Driver of No. 51 encouraged by career-best finish in series
In just six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Drive 4 Diversity graduate Daniel Suarez is getting the hang of it, and it shows after the Mexican-born driver finished second — Suarez’s best finish in the series — in the Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway on Friday.
From wheeling winning cars in the K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Toyota Series, Suarez has balanced driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in the XFINITY Series and piloting the No. 19 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series with grace.
“The whole 2015 so far has been a big difference from my 2014 — what I was racing in in Mexico and some K&N races — definitely a big step, a big, big difference,” Suarez said after his second-place finish at Dover. “Racing with Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports it’s just a great opportunity and I’m very lucky because to have fast race cars every weekend is just great. I feel like we have a shot every single weekend, I feel like I’m learning a lot every single weekend … Kyle has been on our side a lot helping us as well. Everyone in Joe Gibbs Racing. I just feel like we’re getting closer and closer (to a win).”
But with Dover being such a physically demanding track and the KBM driver having never raced there before in a truck, Suarez was able to lean on team owner Kyle Busch — a 42-time Truck Series winner — for track knowledge and advice.
“Most of the race tracks that we’ve been to this year, I’ve never been to before,” Suarez said. “… It’s just a little bit difficult to get onto the race track when you have no idea what’s going on, what to expect with a new race car, with a new race track … Kyle (Busch) has been very helpful to me, to give me advice, what to expect, how I need to be to be strong in the race, not just in practice.”
While Busch’s guidance has been helpful, Suarez discusses how his confidence has grown in just the first few months of the 2015 season.
“I’ve been very surprised how competitive we’ve been in the last couple months in both series. To be honest, I feel different from February to right now. I feel much different. I have more confidence. I know a little bit more. … And on both sides we are competitive. Hopefully, we can get a little more luck soon and maybe finish in Victory Lane.”
In six Truck starts, Suarez has only finished outside the top 10 once (15th at Talladega). The No. 51 Toyota driver will take the track next on Saturday, Aug. 1 for the Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway.