Not a single day in NASCAR goes without drama, be it on the track or off the track. As the driver of the No. 99 Chevrolet, Daniel Suárez delivered both of his Cup Series victories under the Trackhouse banner. Starting with his breakthrough win at Sonoma in 2022 and capped by that three-wide photo finish at Atlanta last season. Making his impending departure at year’s end all the more significant for one of NASCAR’s fastest-growing organizations. Currently sitting 29th in the Cup Series standings at the halfway mark of the campaign.

In a team that has quickly evolved from a single-car outfit to a three-chartered powerhouse, fielding cars for Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen alongside Suárez since its inception in 2021. Suárez joined Justin Marks’s venture as its founding driver in the Cup Series. Steering Trackhouse’s inaugural entry in 2021 and helping establish a winning culture almost immediately.

Suárez’s successes, two Cup wins and consistent top-10 runs, were integral to that growth. “The role Daniel has played in the Trackhouse origin story and its first five years will remain a valued part of the company’s history forever,” Marks reflected in a statement. Praising Suárez’s commitment, work ethic, and emergence as both a competitor and a brand ambassador.

Beyond the checkered flags, Suárez also stands as the only Mexican-born driver to win a national series championship in NASCAR history. With his departure confirmed for the end of the 2025 season, Trackhouse now faces the task of filling the No. 99 seat. A role that helped elevate Suárez’s profile and underscored the team’s rapid emergence on the Cup circuit. As Suárez’s partnership with Trackhouse winds down, let’s hear what he has to say about parting ways with the organization.

Suárez opens up about fading chemistry at Trackhouse

When Daniel Suárez first addressed his exit in Chicago, the relief was palpable. “For me, it was mainly a lot of relief because I have known for several months that it was gonna happen and it’s just like everything in life,” he admitted. Noting that the mutual decision wasn’t a sudden shock but a long-anticipated evolution in his career. His candidness underscored that the departure was not born of acrimony but of a natural shift. “Things change, people change, and companies change, and that’s okay,” he explained, framing the split as part of life’s cycles rather than a fiery breakup.

Daniel Suarez on his tenure at Trackhouse ending after this year: “It was just a matter of time to end this chapter.” … Also on whether he feels he will be in Cup next year and if he can bring sponsorship to a team. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/VtQ105LXSL

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 5, 2025

Yet it was his six-word summation. “There just wasn’t really love anymore,” which truly captured the heart of the matter. That poignant line laid bare the emotional undercurrent behind the scenes. Signaling a fading chemistry between driver and team after half a decade of highs and lows. A partnership that once bristled with potential had quietly run its course, making room for fresh dynamics and new opportunities.

The roots of this fading chemistry can be traced to changes within the team. Earlier in the 2025 season, Suarez’s crew chief, Travis Mack, was replaced by Matt Swiderski, who noted organizational issues that needed addressing. Suarez, who had thrived under Mack’s leadership, found the transition challenging. Suárez said he had been “very vocal” about organizational issues that needed addressing, reflecting a shared sentiment among team members that “more people were seeing it.” While neither Suárez nor Trackhouse detailed every concern, the implication was clear. When communication and vision diverge, even championship-caliber operations can reach an impasse.

Despite the undercurrent of change, Suárez was quick to dispel any notions of ill will. “Nothing wrong with that. And, you know, there are no hard feelings at all,” he insisted. Emphasizing gratitude for the “I love the 99 team. It is probably one of the best teams I ever had. And I’m going to miss that group so much. That group is very special to me. But like I said, it’s a cycle, and that cycle slowly is coming to an end,” shared and respected for the 99 team. That gracious exit laid the foundation for an amicable split, one that allows both driver and organization to pursue their next chapters without bitterness.

The frontrunner to take the No. 99 reins

Trackhouse’s development pipeline points squarely at 19-year-old Connor Zilisch. Already the organization’s most prominent prospect. As the natural successor to Daniel Suárez’s No. 99 Chevrolet. With larger teams’ lineups locked in for 2026, the only realistic path for Zilisch to secure Cup Series seat time is by stepping up to full-time duty with the very team that has nurtured his growth since signing him as a development driver. While some pundits caution that the leap from Xfinity to Cup is steep, just ask Ty Gibbs; Zilisch’s track record suggests he’s up to the challenge.

In just his second Xfinity start at Watkins Glen last year, Zilisch surprised the field by taking the victory, demonstrating poise on one of NASCAR’s most technical layouts. This season, he’s already notched two more Xfinity wins and parlayed three Cup starts into an 11th-place finish in Atlanta. Keeping his No. 87 Chevrolet clean and competitive among seasoned veterans. Those results underline why Trackhouse regards him as the “long-term plan,” even as skeptics debate whether another year of seasoning in Xfinity would better prepare him for the Cup grind.

But Trackhouse’s motto could very well be “Why wait?” The organization is primed for sustained success. And guarded by veteran charter carriers like Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen. Promoting Zilisch now would preserve continuity in engineering philosophies, pit crews, and sponsor relationships. In essence, fast-tracking Zilisch to the No. 99 seat represents both a reward for his rapid development and a clear statement of Trackhouse’s commitment to homegrown talent.