Daniel Suarez set to make Nationwide Series debut this weekend

After having success in both the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the NASCAR Mexico Series, Daniel Suarez will make his Nationwide Series debut this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 20 Silent Circel-Telcel Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“I’m really thankful to Silent Circle-Telcel, Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing for this opportunity,” he commented. “I’m really happy for opportunity. I’m really grateful for this opportunity to run here as I feel this is a good race track to start with.”

Saurez says the opportunity came about as a result of conversations between himself, Joe Gibbs Racing and his sponsors.

“Telcel has been supporting me since I was 17 years old,” he explained. “I had the luck that they helped me in the NASCAR world. They’ve supported me all these years – five years – and I feel lucky to have their support. Silent Circle came to us the end of last year – Joe Gibbs and I – to do some plans in something in the Nationwide Series.

“This race came to me almost like a surprise. It wasn’t the plan a month ago, but just an option. Just to be able to do my debut with Joe Gibbs Racing is great as they’re one of the top teams at this level. I feel grateful to have the opportunity in this racing level so looking forward to doing something well tomorrow.”

Suarez added that they’ve discussed future races for the second half of the year, but there’s nothing set in stone yet.

“I think we have been working and trying to do races, step by step, one at a time, and this race came as a surprise,” he said. “It’s great to be here where we are right now.”

The opportunity for Suarez will bring forth a busy weekend for the Mexican native as he will run both the K&N Pro Series East and Nationwide Series race on Friday, before heading to Mexico to run there on Sunday.

“It will be a challenge for me,” Suarez said. “It’s my first time that I’m going to do two races together (in one day) so I think it will be a good experience for me. Besides that, one of those races in the Nationwide Series so I’m really happy and grateful for the opportunity. I have confidence. I don’t know my expectations yet because I don’t know the track or the car 100% so I don’t know. We’ll see after the second practice and see how it goes.”

Going into the race, Suarez has the challenge of getting to know the No. 20 race team as they didn’t have time to do a test and learn how to communicate together. Suarez says that he’s spent a lot of time in the shop with the team and has been learning a lot leading to this weekend.

“I have no experience with this car, so I’ve been in the shop watching videos, talking with my crew chief,” he commented. “I feel like my communication has already started to get better. We are going to learn fast and get better so we’ll see how it goes after practice.”