CONCORD, N.C. — Daniel Suárez, the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race, will leave Trackhouse Racing at the end of the 2025 season.
Both Trackhouse and Suárez described their split as a “mutual decision,” which gives him a chance to look for a new team for the next season sooner.
Though Trackhouse has not announced who will take over the No. 99 Chevrolet, Suárez’s exit paves the way for teen star Connor Zilisch to step up into that position. Zilisch currently races in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports and has participated in three Cup races for Trackhouse this season, including one on Saturday night in Atlanta.
Suárez has only two victories in 305 career Cup starts and currently sits in 29th place in the points standings this season. The 33-year-old driver is in his fifth year with Trackhouse Racing and was the team’s first driver when they started in 2021. He has made it to NASCAR’s playoffs twice while with Trackhouse.
“We took a team that nobody knew about in 2021, and within just a few years, we were winning races and competing at the front every week,” Suárez shared on social media. “Just like the changing seasons, sometimes things shift, and we’ve decided to go our separate ways.”
Justin Marks, the founder and owner of Trackhouse, expressed his gratitude towards Suárez for his contributions.
“The role Daniel played in building Trackhouse and its first five years will always be an important part of our history,” Marks stated. “His dedication, work ethic, and commitment to our efforts are some of the most impressive qualities I have seen in my career.”
Trackhouse Racing also has Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen under contract, along with Zilisch as its development driver.
Chastain has six career wins and finished as the runner-up in the 2022 Cup Series, while van Gisbergen secured a win this year and is currently competing in the playoffs.
Suárez, who became a U.S. citizen last year, has three wins in the Xfinity Series and one win in the Truck Series. His championship win in the Xfinity Series in 2016 made him the first foreign-born driver to earn a national series title.
Last month, he celebrated his return to Mexico by winning the Xfinity Series race in Mexico City while driving for JR Motorsports at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
However, Suárez felt the pressure of celebrating his homecoming while dealing with upcoming contract negotiations.
“This isn’t my first time facing this kind of situation. It’s definitely my first time with a race in Mexico, but I’ve been in situations where I needed to win or had contract talks during the season,” Suárez explained. “It can be a distraction. I won’t pretend it doesn’t matter. I’m trying to focus as much as I can and set those thoughts aside so I can perform well on the track.”
In 2026, he will continue his journey with another new team.
Suárez began his Cup career with Joe Gibbs Racing and has also raced for Stewart-Haas Racing and Gaunt Brothers Racing. He scored Cup victories at Sonoma in 2022 and again last year in Atlanta.
