Daniel Suarez was the first driver Justin Marks signed when he set the ball rolling to create Trackhouse Racing. The freshly ordained U.S. citizen has done his part in making the team a formidable force in the Cup Series. However, his time in the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro might be coming to an end, with Connor Zilisch waiting in the wings to replace him.
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The latest Cup Series race in the Circuit of the Americas encased a forgettable performance from Suarez. At the beginning of the third and final stage, he collided with the inside barrier and got into Zilisch’s path. Both drivers had to retire because of the damage to their cars. Fans haven’t been thrilled with Suarez since Zilisch was on his way to a decent finish in his debut.
He was one of the fastest cars in Stage 2 and broke into the top 15, climbing up the ladder after a mishap in Lap 1 that put him outside the top 30. His excellent comeback was derailed by the mistake that Suarez made. In light of this, speculations that Zilisch might replace Suarez as a full-time driver with Trackhouse Racing have caught fire.
A thread began on X with a fan writing, “As a Suarez fan I’ve fully accepted he’s getting fired after this year.” A response came, “The writing is on the wall for sure.” Marks reiterated last year that Suarez was a key part of his plans for Trackhouse Racing. But how much longer can mediocrity on the race track be tolerated?
Another fan, who was clearly impressed with Zilisch, said, “Definitely trending that way! Especially with ‘sliced bread 2.0’ Connor !! On the roster! He’s gon win a lot of races soon.” Pitbull was the glue that kept Suarez and Trackhouse Racing together all this time. Now that the musician is no longer a part of the ownership group, it spells more trouble.
One fan made the observation, “Now that Pitbull is out, it’s only a matter of time.” A fan lamented, “Still a long season, but yeah, this isn’t a promising start.” The 33-year-old still has a lot of time to turn things around. But he is not in the spot that he was last year when he won a race in the second week of the season.
Did Zilisch blame Suarez for derailing his debut race?
Zilisch got to COTA with the understanding that he must not pick fights with his seniors on the race track. He wanted to avoid aggressive displays and keep it all clean. And so, he did not point any fingers at Suarez either. He told the press about the biggest lesson he learned: “How to race against veterans. These guys are all really smart and very calculated.”
“Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to come back and do this again. I had an absolute blast driving through the field, and I wish it didn’t end early.” He thoroughly refrained from faulting any other driver for the way his day ended.
Considering the impressive race he put together till the wreck, it won’t be long before he is offered another chance to drive in the Cup Series. Suarez, in the meanwhile, will need to pick his performances up to keep Zilisch at bay and protect his seat.
