itself. But we want to make sure that we are clicking and competitive the way we want. I don’t want to run 15th, they don’t want to run 15th. It’s not a secret, this year has been a struggle for Trackhouse, performance-wise.

“We have one car in the playoffs that got a win and the other car is in the process of making it on points. So, we have work to do and hopefully, we get the train in the right direction.”

Daniel Suárez also revealed the extension has been signed for a while. However, given his recent life events, getting married in Brazil and becoming a U.S. Citizen, they wanted to wait to announce the news.

The life of a NASCAR driver is tough at times. Your job is never really secure. If another driver with better results, better sponsorship comes along, that might be all that it takes.

Then again, there is the flip side of that. If you keep performing at the level expected of you and keep your head on your shoulders, you can build a real career. Daniel Suárez keeps doing enough to keep him in the 99 car.