Daniel Suarez has described himself as 'happy, but not satisfied' at the end of his five years with Trackhouse Racing.
The team announced earlier in the year that they wouldn't be extending his contract into 2026, instead bringing Connor Zilisch up to the Cup Series after a record-breaking year in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports.
Suarez announced earlier this month that he will stay in the Cup Series full time next year with Spire Motorsports, replacing Justin Haley after a disappointing year for the No. 7.
The Mexican driver's last race for Trackhouse will come this Sunday at Phoenix, and he opened up recently about leaving the team where he won his first Cup Series races.
Suarez opens up on Trackhouse exit
"I’m leaving happy," he said, "but not satisfied. I would have liked to be listened to a bit more when it came to the internal changes that were needed within the team. But that’s how life goes. I’m not leaving with bad feelings – it was just time.
"It’s very important in a team at this level that the mindset and the vision are aligned. If not, you start having problems because you’re simply chasing different things. So, for me, it was essential to find a new team that was not only on the rise but also shared the same mentality as me."
On his new Spire team, he added: They’ve told me a lot of great things, so we’ll see when we get there. But I’ve been really impressed with how aggressive Spire is when it comes to getting people. If they want someone, they go after them and make them a strong offer.
"At Trackhouse, I was more used to them taking their time – checking things, waiting, saying “we’ll see” – and that wastes a lot of time and opportunities. Spire is much more aggressive, and I like that – that’s how I am. If I want something, I go for it. Maybe not tomorrow, but I’ll get it. In that sense, we’re very similar. We have a lot of work to do at Spire, but I think we’re on the same page about how to get there."
