Daniel Suarez Rejects 'Revenge Tour' Narrative Against Former Team Trackhouse

The NASCAR driver says his focus is on his own performance, not beating his old team.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, geometric painting depicting a NASCAR race scene broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color, with the car and driver abstracted into angular, cubist shapes.Suarez's focus on self-improvement over revenge against his former team is reflected in this cubist interpretation of a NASCAR race.Sonoma Today

Daniel Suarez, who spent five years driving for Trackhouse Racing before being replaced by a rookie in 2026, has rejected the notion that he is on a 'revenge tour' against his former team. Suarez, now driving for Spire Motorsports, says his only competition is with himself and that he doesn't care about beating Trackhouse. The Mexican driver credits his early success this season to the strong execution of the Spire team, citing factors like car speed, adjustments, and communication.

Why it matters

Suarez's comments provide an interesting perspective on driver motivations and the dynamics between teams in NASCAR. While many may assume Suarez is out to prove a point against Trackhouse, he is instead focused on his own performance and development with his new team. This mindset could serve him well as he aims to make the NASCAR playoffs.

The details

After five seasons with Trackhouse Racing, where he earned two Cup Series victories, Suarez was replaced by rookie Connor Zilisch for the 2026 season. This led to speculation that Suarez would be looking to exact 'revenge' against his former team. However, Suarez has rejected this narrative, stating that his only competition is with himself and that he doesn't care about beating Trackhouse. Suarez credits his early success this season, which has him sitting 16th in the standings, to the strong execution of the Spire Motorsports team. He highlighted factors like the car's speed, the team's adjustments from practice to qualifying to the race, and their communication as key reasons for his performance.

  • In 2022, Suarez and Trackhouse Racing earned their first-ever Cup Series win together at Sonoma Raceway.
  • Last year, Suarez won the Xfinity Series race in Mexico City in dramatic fashion in front of his home crowd.
  • Suarez was replaced by rookie Connor Zilisch at Trackhouse Racing for the 2026 season.

The players

Daniel Suarez

A Mexican NASCAR driver who spent five seasons driving for Trackhouse Racing before joining Spire Motorsports for the 2026 season.

Trackhouse Racing

A NASCAR Cup Series team that Daniel Suarez drove for from 2021 to 2025 before being replaced by rookie Connor Zilisch.

Connor Zilisch

A rookie NASCAR driver who replaced Daniel Suarez at Trackhouse Racing for the 2026 season.

Spire Motorsports

The NASCAR team that Daniel Suarez is currently driving for in the 2026 season.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“A lot of people don't believe it, but it's me vs. me. I'm not trying to beat Trackhouse or anyone else. I don't care about them. It's me vs. me. Right now, I'm at a point in my career where I have experience, I still have the youth, and I have to take advantage of that.”

— Daniel Suarez, NASCAR Driver

What’s next

Suarez currently sits 16th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings and will look to continue his strong start to the season as he aims to secure a spot in the playoffs.

The takeaway

Daniel Suarez's comments provide a refreshing perspective on driver motivations in NASCAR. Rather than focusing on 'revenge' against his former team, Suarez is solely concentrated on his own performance and development with his new team, Spire Motorsports. This mindset could serve him well as he seeks to make the playoffs and potentially contend for his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.