The first major domino has fallen in NASCAR free agency as teams begin to look ahead to the 2026 season and beyond. On Tuesday, it was confirmed that Daniel Suarez and Trackhouse Racing have mutually agreed to part ways, ending a five-year run with the organization since it debuted in 2021.
Suarez was not under contract for next season and has had a dreadful 2025 campaign, currently sitting 29th in overall points while his teammates, Ross Chastain and rookie Shane van Gisbergen, have each qualified for the playoffs with wins. The 33-year-old native of Monterrey, Mexico took to X to confirm the news on Tuesday.
"Trackhouse and I have mutually agreed to part ways at the end of the 2025 season. I've had some of the best years of my Cup Series career at Trackhouse," Suarez said. "We had great successes as a team and I gained some incredible friends. We took a team nobody had even heard of in 2021 and in just a couple of years we were winning races and running up front on a weekly basis. Just like the seasons in a year, sometimes things change and we have agreed to each go in our own direction. I wish Trackhouse nothing but the best, this 99 team will always be special to me. And like I always say, the best is ahead!"
A message to my amigos ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/iipemPKW0O
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG) July 1, 2025
Suarez was the first driver for the organization when it started as a one-car operation in 2021. He picked up a pair of wins — his first Cup Series win at Sonoma in 2022 and the thrilling win at EchoPark Speedway in the spring of 2024 in a three-wide photo finish with Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch — and has since become teammates with Chastain since 2022 and then van Gisbergen, who joined the team full-time this season.
Trackhouse Racing founder Justin Marks released the following statement moments after the announcement was made.
"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 said. "His commitment, work ethic and dedication to the effort is one of the most impressive things I personally have seen in my career. We will forever be thankful and honored that Daniel chose to spend many incredible years with us. We are proud of his wins, his successes, the growth of his brand and his emergence as a valuable athlete in America's greatest motorsport. But, most of all, I'm proud of him as a friend. I'm truly excited to see what awaits him in the next chapter of his amazing career. We are grateful for the professionalism, effort and heart he's brought to our organization."
Where do Trackhouse, Daniel Suarez go from here?
Suarez — the 2016 Xfinity Series champion — could make his return to NASCAR's second-tier series if nothing materializes in the Cup Series. He owns four career Xfinity Series wins, including his emotional homecoming in Mexico City on June 14 driving for JR Motorsports.
While nothing has been confirmed as to who will replace Suarez in the No. 99 Chevrolet, the expectation, according to FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass, is that Xfinity Series rookie Connor Zilisch will inherit the ride.
No announcement on Connor Zilisch replacing Suarez but that is the expectation. Have heard of several drivers in the Xfinity garage angling for the JRM 88 car next year (and I would guess not to rule Suarez out if nothing materializes in Cup). https://t.co/ekklEIR6Xw
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 1, 2025
Zilisch seems like the go-to option to replace Suarez, given he has three wins in the Xfinity Series and finished 11th in the No. 87 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing in the Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday night. He sits fifth in points with two wins at COTA and Pocono this season and owns a series-high four positions.
As someone that bounced around from Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart Haas Racing and Gaunt Brothers Racing before finding some consistency with Trackhouse, this puts Suarez in a familiar position as he pursues another ride years later after a five-year run with the organization.