Back in 2024, Daniel Suarez was on the hot seat at Trackhouse Racing. Heading into his final contract year, there were whispers that the Mexican driver might be shown the exit door. But, then, the Atlanta race happened, Suarez pipped Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch in a three-wide photo finish, and bagged an extension until 2025. Yup, fast forward to 2025, and the situation hasn’t changed for the driver of the No. 99 car; rather, he’s now under tremendous pressure to deliver the goods.
Justin Marks and Co. expanded their team, added a third charter. Kiwi sensation Shane van Gisbergen took command of the ride, meanwhile, they also handed Connor Zilisch his big opportunity with JRM in the Xfinity Series. Is it a coincidence, or does Trackhouse keep repeating its mistakes? Only last year, they had two seats and three drivers signed to their roster; we all know how Zane Smith was left high and dry with SVG’s arrival. Now, they do have three charters, but they’ve got four drivers signed to the team.
Zilisch is touted to be the next big superstar driver, and he’s proven that on the racetrack. He won his debut race at Watkins Glen, and this year, he’s already sealed his playoff spot with a victory at COTA. Given how dire things have been for Trackhouse in the Cup Series, changes might be imminent for them. And given the recent announcement of Kyle Busch extending his contract with RCR for a year, the teams are now left with limited options to change their lineups.
With Kyle Busch and William Byron off the board, the other driver whose contract is up this year that hasn’t been announced for 2026 would be Denny Hamlin, who I would expect to remain at JGR. … Daniel Suarez is among the others still with undetermined 2026 plans. https://t.co/XcNgZrobBa
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 24, 2025
“With Kyle Busch and William Byron off the board, the other driver whose contract is up this year that hasn’t been announced for 2026 would be Denny Hamlin, who I would expect to remain at JGR. … Daniel Suarez is among the others still with undetermined 2026 plans.” This was the update shared by Bob Pockrass on X, and next thing you know, fans started to make their prediction on what the Trackhouse Racing lineup would look like without Suarez in the mix.
Is Connor Zilisch a better alternative than Daniel Suarez?
Now, Suarez is a proven winner in comparison to SVG, right? So, if push came to shove, why would the Kiwi driver be favored over the Mexican? And the simple answer to this question is that SVG is a road course ringer. His debut win at Chicago in 2023 put him on the map, and he came through with multiple road course wins with Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series. He is likely to win one of the road course races this year and seal his spot in the playoffs. ” My main idea is SVG on road courses for owners points, Zilich on ovals to prepare him for a full season in his own car,” a fan commented on Reddit.
Time is indeed ticking for Suarez, he is 27th in points after 12 races, and he hasn’t been consistent throughout the race. Had it not been for that runner-up finish at Vegas, he would’ve been further down the pecking order. Zane Smith, who was ousted from the team, is doing better and is 22nd in the points standings. Ross Chastain isn’t a concern; he somehow manages to find speed, but with Zilisch climbing the ranks, Suarez becomes the odd man out. “Let’s be real man, how long are we gonna wait for Suarez to show up? He’s 27th in points, there’s no reason to keep a great prospect held back for that, a fan wrote.”
Some believed that Suarez’s exit might not be imminent as of 2026, but they also didn’t see Zilisch being rushed into a Cup car. There’s no doubting his talents, but a partial run or a streak of races under his belt will only do him good. “As mid as Suarez is, i think he might get a 1 year deal, zilly and svg split the 88 next year, and suarez gets the boot if he doesn’t show up.”
But a move out of Trackhouse Racing isn’t going to be the end for Daniel Suarez. He has the support of sponsors like Freeway Insurance, and mid-pack teams like Kaulig Racing could be his next destination. But one single move leads to a domino effect in terms of the driver lineup inside the entire Cup Series garage. And in case the No. 99 car has a new driver, this is how the rest of the pieces will fall into place. “Zilisch gets promoted to the 99. Suarez takes his money and goes to Kaulig (maybe the 10, or a third car if they keep Ty) LMC gets their third car and hires Corey Heim, who will likely drive one year there before going to 23XI. Yeah, that’s about it this year in cup.”
What are your thoughts on this silly season prediction, and will Trackhouse Racing opt to boot Daniel Suarez from his seat?
The post Fans Take the Red Pill on Latino Cup Star as Calls Mount to Make Way for Dale Jr.’s Prodigy appeared first on EssentiallySports.
