Despite a shaky start that nearly saw him relegated to the back of the pack due to engine troubles, Daniel Suarez finished a solid P3 place in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Speedway. Before the race, the Trackhouse Racing team quickly addressed an issue with a component of Suarez’s #99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1’s engine, making repairs that NASCAR approved.
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Starting from the 23rd position, Suarez wrapped up Stage 1 in 20th but surged twelve spots to finish Stage 2 in 8th place. Although no longer in contention for the playoffs, Suarez showed his mettle by seizing the lead after a strategic late pit stop placed Bell, cruising in his Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, a full 30 seconds back.
Nevertheless, it was Joey Logano who, in the final five laps, overtook Suarez to claim his fourth career victory at the track. As the final lap unfolded, Bell surged ahead to snatch second place, leaving Suarez in a respectable third.
In his post-race interview, Suarez shared his disappointment, saying, “It’s a little heartbreaking. We had a great #99 Chevy. I think we could have won it. We just needed the bottom lane. A couple of cars right there, they were stuck on the bottom and I was in very dirty air. [Joey Logano] was a little faster than us right there at the end. I felt like if I had the bottom, Joey wasn’t going to be able to pass me, but you never know.”
Yet delighted with his team’s tactical strategy, Suarez shared his enthusiasm on X, posting: “Close one! P3 in Vegas. Great strategy from our team, really proud of everyone’s hard work this weekend! Let’s keep pushing! @tootsiesnet”
Fans quickly showered him with praise; one wrote, “All love, amigo ❤️.” Another chimed in, “Great race carrnal!! I was definitely on the edge of my sit the last 20 laps, keep up the great work and we’ll see a big W soon. Always rooting for the 99 team!!” Meanwhile, a succinct fan remarked, “Good run. Almost had it. Keep it up.” One more fan said, “Great race and strategy! Let’s keep the momentum up!”
Close one! P3 in Vegas. Great strategy from our team, really proud of everyone’s hard work this weekend! Let’s keep pushing! 👊🏽 @tootsiesnet pic.twitter.com/25nCZFMuCk
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG) October 20, 2024
Previewing Suarez’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 race
Despite bowing out of playoff contention last week with finishes of P13, P26, and P30 at Kansas, Talladega, and Charlotte Roval respectively, in the Round of 12 Suarez is currently positioned at P12 in the driver standings. While this ranking won’t secure him a championship this year, his recent performance improvements could propel him into a stronger upcoming season.
The next NASCAR event, the Straight Talk Wireless 400, is on deck at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Suarez’s track record there shows an average finish of 21.4 across seven starts, including a top-10 finish. His best performance was in 2022 when he climbed from P23 to finish P10.
Last year, Suarez ended the race in P16 after starting in P14. Although Homestead-Miami hasn’t always been his best venue, carrying forward his recent momentum from Las Vegas might just be the catalyst he needs to shake things up and score a more favorable outcome.
