Daniel Suarez confirmed on Thursday night via a video on Twitter that he will not return to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
“I’m here to confirm the bad news that some of you guys already know and some of you guys are trying to figure out that I won’t be back next year in the 41 car,” Suarez said in the video, which you can see below.
“I am extremely disappointed at the outcome but it’s the way it is sometimes. I’m sure something else will be waiting for me.”
After Suarez revealed the news, SHR issued a statement that read: “Daniel Suarez is the epitome of class. He is a world-class race car driver and an even better person who has represented Stewart-Haas Racing and its partners extremely well. We have much respect and admiration for Daniel, and genuinely wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”
According to a report earlier Thursday from Motorsport.com SHR Xfinity Series driver Cole Custer would replace Suarez in the No. 41 SHR Ford Mustang in 2020, according to its sources. During his Championship 4 Media Day availability, Custer did not confirm that report when asked.
“Right now, I’m just trying to focus on the championship,” Custer said during Championship 4 Media Day in the Miami Beach Thursday. “I’ve just really tried to stay out of it. I mean, honestly, this is a really big weekend for us to win a championship in the Xfinity Series.”
Suarez is about to complete his first season at SHR in the sport’s top series and is currently 17th in the point standings with four top-5 and 11 top 10 finishes on the season. He came to SHR following a two-year Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stint at Joe Gibbs Racing from 2017-18. The 27-year-old also won the 2016 Xfinity Series Championship for JGR.
A message for my fans 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/GrnRGAmpFa
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG) November 14, 2019
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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