Ross Chastain battling for track position (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Both Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain ended up with a needed top 10 finish in Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway, building momentum for Trackhouse Racing after a difficult few weeks.
From the get-go on Saturday, both Trackhouse teams seemed to have the speed they have both been hoping for in recent weeks. Chastain qualified second with a lap time of 37.259 seconds and Daniel Suárez qualified 14th with a lap time of 37.479 seconds.
Chastain passed Christopher Bell for the lead on the initial start on Sunday thanks to an aggressive push to start the race from Ty Gibbs in the No. 54 car. Chastain eventually got passed by Martin Truex Jr. and after pit strategy, ended Stage 1 in the 20th position. By the end of Stage 1, Suarez had worked his way inside the top 10 to the eighth position.
After rain postponed the remainder of the FireKeepers Casino 400 until Monday, the race restarted with 40 laps left in Stage 2. Chastain had worked his way up to 12th. Suarez was maintaining the speed he had shown the whole weekend and restarted eighth. At the end of those 40 laps, Chastain ended up 13th. Suarez seemed to have a stage win in his pocket, but Truex drove through the field on old tires to beat Truex to the green/checkered flag by mere feet. in the No 19 for the Stage win.
Truex barely edged Suarez for the Stage 2 win. (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
By the end of the final stage, Chastain had driven up to the seventh position, and his teammate had settled one spot in front of him.
After the race, Chastain reflected on what he felt helped his car have the speed both he and his team wanted to see this weekend.
“It was a grind all weekend,” Chastain said. “We started on the front row but didn’t have the balance or the grip level we needed then we got back in traffic. I felt like we were so fast and I just couldn’t get back up there. We just didn’t have the car to do it. The changes that we were able to make were small — air pressures and stuff — but helped the car today.”
Daniel Suárez ready to race at Michigan International Speedway (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
Daniel Suárez was equally as proud of his team and their efforts this weekend, and after the race, mentioned the effort it took to get his car to have the results it did.
“Proud of my No. 99 Worldwide Express Chevy team. This is exactly what we needed after a couple of rough weeks,” he explained. “The team did an amazing job with execution and the car was fast. It wasn’t easy – we had to work for this one. Two days ago in practice, I knew our car had the speed, but we were just very off on balance. Once we found the balance, the car was pretty fast so I’m happy with that.”
Chastain notched his first top 10 since winning at Nashville Superspeedway in June. In the five races in between, Chastain finished no better than 13th and had results outside the top 20 in the other four races. He’s seventh in points and locked into the playoffs, albeit out of contention for the regular-season championship.
Suarez gained needed ground on the playoff cutline with a 45-point race. He’s just five points below Ty Gibbs and the cutline and sits 18th in driver’s points. Michael McDowell is two points ahead of him in 17th. Suarez entered Michigan at 34 points below the cutline. McDowell suffered damage on the opening lap and finished 24th and didn’t earn stage points.
With three races to lock into the playoffs, Suarez is positive about the momentum this weekend could have given his team.
“I feel like we still have maybe one more step to go to be able to win races,” Suarez said. “But it was definitely a race that we needed, especially heading into two road course races. Now we have a little momentum on our side and I’m optimistic of the final three races of the regular season.”
