A 2015 rewind and a 2016 preview for the top five finishers last season in the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. Today: Daniel Suarez, the fifth-place finisher in the XFNITY Series standings.
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota (drove the No. 18 Toyota in 2015)
RELATED: Suarez gets new number for 2016
Strides: Few drivers come into the series with such high expectations. But the young Suarez — who turns 24 on Jan. 7 — certainly made good on the promise outlook winning the 2015 XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year title — the first Mexican-born driver to ever earn the prestigious award. He earned three poles as part of seven front-row starts and collected eight top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.
Setbacks: It took seven races to score his first top-five but a runner-up showing at the notoriously tough Bristol Motor Speedway went a long way toward establishing confidence and verifying his full-time move to one of NASCAR’s major series. He said he considered his improved second half of the season a better indicator of where things stand for the team. Suarez ended up averaging an 11.7 place finish on the season and should be a title contender in 2016 with a full year of competition under his belt.
Quoteworthy: “We have the speed and so many of the things we have to put in the right place. But something very important to me is the speed and we have that. If we can put ourselves in the right position to be patient, be strong and be consistent we will put ourselves in position (for the championship). If we are just a little bit better next year I feel we will have a shot.”
What’s next: Suarez should be used to high expectations, but in 2016 he will need to deliver after a rookie campaign in the XFINITY Series. He is in an envious position returning to the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing — a championship-level team highly-touted for having some of the best young emerging talent such as Suarez.