Daniel Suárez is ready to repeat at Sonoma after bounce-back performance at St. Louis
Things were not looking great for Daniel Suárez leading up to the Enjoy Illinois 300, but a P7 finish gives him some momentum. It just so happens that the turnaround performance comes a week before the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sonoma for road course action. It is where Suárez won his first Cup race ever, just a year ago.
Since that historic win, becoming the first Mexican driver to win at the Cup Series level, Daniel Suárez has been trying to get back to that level of performance. Easier said than done. Of course, his teammate Ross Chastain fills headlines almost weekly for on-track incidents.
However, Suárez keeps battling in the background. Admittedly, it hasn’t been a good stretch for either the No. 99 or No. 1 teams. Trackhouse Racing is hoping to bounce back in a big way. Sonoma might be the place to do it.
“It was fun today,” the Coca-Cola Racing driver said to Mamba Smith after the race. “We really need this as a team. We needed a result that we deserve. I feel like lately it’s been a little bit difficult on us when it comes to that and today I feel like we deserve top-10, top-5 and we finish seventh. So, we’ll take it.”
Looking ahead to Sonoma, Suárez is just excited to be back on a road course. It is where he feels most comfortable.
“Definitely, man. Every time we head into a road course, regardless if it’s Sonoma or somewhere else, I’m excited. I feel like home. I’m excited to go back to a place where already we had great memories last time, and hopefully, we can repeat.”
It was a hard-fought finish for Daniel Suárez. There is some more good news for the Trackhouse Racing driver after the P7 finish. Chastain finished P22.
Daniel Suárez has big points day at St. Louis
World Wide Technology Raceway is a tough one. Some say the turns of the track require road course-style braking. We saw what happened with not just one, but four different brake rotors during the Enjoy Illinois 300. They blew apart! Maybe that is why Daniel Suárez was able to navigate the track better than most.
Suárez didn’t just have a strong finish, he had a good points day as well. Earning 37 points while some drivers around him in the standings didn’t perform as well, was a big plus. The driver is now in 16th in the standings and just on the bubble of playoff eligibility.
The one thing that can put all of those worries to rest about points, is a win. Sonoma Raceway will be a tough track for the Cup Series field. Will we see Suárez rise above the rest once again? Repeat wins are tough to earn, but the 99 will likely be in contention.
A little momentum can go a long way. It might once again be Daniel Suárez drinking wine in Victory Lane next Sunday.