Considered to be one of the underdogs among the playoff drivers, Daniel Suarez started off his round of 16 run with a strong P2 finish at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. It’s the same track where the Mexican-born driver won in a photo finish in the second Cup Series race of the season. The Trackhouse Racing star currently sits in ninth place on the table, 22 points ahead of the cutline. A win would have taken him straight into the round of 12 and maybe that’s why he felt that the result was unsatisfactory.
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Suarez was in a good position to win the race on the final restart. It was an all-out fight between Team Penske and Trackhouse at that moment as Joey Logano was pushed by Austin Cindric and Suarez was being pushed by Ross Chastain. Ultimately, the Fords were able to stick together longer and the #22 of Logano took the checkered flag. Finishing P2 can sometimes be quite disappointing for a driver and this was just one of those moments for the driver of the #99 car. He had a shot at winning but just came up short.
This one hurt! 💔
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG) September 8, 2024
“It’s a little painful. I feel like we were in position and sometimes it’s very difficult to predict who is going to get the best push and for how long you’re going to get it, but it’s part of the game, right? We were in contention. The team did an amazing job. We’re happy with [the result], but not satisfied,” Suarez said after the race.
It was a good day for Team Penske overall as the reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney finished P3 and Austin Cindric finished P10. All three Penske drivers are in the playoffs this season and this strong start to the round of 16 will certainly help their momentum going into the Watkins Glen race.
Trackhouse Racing star’s incredible Atlanta record
Suarez’s record at Atlanta is truly incredible. Ever since the track reconfiguration, he has taken part in six Atlanta races and earned one win, four top-five, and five top-10 finishes. The Trackhouse Racing star gave NASCAR a moment for the history books in the previous Atlanta race this season as he won a three-wide photo finish. It was certainly a special moment for the driver and the sport.
“It’s special. Today we saw it in the morning, and I have seen it several times. People have been talking about it. It was a great finish and it’s something that people are going to be talking about for a very long time and it’s in the history books. I’m just happy that I’m the one who won it,” he had said before the race.
The focus will now be on Watkins Glen where Suarez has earned three top-five finishes in six starts. It will be interesting to see how the #99 driver approaches the upcoming races after a strong start to his playoff campaign.
