NASCAR Cup Series: Daniel Suarez tipped to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2019

By Asher Fair | Dec 5, 2018

PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 09: Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 STANLEY Toyota (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images) /

Daniel Suarez, who drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in both of the last two seasons, has been tipped to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Daniel Suarez won the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in what was his second season as a full-time driver in the series. He was not originally slated to compete in the Cup Series in the 2017 season, but the unexpected retirement of Carl Edwards opened up the seat of the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

As a result, the 26-year-old Mexican competed full-time in the Cup Series for the first time in his career in the 2017 season, but he did not have much success.

In the 36-race 2018 season, Suarez recorded just one top five finish, a third place finish in the race at Watkins Glen International, and 12 top 10 finishes. He recorded an average starting position of 13.9 and an average finishing position of 16.2 He finished in 20th in the championship standings, and he was the only one of Joe Gibbs Racing’s four drivers who failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Once again, Suarez was the only one of Joe Gibbs Racing’s four drivers who failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 2018 season. He finished in 21st place in the championship standings with an average starting position of 17.4 and an average finishing position of 18.5.

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In the 2018 season, Suarez recorded three top five finishes, including a career-high second place finish in the July race at Pocono Raceway, and nine top 10 finishes. He also recorded his first career pole position for that July race at Pocono Raceway.

With Furniture Row Racing having shut down, Martin Truex Jr. has been confirmed as Suarez’s replacement behind the wheel of the #19 Toyota for the 2019 season, which makes sense given the fact that the Denver, Colorado-based team had a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing as well as the fact that Suarez has not performed at a high level in his two seasons driving for the team.

However, Suarez still might compete in the Cup Series in the 2019 season.

In late September, Suarez was rumored as the replacement for Kurt Busch behind the wheel of the #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, as it was speculated in August that Busch would leave Stewart-Haas Racing and replace Jamie McMurray behind the wheel of the #1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.

It had been confirmed earlier in September that McMurray would not return to Chip Ganassi Racing before Suarez was rumored as Busch’s replacement.

It has now been confirmed that Busch will, in fact, leave Stewart-Haas Racing and replace McMurray at Chip Ganassi Racing in the 2019 season, meaning that the seat of the #41 Ford is officially open. Will Suarez end up driving it and becoming a teammate to Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer?

At this point, all signs are pointing to it.

While Suarez has struggled in his first two seasons of Cup Series competition, he is arguably the team’s best option, and he will more than likely bring sponsorship with him from ARRIS even though he will not be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2019 season.

Cole Custer, Stewart-Haas Racing’s star Xfinity Series driver and the driver who had been the other primary candidate to replace Busch, is set to return to the Xfinity Series for a third full season next year, so he is no longer in the running to potentially drive the #41 Ford next season, making it even more likely that Suarez will be Stewart-Haas Racing’s fourth Cup Series driver in 2019.

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Do you believe that Daniel Suarez will end up replacing Kurt Busch behind the wheel of the #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season? If not, who do you believe will replace the 40-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada native?

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