NASCAR: Joe Gibbs Racing Spring Break Update After Seven Races

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Feb 24, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez (19) during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Daniel Suarez

Wins: 0

Standings: 23rd- 125 points (190 behind leader)

Top 10’s: 2

Avg Finish: 19.3

Stage Wins: 0

Poles: 0

One year after winning the 2016 XFINITY Series championship, Daniel Suarez took over in the #19 JGR Toyota. He was billed as one of the next up-and-coming young drivers to enter NASCAR. That very well may be true, but Suarez starts his career with some rookie blues.

Other than back-to-back seventh place finishes at Phoenix and Fontana, Suarez has finished 19th or worse in every other race. He just has’t been up to speed with many of the veteran drivers yet.

Suarez has already faced adversity no rookie driver, or any driver for that matter, wants to face. That came in the form of a crew chief change after the first five races into 2017. Crew chief Dave Rogers took an indefinite leave of absence, forcing Joe Gibbs to promote Scott Graves to crew chief of the #19.

Graves was Suarez’s crew chief in 2016 when the duo won the XFINITY Series championship. Together, they hope to find the same success at the cup level. It just take a little more time for them to get up to speed with the rest of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series before we can truly expect to see them reach their potential.

Next: Team Penske at the Break

Suarez and the rest of the gang at JGR will all head to Bristol this week in hopes of being the first driver to bring a win to the shop in 2017. Do you think one of them will get it done on Sunday?

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