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  • Harrison Burton to make 100th Cup start at Atlanta

    Harrison Burton to make 100th Cup start at Atlanta

    As Harrison Burton prepares to campaign in his first NASCAR Cup Series race weekend as a Playoff competitor ahead of this weekend’s Playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he does so with a milestone start up for grabs. By competing at Atlanta, the driver of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse will make his 100th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A second-generation racer from Huntersville, North Carolina, Burton made his inaugural presence in the Cup circuit at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2021. By then, he was campaigning in his second full-time season in the Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing and was coming off a four-race victory season as he also achieved the 2020 Xfinity Rookie-of-the-Year title. Driving the No. 96 Toyota Camry for Gaunt Brothers Racing, Burton rallied from starting at the rear of the field to finish 20th.

    In July 2021, Burton was named as the driver of the iconic No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing for the 2022 Cup season, where he replaced Matt DiBenedetto and contended for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Burton’s rookie Cup campaign commenced on a rough note after he was involved in a multi-car wreck during the 64th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. It resulted in the North Carolina native flipping on the roof before rolling back on all four wheels while battling towards the front on Lap 62 of 200 and ending up in 39th place in the final running order.

    During his next 18 scheduled events, Burton would finish no higher than 11th and notch a total of six top-20 results before securing his first career top-10 result at Atlanta Motor Speedway in July, where he led nine laps. Three laps later, he achieved his first career top-five result at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course by finishing in third place amid a wild overtime finish. While not in contention of making the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs, Burton would proceed to finish in the top 20 seven additional times during the final 14 events on the schedule, which included an 11th-place run at Martinsville Speedway in October, before settling in 27th place in the final standings and in the runner-up spot behind Austin Cindric for the rookie title.  

    Remaining at Wood Brothers Racing for the 2023 Cup season, Burton commenced the season by finishing 26th during the 65th running of the Daytona 500 after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. He then finished no higher than 15th twice during his next 11 starts before posting his first top-10 finish with a sixth-place result at Darlington Raceway in May. Burton would then manage an eighth-place finish at Pocono Raceway in July during his next 13 starts as he would not make the Cup Series Playoffs for a second consecutive season. Managing a 15th-place result at Martinsville in November and three top-20s throughout the Playoffs, Burton ended up in 31st place in the final standings and an average-finishing result of 24.7 with only two top-10 recorded results.

    Through the first 24 regular-season events of the 2024 Cup Series season, Burton had recorded a single top-10 result, where he finished 10th at Talladega in April, but was strapped with an average-finishing result of 26.9. By then, he was informed in early July that he would be replaced by Josh Berry in 2025.

    Then in August, Burton outdueled Kyle Busch during an overtime shootout to score his first elusive Cup Series career victory at Daytona with his father and former NASCAR veteran Jeff Burton calling the event’s broadcast. The Daytona victory made Harrison Burton the 205th competitor overall to win in NASCAR’s premier series as he both secured a spot into the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs and delivered the milestone 100th career win for Wood Brothers Racing.

    Through 99 previous Cup starts, Burton has achieved one victory, two top-five results, six top-10 results, 73 laps led and an average finishing result of 24.2. Despite finishing in 21st place during this past weekend’s regular-season finale at Darlington, Burton will commence the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs and his first pursuit for a first Cup title in 14th place in the Playoff standings with 2,005 points.

    Harrison Burton is scheduled to make his 100th Cup Series career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Quaker State 400 on Sunday, September 8, with the event’s broadcast time to occur at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

  • Ty Dillon to make 200th Cup career start at Homestead

    Ty Dillon to make 200th Cup career start at Homestead

    Competing in his fifth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Ty Dillon is bound to achieve a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s Playoff event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the driver of the No. 42 Petty GMS Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will reach career start No. 200 in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Welcome, North Carolina, and the grandson of NASCAR championship-winning team owner Richard Childress, Dillon made his inaugural presence in the Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway in August 2014. By then, he had campaigned in two Camping World Truck Series seasons for Richard Childress Racing, where he accumulated three victories and a runner-up result in the championship standings in 2013 during the two seasons, and was competing in his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series for RCR, where he claimed his first career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July. Driving the No. 33 Chevrolet SS for RCR, Dillon started 29th and finished 25th in his series debut. He returned to the Cup circuit at Phoenix Raceway in November, where he finished 27th on the track.

    In 2015, Dillon, who continued to run in the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis while part time in the Cup Series, qualified for his first Daytona 500 start in February after piloting the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet SS to a 16th-place result in the first Daytona Duel qualifying race and earning the final transfer spot to the main event. Starting 31st, Dillon finished 28th in his first 500 attempt after being involved in a late incident. He then competed in four additional Cup races in the No. 33 Chevrolet throughout the 2015 season, where he achieved his season-best result of 14th place at Michigan International Speedway in June.

    The following season, Dillon remained as a full-time Xfinity competitor for RCR and as a part-time Cup Series competitor for two organizations. His first Cup start of the season was the 58th running of the Daytona 500, where he finished 25th while driving the No. 95 Chevrolet SS for Leavine Family Racing. The following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon served as an interim competitor for three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, who was recovering from injuries from a dune buggy accident in January. Driving the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in three races, Dillon recorded finishes of 17th, 15th and 25th at Atlanta, Phoenix and at Bristol, respectively. He also relieved for Stewart for the remainder of the Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in May, where he finished sixth despite the points being awarded to Stewart since Stewart started the race. Along with his interim role at SHR, he made six additional starts in Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 Chevrolet. His best results were a 20th-place run at Texas Motor Speedway in April and a 21st-place run at Pocono Raceway in June.

    After three full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Dillon was promoted to the Cup Series in 2017 to drive the No. 13 Chevrolet SS for Germain Racing on a full-time basis. In Dillon’s first Cup season, he recorded eight top-15 results, 40 laps led and an average-finishing result of 20.7 throughout the 36-race schedule as he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings and in third place in the Rookie-of-the-Year standings behind Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. His best results throughout the season were a pair of 11th-place results at Talladega in October and at Phoenix in November.

    Remaining at Germain Racing for a second full-time Cup season in 2018, Dillon achieved his first top-10 career result in NASCAR’s premier series after finishing sixth at Daytona in July. Throughout his sophomore campaign, he recorded four additional top-15 results and an average-finishing result of 24.1. When the final checkered flag of the 2018 season flew, he concluded the season in 27th place in the final standings.

    Dillon commenced the 2019 Cup season by finishing in sixth place during the 61st running of the Daytona 500 in February. After finishing no higher than 15th over the next six races, he finished 15th at Bristol in April after winning the first stage in a photo finish over Clint Bowyer. Two races later, Dillon made his 100th Cup career start at Talladega in April, where he won the first stage before being shuffled back to 17th place in the final running order. He would then achieve his first top-five career finish (fourth place) at Daytona in July during a rain-shortened event. For the remainder of the season, he achieved an additional top 10 and four additional top-15 results before he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings. Throughout his junior Cup season, he earned an average result of 20.6 and led a total of 14 laps.

    Throughout the 2020 season, which marked his fourth season at Germain Racing, Dillon recorded an average-finishing result of 22.0 as he also achieved two results in the top 10 throughout the 36-race schedule. His lone highlight of the season was achieving a career-best third-place finish at Talladega in October following a two-lap shootout to the finish. In spite of the result, he settled back in 26th place in the final standings.

    Two months prior to the conclusion of the 2020 season, Germain Racing announced plans to cease all operations in NASCAR at season’s end due to longtime sponsor GEICO not renewing with the team for the future, which left Dillon without a full-time ride for the 2021 season. A month prior to the 2021 season, he managed to secure a part-time ride with Gaunt Brothers Racing, where he attempted to qualify for the 63rd running of the Daytona 500. Prior to the 500, he competed in the newly-formed No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Camry for the Busch Clash at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course in February, where he started 14th and finished 18th. Despite finishing sixth during the first of two Bluegreen Vacations Duel event at Daytona, Dillon did not qualify for the 500 and waited a week until he made his first Cup start with Gaunt Brothers Racing at the Daytona Road Course, where he finished 19th. His other Cup starts of the season with Gaunt Brothers Racing occurred at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course in April, Circuit of the Americas in May and at Road America in July, where he finished 26th, 21st and 26th, respectively.

    After spending the 2021 season as a part-time competitor with starts across all three NASCAR national touring series, Dillon returned to the Cup Series as a full-time competitor, where he joined forces with the newly-merged Petty GMS Motorsports to pilot the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. He commenced the season with an 11th-place result during the 64th running of the Daytona 500 followed by four additional top-20 results through the first six scheduled events before he collected his first top-10 result of the season at the Bristol Dirt Course in April, where he finished 10th. Despite earning an additional eight top-20 results and an average-finishing result of 21.7 throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Dillon did not qualify for the 2022 Cup Playoffs. Coming off five top-25 results during the previous seven Playoff events, including a 16th-place result at Texas Motor Speedway in September, he is currently ranked in 29th place in the driver’s standings.

    Through 199 previous Cup starts, Dillon has achieved two top-five results, seven top-10 results, 76 laps led and an average-finishing result of 22.1. While he is set to depart Petty GMS Motorsports at the conclusion of the 2022 season, he is set to join Spire Motorsports as a full-time driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2023 Cup Series season.

    Dillon is scheduled to make his 200th Cup Series career start at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, October 23, with the event’s coverage to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Suarez to make 200th Cup career start at Pocono

    Suarez to make 200th Cup career start at Pocono

    Competing in his sixth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Daniel Suarez is scheduled to achieve a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Pocono Raceway, the driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will achieve 200 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Monterrey, Mexico, Suarez made his Cup Series debut in the 59th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in February 2017. By then, he was the reigning Xfinity Series champion, where he became the first Latin American champion in NASCAR’s top three national touring series, and was promoted to the Cup circuit to pilot the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry for the new season when veteran Carl Edwards announced his sudden departure from the sport. 

    Suarez’s rookie Cup season kicked off with a 29th-place result in the Daytona 500 after he was involved in a multi-car wreck midway into the event. He rebounded three races later by finishing seventh at Phoenix Raceway in March, which marked his first top-10 result in the Cup circuit. He then posted another seventh-place finish at Auto Club Speedway. 

    Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Suarez notched a strong third-place result at Watkins Glen International in August along with a total of nine top-10 results. He, however, did not make the 2017 Cup Playoffs, but he went on to post three top-10 results throughout the 10-race Playoff stretch. When the 2017 season concluded, Suarez capped off his rookie Cup season in 20th place in the final standings and behind Erik Jones for the Rookie-of-the-Year title.

    Like his rookie season, Suarez’s sophomore Cup season started off with a wreck in the Daytona 500. Recording his first top-10 result of the season at Phoenix in March, Suarez earned a total of three top-five results and six top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. Among his highlights included a third-place result at Dover International Speedway in May, a runner-up result in the non-point All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway behind Kevin Harvick and a runner-up result at Pocono Raceway in August behind teammate Kyle Busch. By then, Suarez also achieved his first career pole at Pocono. While he did not make the Playoffs for a second consecutive season, he posted three top-10 results throughout the 10-race Playoff stretch before finishing 21st in the final standings.

    Following two seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing, Suarez was replaced by Martin Truex Jr. for the 2019 Cup season. Suarez, though, announced a month prior to the new season that he will be joining forces with Stewart-Haas Racing to pilot the No. 41 Ford Mustang on a full-time basis. Despite finishing 33rd in the season-opening Daytona 500 in February due to a late multi-car wreck, Suarez achieved his first top-10 result with the team during the following weekend’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Five races later, Suarez achieved a strong third-place result at Texas Motor Speedway in April followed by an eighth-place run at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Suarez notched a pole, three top-five results and nine top-10 results, which kept him in contention to make the 2019 Cup Playoffs. He, however, failed to make the Playoffs by four points over veteran Ryan Newman when the regular-season stretch capped off at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September. Suarez went on to earn a ninth-place result at Richmond Raceway in September and a strong third-place run at Texas Motor Speedway in November before settling in 17th place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

    Despite a decent performance with SHR, Suarez was replaced by rookie Cole Custer for the 2020 season. Suarez, though, was able to secure a full-time ride with Gaunt Brothers Racing for the upcoming Cup season. His season, however, did not start off on a bright note after he wrecked in the first of two Daytona Duel events and failed to qualify for the 2020 Daytona 500. Suarez managed to qualify for the following Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in February, but finished 30th following mechanical issues at the start of the race. Overall, Suarez earned three top-20 results before concluding the season in 31st place in the final standings.

    Prior to the 2021 Cup season, Suarez joined forces with the newly formed Trackhouse Racing Team owned by former racer Justin Marks and rapper Pitbull as the team received technical support from Richard Childress Racing and a guaranteed charter to compete in all scheduled races. Driving the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the new team, Suarez was involved in an early multi-car wreck in the season-opening Daytona 500 and finished 36th. 

    After finishing no higher than 15th during the following five races, Suarez rebounded at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course by leading 58 of 253 laps and finishing in fourth place, thus achieving his first top-five result since 2019 and the first for Trackhouse Racing. Suarez, however, finished in the top 10 twice during the remaining 19 regular season events and was involved in a multi-car wreck on the final lap at Daytona while contending for the victory. The inconsistent stretch for Suarez prevented him from making the 2021 Cup Playoffs. For the remaining 10 scheduled events, he managed to finish as high as 10th at Texas in October before finishing in 25th place in the final standings. 

    Suarez remained at Trackhouse Racing that expanded to field two cars in this year’s Cup season with Ross Chastain joining the organization. After earning four top-10 results and finishing no higher than fourth twice during the first 15 scheduled events, Suarez achieved his first victory in NASCAR’s premier series after claiming a dominant victory at Sonoma Raceway in June. In doing so, he became the fifth foreign-born competitor and the first from Mexico to win in the Cup Series.

    Through 199 previous Cup starts, Suarez has achieved one victory, two poles, 13 top-five results, 44 top-10 results, 538 laps led and an average-finishing result of 19.2. He currently sits in 15th place in the regular season standings and is one of 14 current competitors to possess a spot in the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs based on winning once throughout the regular season stretch.

    Suarez is primed to make his 200th Cup Series career start at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 24, with coverage to start at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

  • Ty Dillon joins 23XI Racing for Busch Clash

    Ty Dillon joins 23XI Racing for Busch Clash

    The newly formed 23XI Racing will be making its inaugural presence in NASCAR a week early than anticipated after it was announced that Ty Dillon will be joining the organization in a one-race deal for the Busch Clash at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on February 9.

    The criteria for eligibility for the 2021 Busch Clash at Daytona’s road course layout was announced in November, making the event available for competitors who recorded a 2020 Busch Pole Award, won a Daytona 500 and won a Daytona 500 pole award, all as full-time Cup competitors. The event was also open for competitors who made the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, won a 2020 Cup race and won a 2020 Cup stage.

    Dillon, a 28-year-old native from Lewisville, North Carolina, became eligible for the 35-lap exhibition by recording a stage victory last season. Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing’s full-time competitor, is ineligible due to not meeting one of the criteria to compete in the event. He will make his first start with the team in the 63rd annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, which will also mark the start of 23XI Racing’s first full-time campaign in NASCAR.

    Dillon, who is the 21st competitor confirmed for the event and will be making his Clash debut, will be sponsored by Root Insurance, one of the team’s founding partners. The decision to compete in the Busch Clash was made to get 23XI Racing, owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin, an early start for its first season in NASCAR competition.

    Along with the Busch Clash, Dillon is set to compete with Gaunt Brothers Racing for the remainder of Daytona Speedweeks as he attempts to qualify for the 2021 Daytona 500. He is also set to compete in four NASCAR Xfinity Series races with Joe Gibbs Racing.

    The 2021 Busch Clash at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course is set to occur on Tuesday, February 9, at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Ty Dillon joins Joe Gibbs Racing for select Xfinity events

    Ty Dillon joins Joe Gibbs Racing for select Xfinity events

    Another name has been added to Joe Gibbs Racing’s lineup for the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season after it was announced that Ty Dillon will be joining the organization and pilot the No. 54 Toyota Supra on a part-time basis.

    The 28-year-old native from Lewisville, North Carolina, will make his first start with JGR in the Xfinity Series season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway on February 13. He is also scheduled to compete at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 27, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6 and at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24.

    Dillon is coming off his fourth full-time season with Germain Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. With Germain Racing ceasing operations due to sponsor GEICO parting ways from the team, Dillon was initially left without a ride heading into the 2021 season. Currently, he has joined forces with Gaunt Brothers Racing to drive the No. 96 Toyota Camry as he attempts to qualify for the 63rd annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14.

    The 2021 Xfinity Series season will mark Dillon’s first appearance in the series since he made select starts in 2018 with Richard Childress Racing. In 146 previous starts, he has recorded one victory, which occurred at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2014. He has also recorded four poles, 33 top-five results, 88 top-10 results, 586 laps led, an average result of 10.5 and a best points result of third place in 2015.

    “I am so thankful and excited for the opportunity to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota,” Dillon said. “They have been on top of the sport for a long time and this is a great opportunity for me to go prove that I am a winner and show what I know I can do in a race car.”

    Dillon will serve as one of multiple competitors to pilot JGR’s No. 54 “all-star” car throughout the 2021 Xfinity Series season, including Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs. Busch, the all-time winningest driver in the Xfinity circuit with 97 career victories, will compete at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20, Circuit of the Americas on May 22, Texas Motor Speedway on June 12, Nashville Superspeedway on June 19 and at Road America on July 3. Truex, a two-time Xfinity champion who has not competed in series since 2010, will drive the No. 54 Toyota Supra at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 10 while Hamlin, the reigning three-time Daytona 500 champion, will make his series’ one-race appearance at Darlington Raceway on September 4 during Labor Day Weekend. Gibbs, a full-time ARCA Menards Series competitor for JGR and a newcomer to the Xfinity Series, will compete in select events, beginning at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on February 20. Chris Gayle will be serving as crew chief for the No. 54 team.

    “Ty Dillon is going to be a great addition to our Xfinity lineup,” Steve de Souza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Development for Joe Gibbs Racing, added. “Ty has a lot of experience across the board and that will definitely be an asset to our whole group as we get going this season.”

    A full schedule of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 54 Toyota team for the 2021 Xfinity Series season will be announced at a later date.

  • Ty Dillon joins Gaunt Brothers Racing for Daytona 500 attempt

    Ty Dillon joins Gaunt Brothers Racing for Daytona 500 attempt

    Gaunt Brothers Racing announced that Ty Dillon will be driving the No. 96 Toyota Camry as he attempts to qualify for the 63rd annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 14.

    Dillon, a former champion in the ARCA Racing Series, will be receiving sponsorship support from Bass Pro Shops and Black Rifle Coffee Company as he attempts to make his seventh start in the Daytona 500 and his first NASCAR Cup Series start in a Toyota, with GBR entering Daytona without a charter nor a guaranteed spot for the 500.

    “Gaunt Brothers Racing has given me a great opportunity to compete in the Daytona 500 and I couldn’t be happier,” Dillon said. “I love superspeedway races and the Daytona 500 is the biggest of them all. Toyota has certainly proven itself in our sport and in the Daytona 500. I’m looking forward to racing with them and reuniting with Bass Pro Shops and Black Rifle Coffee Company.”

    In addition, Dillon will be competing in a new Toyota Camry from GBR and with a Toyota Racing Development-powered engine.

    “The best way to get a good start to your season is to have a good finish in the Daytona 500,” Marty Gaunt, President of Gaunt Brothers Racing, said. “We’ve got a talented driver in Ty Dillon with a strong TRD engine plugged into the best equipment available. Together with Toyota, Bass Pro Shops and Black Rifle Coffee Company, we’re ready to compete and surprise some people.”

    Dillon is coming off his fourth full-time season in the Cup circuit, where he claimed a stage victory, a career-best third-place result at Talladega Superspeedway in October, two top-10 results and a 26th-place result in the 2020 standings in the No. 13 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Germain Racing. With Germain Racing ceasing operations due to sponsor GEICO not renewing with the organization, Dillon was originally left without a full-time ride heading into the 2021 NASCAR season until joining forces with GBR.

    Through 2020, Dillon has made 365 starts between NASCAR’s top three national touring series (Cup, Xfinity and Truck). Having won three Truck career races and one Xfinity race, Dillon is still pursuing his first victory in NASCAR’s premier series.

    Gaunt Brothers Racing is coming off its first full-time season in the Cup Series with Daniel Suarez behind the wheel of the No. 96 Toyota. The driver and team failed to qualify for the 2020 Daytona 500, but went on to achieve three top-20 results and a 31st-place in the final standings. Suarez is set to drive for the newly formed Trackhouse Racing Team in 2021.

    Through 2020, GBR has made 73 starts in the Cup Series, including three in the Daytona 500. Like Dillon, the team is pursuing its first Cup victory.

    Schedules for Dillon and GBR for the remainder of the 2021 season remain to be announced.

  • Suarez to reach 250 starts across NASCAR at the Roval

    Suarez to reach 250 starts across NASCAR at the Roval

    A significant milestone is in the making for Daniel Suarez, the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion and driver of the No. 96 Toyota Camry for Gaunt Brothers Racing in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s Cup Series event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course for the Bank of America Roval 400, Suarez will reach 250 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

    A native of Monterrey, Mexico, Suarez’s racing career started with karts, where he won two national karting championships in 2004 and 2008. He went on to compete and win races in mini-stock cars, a support series of the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series in 2008. Suarez’s early racing success led him to compete in the NASCAR Mexico Series in 2010, where he claimed the series Rookie-of-the-Year title and went on to achieve an abundant of on-track success and wins in the series along with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East through 2013 while alternating between racing in Mexico and the United States of America.

    Following the 2013 season, Suarez achieved a total of five victories in the NASCAR Mexico Series with a best result of second place in 2012. He had also completed his first full-time season in the K&N Pro Series East with Rev Racing, where he achieved his first win at Ohio’s Columbus Motor Speedway before he concluded the season in third place in the final standings and all while being a NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Next member.

    Suarez started the 2014 racing season by winning the first two K&N Pro Series East races of the season, the first at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway before backing it with a win at the UNOH Battle at the Beach around Daytona International Speedway’s mini oval backstretch course. He went on to record a total of four top-five results and seven top-10 results in 13 starts in the East Series. He also made his ARCA Racing Series at Kentucky Speedway with Venturini Motorsports in September, where he started third and finished fifth.

    Two months after winning the UNOH Battle at the Beach, Suarez was selected by Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 20 Toyota Camry for the NASCAR Xfinity Series spring event at Richmond Raceway. Starting in 12th place, Suarez went on to finish in 19th place in his series debut. He made his second series start at Chicagoland Speedway in September. Driving the No. 29 ARRIS Toyota for RAB Racing, Suarez started 18th and notched a 15th-place result. He also made his NASCAR Truck Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway in October, where he started 17th and finished 15th while driving the No. 35 ARRIS Toyota Tundra for Win-Tron Racing.

    Four months after making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Richmond, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Suarez will be competing in the series on a full-time basis in 2015. Driving the No. 18 ARRIS Toyota Camry led by crew chief Eric Phillips, Suarez recorded three poles, two Dash 4 Cash bonuses, eight top-five results, 18 top-10 results and an average result of 11.7 before he finished in fifth place in the final standings. He ended up claiming the Rookie-of-the-Year title over Bubba Wallace by virtue of one additional top-10 result. As a result, Suarez became the first Mexican and second Drive for Diversity competitor to achieve a rookie title in any of NASCAR’s three major division series. He also made 13 starts in the NASCAR Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports, where he achieved seven top-five results and 10 top-10 results. He also made four starts in the ARCA Series with Venturini Motorsports, where he recorded one pole, one top-five result and two top-10 results.

    Suarez remained as a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, piloting the No. 19 ARRIS Toyota Camry, and as a part-time competitor in the NASCAR Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2016. In 13 Truck starts, Suarez achieved his first career win at Phoenix Raceway in November and he also achieved one pole, three top-five results and six top-10 results. In the Xfinity Series and paired with crew chief Scott Graves, Suarez recorded 18 top-five results and 26 top-10 results through 32 of the 33-race schedule. By then, he also achieved his first two Xfinity career wins, the first at Michigan International Speedway in June and the second at Dover International Speedway during the inaugural Xfinity Playoffs in October. With his first win at Michigan, he became the first Mexican-born competitor to win within NASCAR’s three major division series. Suarez, ultimately, entered the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November as one of four competitors contending for the championship. During the finale, Suarez led a race-high 133 of 200 laps and went on to beat Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier and teammate Erik Jones in a two-lap shootout to win the finale and the 2016 Xfinity championship. With his accomplishment, Suarez became the first foreign-born/Latin American competitor to win a championship within NASCAR’s three major division series and he recorded the second Xfinity drivers’ title for Joe Gibbs Racing.

    Following the sudden departure of Carl Edwards, Suarez was named a full-time competitor of the No. 19 ARRIS/Stanley Tools/Subway Toyota Camry for JGR for the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season, marking Suarez’s first opportunity in competing in NASCAR’s premier series. Suarez made his Daytona 500 debut in February, where he finished 29th after crashing out in the second half of the season. Three races later, he achieved his first top-10 result in the series by finishing in seventh place at Phoenix in March. He went on to achieve 11 additional top-10 results and a best result of third place at Watkins Glen International in August, where he also won a stage, for the remainder of the season. He also won the Monster Energy Open preliminary race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, where he transferred to his first All-Star Race appearance and went on to finish in 15th place of the 20-car field. When the season concluded, he finished in 20th place in the final standings and he ended up finishing in second place in the Cup Rookie-of-the-Year standings behind Erik Jones. Throughout the 2017 season, Suarez also made 14 starts in the Xfinity Series for JGR, where he achieved five top-five results and eight top-10 results. Following the 2017 season, Suarez surpassed 100 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

    Suarez remained as driver of the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018. Throughout his sophomore season in the Cup Series, he achieved his first career pole position at Pocono Raceway in July and he went on to achieve a career-best second-place result during the main event following a late battle with teammate Kyle Busch. Another bright moment of Suarez’s 2018 Cup season occurred at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, where he won the second stage of the Monster Energy Open preliminary event, transferred to his second consecutive All-Star Race appearance and settled in second place following a late battle with Kevin Harvick. Suarez also achieved a total of 12 top-10 results and he concluded the season in 21st place in the final standings. He also made two Xfinity Series with JGR, where he finished in the top 10 in both races. Following the 2018 season, however, Suarez was released from JGR in favor of Martin Truex Jr.

    A month before the 2019 season started, Suarez was named driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/ARRIS Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series season led by Billy Scott. He started the season on a low note by racking up his third consecutive DNF in the Daytona 500 after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. He rallied the following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway by finishing in 10th place. Four races later and following a three-race stretch of finishing no higher than 13th, he finished 10th at Martinsville before he recorded a strong third-place result at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Suarez achieved nine top-10 results and one pole position. His late consistent surge on the track was not enough, however, to make the 2019 Cup Playoffs after he finished in 11th place in the regular-season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and being beaten by Ryan Newman for the final spot to the Playoffs. It marked the third consecutive season where Suarez failed to make the Cup Playoff field as he has yet to do so. Nonetheless, he went on to achieve two additional top-10 results and finish the season in 17th place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 200 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series. Despite a productive junior season in the Cup circuit, Suarez was released from SHR in favor of Cole Custer.

    A month before the 2020 season started, Suarez joined forces with Gaunt Brothers Racing to drive the 96 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Cup Series season. He started this season on a low note when he crashed out in the second Duel race at Daytona International Speedway in February and failed to make the Daytona 500. His first start with GBR was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the following week, where he finished 30th after encountering mechanical issues at the start of the race. 

    Through 30 starts this season, Suarez has finished no higher than 18th place, which occurred twice at Bristol Motor Speedway in May and at Kansas Speedway in July. His average result is 26.4 and he is ranked in 31st place in the standings. While he has yet to achieve his first Cup Series win, he is set to drive for the newly formed Trackhouse Entertainment Group and in the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in 2021.

    Catch Suarez’s milestone start in the Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course on Sunday, October 11, at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. 

  • Suarez’s Daytona DNQ will not reflect team’s efforts in 2020.

    Suarez’s Daytona DNQ will not reflect team’s efforts in 2020.

    Daniel Suarez still remains one of the most heralded drivers in NASCAR history. He also happens to be one of the more unfortunate ones as well. He lost his ride at Joe Gibbs Racing in favor of Martin Truex Jr., then lost his ride at Stewart-Haas Racing in favor of rookie Cole Custer.

    Both moves were pure business and understandable moves at that, but they weren’t indicative of the talent that Suarez possesses. So when he tangled with Ryan Blaney in his Daytona 500 qualifying race, leading to the first Cup Series DNQ of his career in his first outing with Gaunt Brothers Racing, it was more heartbreaking to see than surprising.

    The deal to race the No. 96 GBR Toyota was a last-minute deal and undoubtedly there were going to be some kinks to iron out. A DNQ was an understood possibility but considering Suarez’s resume, it was only logical to figure that he was going to find a way. But racing is unpredictable sometimes, and as his Toyota sat crumpled up in the Daytona tri-oval, everyone saw just how unpredictable it can be.

    But all things considered, GBR is looking to attempt its first full season in its young history, and they’re looking to grow the team around Suarez’s talents. Leavine Family Racing went from a part-time team to contending for wins with Matt DiBenedetto in their No. 95; it stands to reason that GBR could build their team into a consistent contender with Suarez.

    It also stands to reason that just because Suarez wasn’t cranking out the results his respective JGR/SHR teammates were doesn’t mean he’s untalented. In 2017 he was thrust into the No. 19 following Carl Edwards’s departure from the sport, and although he didn’t score a win he did score one top-five and 12 top-10s – stout numbers for a rookie.

    In 2018, despite scoring a pole, three top-fives, and nine top-10s, he only DNF’d three times as opposed to six the year before. Also, 2018 was something of a down year for any JGR driver not named Kyle Busch; Erik Jones was the only other JGR driver to score a win. In 2019, Suarez’s first year with SHR, he scored a pole, four top-fives, and 11 top-10s, but Kevin Harvick was the only SHR driver to go to Victory Lane out of a four-car team.

    Suarez’s lack of results isn’t from lack of effort, and that much is obvious to see. The GBR organization definitely sees this and wants to build their team around him. GBR has also proven to be a reliable team; in 38 starts this will be only their second DNQ. Otherwise, they’re consistently a top-15 to top-25 team with room to grow.

    This season will be one of growing pains for Suarez and GBR. But in 2002, when Jimmy Spencer DNQ’d for the 500, he turned around and posted some solid results with two top-fives and six top-10s. In 2006, when Scott Riggs DNQ’d for the 500, he ended up with two poles, one top-five, and eight top-10s. In 2007, Brian Vickers DNQ’d 13 times, including the 500, and still posted one top-five, five top-10s, and ended up winning a race and making the Chase for the Cup two years later.

    It’s easy to feel heartbroken for Suarez and admittedly, not every NASCAR champion succeeds in the uppermost levels of the sport. But it is too early to dismiss Suarez and GBR after just one DNQ. They’ll be looking to grow this season, and along with that, they’ll experience some growing pains. But they’re still a great combination to learn and grow together.

  • Daniel Suárez joins Gaunt Brothers Racing

    Daniel Suárez joins Gaunt Brothers Racing

    Driver and Team to Campaign No. 96 Toyota Camry in Full NASCAR Cup Series Schedule with Sponsorship from Coca-Cola and CommScope

    Gaunt Brothers Racing has signed Daniel Suárez to drive its No. 96 Toyota Camry fulltime in the NASCAR Cup Series beginning with the 2020 season.

    It will mark Suárez’s fourth year in the NASCAR Cup Series and a return to the manufacturer with whom the Mexican driver has enjoyed so much NASCAR success.

    “It’s great to be back with Toyota and back in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said the 28-year-old Suárez, who was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico and now calls Huntersville, North Carolina home. “My NASCAR career started off really well and Toyota was a very big part of that. To have them in my corner again gives me a lot of confidence. Gaunt Brothers Racing has something to prove and so do I. We’re committed to each other and we’re going to build each other up.”

    Suárez won the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing-prepared Toyota Camry. His title-winning drive earned him a promotion to Gibbs’ NASCAR Cup Series program where he continued in Toyotas throughout the 2017 and 2018 seasons before joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2019. As the 2020 season is set to get underway, Suárez is happy to be back with the manufacturer who ushered him up the NASCAR ladder and into the elite NASCAR Cup Series.

    “We are pleased that Daniel is rejoining the Toyota family in 2020,” said Ed Laukes, group vice president, marketing, Toyota Motor North America. “He has been a member of the Toyota Racing family throughout the majority of his career and contributed greatly to our shared success, most notably in winning the 2016 Xfinity Series championship. We are excited to see Gaunt Brothers Racing move to a fulltime entry next season and thrilled to have Daniel behind the wheel. We look forward to this new partnership.”

    Just as Suárez knows the possibilities that exist at his new home, Gaunt Brothers Racing realizes the opportunity it now has with an experienced driver coming into his prime.

    “We’ve been working toward this moment since Gaunt Brothers Racing joined the Cup Series in 2017,” said Marty Gaunt, president, Gaunt Brothers Racing. “We’ve made steady improvement every year, but bringing Daniel on board allows us to take a giant leap forward. We’re investing in each other. He’s not content to just be here and neither are we. We’ve been very strategic in everything we’ve done, and between our partnership with Toyota and the resources now available to us, we can take that next step and deliver for Daniel and all of our partners.”

    Dave Winston will serve as Suárez’s crew chief. The NASCAR veteran comes to Gaunt Brothers Racing from Richard Childress Racing where he was vehicle performance group engineer and also the race engineer for driver Daniel Hemric. Winston has served as a crew chief before, spending 2014 at BK Racing with driver Alex Bowman and 2016 at Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing with driver Michael McDowell. Winston has a degree in mechanical engineering from Florida Atlantic University.

    Coca-Cola and CommScope continue their respective partnerships with Suárez at Gaunt Brothers Racing. The iconic Coca-Cola brand has been with Suárez since 2015 when he won the Xfinity Series rookie-of-the-year title. CommScope, a leader in communication network technology, has been with Suárez through its ARRIS and Ruckus Networks brands since 2014 when he first competed in the Xfinity Series.

    “We are excited to continue our partnership with Daniel Suárez and build a new relationship with Gaunt Brothers Racing,” said John Mount, vice president, sports marketing and region assets, Coca-Cola North America. “Daniel is a valuable member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family and he embodies the values most important to Coca-Cola. We’re looking forward to supporting Daniel in this next step of his career at Gaunt Brothers Racing.”

    “CommScope solutions deliver power, speed, precision and innovation – just like a race team – and provide fans with an optimal experience as they watch NASCAR through our video, wireless and broadband technologies,” said Eddie Edwards, president and CEO, CommScope. “We wish Daniel Suárez much success this year and look forward to cheering him on at the finish line.”

    Suárez’s racing career began in 2003 when he competed in go-karts. He is a two-time Mexican national karting champion (2004 and 2008) and twice earned a spot to compete in the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals karting event – 2004 in Spain and 2008 in Italy. In 2008, he joined the mini-stock division – an official support series of the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series. Suárez won 10 races in the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series before coming stateside to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. He kept on winning, scoring three victories in 2013 before transitioning to the Xfinity Series. His championship season in 2016 consisted of three wins, three poles and 19 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes. In winning his first career Xfinity Series race on June 11, 2016, at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Suárez became the first Mexican driver to win a NASCAR national series race.

    Gaunt Brothers Racing traces its roots back to 2010 when it began competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the Canada-based NASCAR Pinty’s Series. Gaunt Brothers Racing won the 2011 Toyota All-Star Showdown with driver Jason Bowles at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway and scored the pole for the 2011 Streets of Toronto 100 with a track-record qualifying time on the city circuit, with Bowles again at the wheel.

    Suárez’s first competitive outing with Gaunt Brothers Racing comes Feb. 9 with Daytona 500 qualifying starting at 12:30 p.m. EST with live coverage on FOX. His lap will determine his starting spot in the Feb. 13 Duel – twin 150-mile heat races that set the rest of the field for the Daytona 500. That event begins at 7 p.m. with live coverage on FS1. Daytona Speedweeks then culminates with the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m. All of these races can also be heard live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90).

    While eligible for the non-points Busch Clash on Feb. 9, Suárez and Gaunt Brothers Racing have opted not to compete in the exhibition race to instead focus attention on their preparation for the Daytona 500.

  • Xtreme Concepts Announces Jeffrey Earnhardt as the Driver for the Fall Racing Schedule with Gaunt Brothers Racing

    Xtreme Concepts Announces Jeffrey Earnhardt as the Driver for the Fall Racing Schedule with Gaunt Brothers Racing

    Mooresville, NC –  Xtreme Concepts has named Jeffrey Earnhardt as the driver of the No. 96 XCI Racing Toyota Camry entry for the remainder of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, excluding Bristol Motor Speedway. Earnhardt drove the No. 96 Toyota Camry at Pocono Raceway in July, and will continue his efforts with the team this weekend at Michigan in the Consumers Energy 400 on Sunday, August 12.

    “I am excited to be partnered with Xtreme Concepts, Nine Line Apparel, iK9 and everyone who has come on board to make this possible,” commented Jeffrey Earnhardt. “We had a solid run at Pocono Raceway with the Gaunt Brothers Racing team, and I am looking forward to growing the relationship with the team and bringing home some good finishes this year.”

    Xtreme Concepts Incorporated (www.xtremeconcepts.com), based in Birmingham, Alabama is worldwide leader in providing turnkey security solutions, special operations training and technology integration to Government agencies, Department of Defense and commercial entities on a global scale. Its sister company, iK9, LLC, is a comprehensive Canine Solutions provider for detection and service dogs, along with professional handler education.

    “We are very pleased to continue our relationship with Jeffrey Earnhardt and have him as our driver for the remainder for the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season,” remarked Xtreme Concepts CEO, Landon Ash. “Jeffrey has shown an unparalleled commitment to improvement on the track, and we are confident we will field a competitive car each week. Off the track, he is an excellent ambassador for the sport through his work and dedication, to our veteran’s and their families.”

    Earnhardt will pilot the No. 96 Xtreme Concepts Toyota Camry for 13 races through the remainder of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season including Michigan International Speedway this weekend, Darlington on September 2, Indy on September 9, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 16, Richmond Raceway on September 22, Charlotte Motor Speedway on September 30, Dover on October 7, Talladega on October 14, Kansas on October 21, Martinsville on October 28, Texas on November 4, Phoenix on November 11 and Homestead on November 18.

    For more information on Xtreme Concepts visit www.xtremeconcepts.com. For up to date information on Gaunt Brothers Racing visit www.gauntbrothersracing.com.