Trackhouse explains decision to drop Daniel Suarez from NASCAR team

Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks has explained the rationale behind the team’s decision to drop Daniel Suarez from its NASCAR Cup Series line-up at the end of the 2025 season.

Suarez has been a mainstay at Trackhouse since its debut in 2021, delivering victories at Sonoma in 2022 and Atlanta in 2024 behind the wheel of the No. 99 Chevrolet.

However, the team announced earlier this week that the Mexican driver would not return for a sixth season, with a replacement to be confirmed at a later date.

Suarez has endured a difficult 2025 campaign so far, recording just a single top-five finish in the opening 19 races. His impending departure leaves his future in the Cup Series uncertain, with limited competitive seats remaining available for 2026.

Speaking on Sunday, Marks emphasised that the decision was not personal and stemmed from the team’s long-term growth strategy.

“As far as results, I don’t know,” Marks said. “Look, Daniel has been a huge part of this company for four and a half years now.

“When we sat down and mapped out our three-year and five-year plans — with the sponsorships and everything we’re trying to accomplish over the next five years — we just got to a point where we felt that relationship had borne a lot of fruit for us, but it was time to move on.

“As the team grows, we have to identify different opportunities. Daniel has been a huge part of this company and a great friend of mine.

“We met last night at the hotel, just the two of us in the lobby for about an hour, and we talked about our time together and everything we’ve achieved. Him and I are in a really good place.

“But this isn’t a sport where you do the same thing forever. As we grow, we felt it was time to wrap up that relationship, help him find his next opportunity, and continue building the future of this company.”