Daniel Suarez trains with Bay Area Panthers this week, stepping away from his NASCAR schedule for a brief stint on the football field before heading to Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. The Mexican NASCAR Cup Series driver, currently racing with Trackhouse Racing, made the visit to the Bay Area Panthers’ facility just days before the major California road course event.
Suarez Trades Racing for Football in Pre-Race Visit
Before taking the track at Sonoma, Daniel Suarez, piloting the #99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, exchanged his racing attire for a Bay Area Panthers jersey and swapped jerseys with Josh Jones, the team‘s quarterback. This visit followed Suarez’s 29th-place finish in the Chicago street race the previous weekend. Arriving in California for the next round of competition, Suarez’s stop at the Panthers’ facility took place on Thursday, right before the Indoor Football League team’s own home game against the Vegas Knight Hawks.
Through a series of Instagram stories, Suarez offered fans a glimpse into his time with the football team, sharing the fun and camaraderie in the lead-up to the Panthers’ upcoming game. The event highlighted his connection with the Bay Area sporting community just as he prepared for another crucial NASCAR race.
Returning to Sonoma and the Site of His Historic Win
This weekend, Daniel Suarez is set to compete against 36 other drivers at Sonoma Raceway, including part-time driver Katherine Legge, who will take the wheel of the #78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet. The California circuit holds a special place in Suarez’s career; in 2022, he made history at Sonoma by becoming the first Mexico-born driver to win a race in NASCAR’s premier Cup Series. That victory marked a major milestone for both Suarez and Trackhouse Racing, highlighting his impressive achievements in the sport.
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 gets underway on July 13 at 3:30 p.m. ET, featuring a 110-lap race on the renowned 1.99-mile road course. This event doubles as the third round of the In-Season Challenge. However, Suarez is no longer in contention for the In-Season Challenge title after being eliminated during the opening round at EchoPark Speedway.
Final Season with Trackhouse Racing
This race season represents Daniel Suarez’s final year as a full-time competitor for Trackhouse Racing. Following a five-year commitment driving the #99 Chevrolet, Suarez is preparing to depart from the team at the end of the year. He has been a cornerstone of Trackhouse since joining in 2021, when the organization took over the assets from Chip Ganassi Racing and began its journey in NASCAR’s Cup Series.
Teammate Ross Chastain Reflects on Memorable Moments
Ross Chastain, Suarez’s longtime teammate at Trackhouse Racing, recently reminisced about their shared journey, identifying significant milestones in both of their careers. Chastain recalled their string of victories in 2022, beginning with his own win at Circuit of the Americas and quickly followed by Suarez’s triumph at Sonoma Raceway. For the Chevrolet-backed Trackhouse Racing team, these wins were especially meaningful because they arrived during the organization’s formative years and during the introduction of the Next-Gen car era.
“Been four years together, my entire time at Trackhouse, and once we moved into the Concord Building, it was him and I. He’s the most like-minded person outside of the car. We were at the same, I feel like parts in our careers where we had something to prove to Justin (Marks), who hired us.” —Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing driver
“Both of us winning, seeing his excitement for me at COTA and then me when he won at Sonoma…. just seeing that come full circle for both of us.” —Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing driver
Suarez and Chastain have each brought their own distinctive style to their race celebrations: Suarez is known for smashing a piñata in victory, while Chastain celebrates by smashing a watermelon. Their teammate Shane van Gisbergen adds his own tradition, kicking a football into the crowd after wins, further strengthening the team’s unique spirit.
So far this season, Daniel Suarez has not yet returned to the winner’s circle. Both Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen have clinched at least one victory, securing their places in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, while Suarez continues to chase another breakthrough as his time with Trackhouse Racing winds down.
What Lies Ahead
As Daniel Suarez prepares to compete at Sonoma Raceway and reflects on his past accomplishments, his recent interaction with the Bay Area Panthers symbolizes both his connection to the broader sports community and his willingness to embrace new experiences. With this being his last season as a full-time Cup Series driver for Trackhouse Racing, both fans and teammates alike will be watching to see if the memorable moments continue in these final races. The weekend at Sonoma not only revisits a site of previous triumph but also marks a meaningful chapter in Suarez’s ongoing NASCAR journey.
