By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Through odd circumstances, Daniel Suarez started from pole in Sunday’s Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Raceway. And from there, the second-year Joe Gibbs Racing driver was a contender.
Leading 29 laps in the 164-lapper, Suarez was a front-runner most of the afternoon while teammates Kyle Busch and Erik Jones kept him on his feet.
Eventually, Busch would hang on for the victory, his sixth of 2018, while Suarez would fail to catch the No. 18, finishing second.
Though no victory for team No. 19, the Mexican driver is happy that the team maintained speed from start to finish.
“Today was a solid day, very positive,” Suarez said. “A lot of times this year we’ve been in a situation where we have a top-10 car in the beginning and then you have to make adjustments, and if you don’t do a good job, you’re going to get behind.
“In the last couple months, I don’t know why but we haven’t done a good job keeping up with the track. We start good and then we’re not as strong at the end.”
Ending a streak of nine races without a top 10, the quick car was especially highlighted, said Suarez.
“Something I’m very proud of from this weekend is that we made some adjustments and we got the car better. That means a lot,” he said. “How well the communication was to keep us up front. That’s why I’m proud of my team.”
Just his second top five of the year, Sunday’s second-place finish was also his third top five of his career. What kept him from earning his first win? Kyle Busch, one of the formally named “Big Three” along with Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. Winning 16 of 21 races this year, Suarez hopes himself and others can bump ahead of the Big Three.
“They are great drivers with great race teams — they have the whole package,” he said. “For a new driver, it’s more difficult to build that package. It takes times, it’s not a switch you turn on.
“Last year at this point of the season, we were running stronger than right now. Hopefully, we can take advantage of this and be one of the race teams who break those big-three guys and get a win.”