Back in 2023, Shane van Gisbergen burst onto the NASCAR scene with a jaw-dropping debut at the Chicago Street Race. But after a year of racing in the Xfinity Series and now as a Rookie Cup, he has found himself cornered in the silly season drama. His 2025 season has been a rollercoaster: In 13 races, his average finish is a lackluster 25.846, with a single top 1o that came at COTA. Sure, Trackhouse Racing was in a slump for a while, but with teammate Ross Chastain bagging his first crown jewel win last Sunday, the spotlight next turns to SVG and Daniel Suarez.

Making things complex for the two drivers is the added pressure of rising star Connor Zilisch, who is touted to bag a Cup ride soon. If push came to shove, who among Suarez or SVG could take the exit door? Now that is a tricky choice to make, with the Mexican driver standing on his couple of wins, while SVG is likely to park his car in the victory lane on the road course races. However, it appears that Spider from Barstool Sports has inside information that might put the Kiwi driver on the bitter end of things.

The Rubbin’ Is Racing podcast just turned up the heat on Trackhouse Racing’s driver lineup. Hosts Large and Spider got into a discussion about who’s on the hot seat, with Large kicking things off by saying, “Daniel Suarez had his 300th start. He finished 36, took out Blaney and Larson with him. We’re at that halfway point in the regular season. We could start talking about hot seats. Is Daniel Suarez in the hottest seat in NASCAR right now?” A very valid question, as Suarez’s 300th start at the Coca-Cola 600 was a disaster, and making things more dicey is that he is in his contract year; he signed a one-year extension last year.

His 2025 stats aren’t much of a help either. With an average finish of 22.077 across 13 races, no wins, and just three top-10s, his best being the runner-up at Las Vegas, fans have been worried about Suarez, but Spider had a different take that caught everyone off guard. Spider pushed back, saying, “I spoke to him [Suarez] briefly about his season, where his head’s at, looking forward to Mexico City, as well as Julia, who, Julia Piquet, forgive me if I’m botching that pronunciation, won the better half dash this year. So, it was cool getting her take on that, and she’s a driver just like her husband, Daniel is. So, they were great. I’m pulling for them. I think honestly, and I go back to what I kind of shared a couple of weeks ago when I asked this question to someone in the industry. They said SVG might be the first to go at Trackhouse.”

This paints a picture of Suarez as a valuable asset off the track—his promo work for Chicago and Mexico City shows his marketability, especially with NASCAR’s push into Mexico. Suarez’s 2016 Xfinity Series championship and his role in engaging Latino fans make him a key player for Trackhouse; Especially as the team looks to expand its global reach. He still has the support of Freeway Insurance, so sponsorship is also not a concern for him.

Spider ended it all by saying, “So that’s the way I lean. I typically tend to trust people super involved in the sport more so than myself, who just scrubs messaging boards and is deep in NASCAR Twitter. And I think if Mexico City is going to be a thing for more than just one year, I think Suarez is a guy that’s instrumental in those efforts. So, I would love to see him remain at Trackhouse. Nothing against SVG. Large, everyone that listens to the show knows how you feel about him, but me personally, I like the guy. I like him and I hope he sticks around.”

Perhaps the best route forward is to give the two drivers a year each. Forcing Zilisch into a Cup ride might not be the best thing. They did the same with Zane Smith, and that move backfired. Therefore, the higher-ups at Trackhouse Racing will need to ensure they avoid making the same mistakes when they make these difficult decisions at the end of 2025.

Mexico City showdown: Daniel Suarez shines while SVG sits out!

The Rubbin’ Is Racing rumor about SVG’s potential exit ties right into a big moment for Daniel Suarez that’s got fans excited! On June 15, Suarez will make history at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, competing in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series races on a single weekend.

It’s a homecoming for the 2016 Xfinity champ, who’ll drive the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity race, sponsored by Quaker State, before hopping into his No. 99 Trackhouse Chevrolet for the Cup event the next day. Suarez’s double duty is igniting excitement among Mexican fans, and his role in promoting NASCAR’s return to Mexico has solidified his importance to Trackhouse, especially as the series looks to make this an annual event.

Adding fuel to the rumor fire, SVG has been shockingly replaced by Suarez for this Mexico City showdown, a move that’s raised eyebrows. “NASCAR is a very important sport for Mexico, and it continues to grow with the NASCAR Mexico Series and now the Cup and Xfinity Series going there. It’s going to be a big deal,” Suarez said earlier. However, SVG is the road course ringer, and last year we saw him pull out the double-duty at Chicago. So, if there was one place where the Kiwi driver would want to gain his confidence back, it was potentially at this track. But the star appeal of Suarez and his homecoming story seems to tilt the scales in his favor.

The decision to bench SVG for Suarez in Mexico City has fans wondering if this is a sign of things to come, especially with insiders hinting at SVG’s potential exit by season’s end. As Trackhouse navigates its driver lineup, Suarez’s emphatic return in Mexico might just be the boost he needs to secure his spot, while SVG’s future hangs in the balance.