The 2025 NASCAR season is officially underway, and all eyes are on Trackhouse Racing. In just a few short years since they started in 2021, the team has shown a ton of promise. They brought in Ross Chastain in 2022 and made their first Championship Four appearance, just missing out on the championship with Chastain finishing second. But after that, it feels like the team’s momentum has slowed down a bit, and Trackhouse #99 Daniel Suarez agrees.
Last year was a tough one for Chastain. For the first time in his three seasons with Trackhouse, he didn’t make it to the playoffs. With just two drivers, it was all on Daniel Suárez to carry the load. He delivered, but not quite to the level the team was hoping for. Suárez finished 12th, while Chastain ended up 19th. This season, though, Trackhouse has expanded and made some key adjustments, and Suarez is feeling pretty optimistic about a comeback!
Daniel Suarez on Trackhouse bouncing back in 2025!
Looking back, 2022 was a huge year for the new “Next Gen” car. It leveled the playing field for the teams, and Trackhouse Racing used it to its advantage, keeping up with NASCAR giants like Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, and Joe Gibbs Racing. But after that, things started to slow down a bit. Chastain made the playoffs in 2023 but finished 9th. Suarez didn’t get a win and ended up 19th. For the 2024 season, crew chief Matt Swiderski was appointed for the #99 team and Suarez broke his winless streak in 2024 at Atlanta. The Mexican claims he learned a lot from his crew chief, and is looking to implement these changes in 2025, as a team.
In a recent interview with Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Daniel Suárez shared, “He’s [Matt Swiderski] for sure one of the smartest guys I ever worked with. The guy is very very good… I really like his style of doing things… We really learned a lot. A lot of things that he told me we needed to work on that I didn’t even know they were problems. So, I am very excited in the way we’re making progress not just in the 99, but in the whole company and Trackhouse. And I hope we can continue to see the progress of the work that we have put into this 2025 (season).”
Daniel Suarez said he learned a lot from crew chief Matt Swiderski last year and gives his view on the state of Trackhouse as it enters its fifth Cup season. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/SV8RPhV8eJ
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 6, 2025
Suarez admitted the growth that Trackhouse had shown early on seemed to be fading. However, he is ready for a rebound. “Since 2022, our performance has declined little bit every year. And I believe the 99 got little better internally in 2024… I believe we still need speed, we still need to be faster. Those are some of the things we have to work as a company to continue to be better because we knew if we continue to do exactly the same things we were continue to get the same results and we need to do something little bit different. I’m very confident that we are heading in the right direction in the way that we are structuring things internally and hopefully that can be reflected on track,” Suarez added.
And there’s good reason for optimism. Trackhouse Racing is starting the season strong with a three-driver lineup, adding Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) to the roster. The Kiwi had a fantastic debut Xfinity season with three wins, 7 top-5 finishes, and a 12th-place finish overall. Trackhouse owner Justin Marks, along with the NASCAR community, was stunned, leading to SVG’s promotion to the Cup Series. 2025 marks his full-time Cup debut, and let’s not forget—he won his first-ever Cup race at Chicago Street in 2023! So he’s got some serious talent.
However, there’s a downside to all these rapid changes at Trackhouse, and it might actually put Suárez in a tough spot.
Daniel Suarez is not growing at Trackhouse pace
After his win at Atlanta in 2024, Suárez’s season kind of fizzled out. He only managed 4 top-5 finishes and, unfortunately, hasn’t won much since joining Trackhouse—just two victories in total. With 2025 marking his 9th season in the Cup Series, Marks might be looking for more from Suárez, especially with the team’s high expectations. To make matters more tense, Trackhouse only signed Suárez to a one-year contract extension last year. If he doesn’t bring something extraordinary to the table this season, it could be his last with the team.
Daniel Suarez
The pressure on Suárez is only growing, with SVG joining the team. Sure, SVG might be a rookie in the Cup Series, but he’s a three-time Supercars champion, bringing a lot of experience with him. If he picks up a few wins this season, and if Chastain bounces back to his previous form, Marks could decide to make a change. And there might be someone perfect to replace Suárez.
Trackhouse Racing also has rising star Connor Zilisch on their roster. The young gun is making his Xfinity Series debut in 2025, and his 2024 performance already shows he’s got what it takes. Zilisch won the Xfinity race at Watkins Glen in his debut, becoming the first driver to win in their first-ever Xfinity race from the pole. And he finished thrice in the top-5 in his four starts of the season. If he continues that momentum, who knows? A championship might even be in the cards. Marks might be eyeing him as a future Cup Series contender, and Zilisch could find himself in the #99 car sooner than we think.
So, things could get tricky for Suárez in 2025. How do you think Trackhouse Racing will perform this season? And what’s your take on Daniel Suárez’s future with the team? Let us know in the comments below!
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