The chemistry between a driver and their team is one of the most overlooked aspects of racing. While good chemistry can yield magical results, poor relationships can become nightmarish for drivers.
Several NASCAR icons have experienced this, including Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Daniel Suárez, among the more recent drivers who have faced similar challenges. The Mexican-American driver, now settled at Trackhouse Racing, had a tumultuous run with his former team, Stewart-Haas Racing.
Suárez appeared on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s “Dale Jr Download” podcast to discuss why things didn’t work out with Tony Stewart’s squad.
Why Things Didn’t Work Out Between Daniel Suárez and Stewart-Haas Racing
Suárez, now in his fifth year with Trackhouse Racing, switched teams multiple times before landing there. He started in the Xfinity Series in 2014 with Joe Gibbs Racing and made a name for himself with impressive performances.
When Suárez moved to the Cup Series, he drove the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing from 2017 to 2018. After his JGR contract expired, he signed with Stewart-Haas Racing to drive the No. 41 Ford as Kurt Busch’s replacement.
His tenure with Stewart’s team was brief and ended before Suárez could reach his full potential. Though he has spoken about it previously, he provided more details during his recent conversation with Earnhardt.
Suárez detailed his journey rising through NASCAR’s ranks as a foreign racer. The No. 99 driver highlighted the importance of timing when signing with new teams and said his timing was wrong on several occasions.
“I started jumping from team to team, and it was a struggle,” he said. “I felt like I was getting better as a driver, but then, it was a lot of instability.”
Suárez then mentioned his time at Stewart-Haas Racing and said, “In Stewart-Haas, I felt like we had a great year going, but unfortunately, in the middle of the year, things were a little cloudy.”
He revealed that during his tenure with the team, he was stable there for only six to eight months before knowing it was time to switch again. Suárez also said one reason behind his exit was Cole Custer’s entry into the squad.
After Stewart-Haas Racing didn’t work out, Suárez briefly joined Gaunt Brothers Racing before moving to Trackhouse Racing.
The driver described his early days at Trackhouse Racing in a positive manner.
“It was just a difficult situation all the way until I found Trackhouse, and we started from scratch,” he said. “They believed in me at that point. I already had the experience and knew what was needed. We started building the team around me, and we had some success.”
For his upcoming Atlanta race, Suárez has had attention focused on him since it’s considered one of his must-win races. The No. 99 driver won there in 2024 and is familiar with the track.
