3 Reasons to Watch Daniel Suárez in 2021
By: David Lee
Tags: NASCAR, Sports, Racing, STEM, Motorsport

1. Daniel Suárez is a good driver.

Because of a forgettable 2020 season with Gaunt Brothers Racing, it became easy to label Suárez as just another back-of-the-pack driver. After all, ending the season 31st in points with an average finishing position of 26.6 and not a single Top 10 finish is nothing to get excited about. As fans, we were frustrated that he wasn’t in better equipment. So before we forget, let’s compare his previous performance with his bleh 2020 year:

In 2019 with Stewart-Haas Racing, he finished 17th in points with an average finishing position of 16.4, and had four Top 5 finishes and eleven Top 10 finishes.

In 2018 with Joe Gibbs Racing, he finished 21st in points with an average finishing position of 18.5, and had three Top 5 finishes and nine Top 10 finishes.

In 2017 again with Joe Gibbs Racing, he finished 20th in points with an average finishing position of 16.2, and had one Top 5 finish and twelve Top 10 finishes.

Don’t forget that before moving up to the Cup Series, Suárez was the 2016 Xfinity Series Champion, still with JGR. That season, he had an average finish of 8.0 with three wins, nineteen Top 5 finishes and twenty-seven Top 10 finishes.

All stats courtesy of racing-reference.info.

So as we can see, with the right equipment, we know Suárez can produce results and is a much better driver than what his 2020 numbers would have us to believe. Which leads me to my next point…

2. Trackhouse Racing Team will be Suárez’s ticket back into the Top 10.

A driver moving to a new team is exciting. When that team is literally a new team, it’s even more exciting because it opens up a huge box of opportunities. And while there’s still a lot of unanswered questions, I am confident that Suárez will be successful in a Trackhouse ride.

Trackhouse wants to be different. And they’re not shy about it. Owner Justin Marks, a successful entrepreneur and race car driver himself, confidently stated on Twitter that there isn’t just one business model when it comes to NASCAR. There are many ways to do it wrong, but I believe Marks and the rest of Trackhouse leadership will do it right.

They are not afraid to be disruptive and shake things up. They embrace strategic change, which is desperately needed in NASCAR, especially to attract and retain new generations of fans. Their innovative mindset and drive to win, along with their alliance with Richard Childress Racing, is a recipe for success. Don’t forget that they also brought on industry veteran Ty Norris and his wealth of knowledge and experience to serve as President of Operations.

With leadership’s combined business acumen, resources and connections within the industry, Trackhouse and the sponsors they can attract should be able to fund a playoff contender car.

3. Suárez and Trackhouse are racing for more than just trophies.

Culture is important part of any organization, whether it’s a racing team or a large corporation. Why do businesses spend a lot of money to measure and boost employee engagement? Because a great culture attracts and retains the best talent, which leads to success. It’s why Team Penske has their drivers participate in the popular and silly Penske Games video series. On one hand, it’s a great marketing tool. But they also understand that a great culture will translate to wins on the racetrack.

It’s also easier to buy in to an organization’s culture when there’s a shared vision to believe in and rally around. Yes, everyone at Trackhouse obviously wants to win races. But they’re racing for an even bigger purpose and that’s to be an advocate for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in low income and minority communities throughout the U.S.

Seriously, how cool is that? And I’m not just saying that because my wife is a teacher…

Wins on the racetrack are great. But giving kids a brighter future and helping them realize their potential is even greater. Through this initiative, Trackhouse wants to work with schools and other youth organizations to expose underrepresented students to STEM careers and provide a plan for them to pursue their dreams.

STEM education and NASCAR at first may seem like an odd pairing. But what we forget is so much of the behind-the-scenes work of a racing team is filled with STEM opportunities. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are all required to get a race car to victory lane. To me, this charitable commitment to low income, minority students is perhaps the best reason to root for Suárez and Trackhouse in the upcoming year. Education, innovation and diversity are not just important for the future of NASCAR, but for the future of our entire world.