NASCAR Cup Series: Will Daniel Suarez return to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2020?

Daniel Suarez has not been confirmed at Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. Will he return to the team next year?

After spending the first two seasons of his NASCAR Cup Series career at Joe Gibbs Racing, Daniel Suarez was replaced by Martin Truex Jr., and he ended up signing with Stewart-Haas Racing to replace Kurt Busch behind the wheel of the #41 Ford.

But after failing to qualify for the playoffs in two seasons driving the #19 Toyota, the 27-year-old Mexican has not had much more success in his first season driving for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Through the first 25 races of the 36-race season and with one race remaining until the four-round, 10-race playoffs begin, Suarez sits tied on the playoff bubble in 16th place in the championship standings with nine top 10 finishes, of which three are top five finishes, one pole position and an average finish of 15.00.

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Will Suarez return to Stewart-Haas Racing next year, or will they replace him after just one season given his struggles?

Stewart-Haas Racing have changed their driver lineup between seasons for three consecutive years. They haven’t not done so since between the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

As a result, with Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series superstar Cole Custer waiting in the wings and clearly ready to be promoted to the Cup Series, Suarez has justifiably found himself on the hot seat after a third consecutive season driving for a top-tier team without a ton of success, and above all, no victories.

But don’t expect Stewart-Haas Racing to pull the plug on him after just one season.

Suarez confirmed in early June that he was working with the team on extending his one-year contract. While there has been no official confirmation of any kind since then pertaining to this situation, several other recent reports and speculation point to the idea that a contract extension will end up being agreed upon between the two sides.

Custer could very well end up in the Cup Series next year, and it may be through Stewart-Haas Racing. But it may not be as a member of the four-car team.

Stewart-Haas Racing have been rumored to form a technical alliance with Go Fas Racing for the 2020 season. This rumor is based on the idea that they could look to jettison some of their cars due to the extra inventory that they expect to have since the Gen-7 Cup Series chassis and body are slated to be introduced ahead of the 2021 season.

Should this happen, Custer would likely end up driving the #32 Ford, and Suarez shouldn’t be concerned about losing his ride.

Matt DiBenedetto has been rumored as a possible option for Stewart-Haas Racing as well, but the Xfinity Series team would seem to make more sense assuming Custer would vacate the #00 Ford.

But even if DiBenedetto does end up being signed by the Stewart-Haas Racing Cup Series team, it would make more sense for him to replace Clint Bowyer, who has performed at about the same level as Suarez and is nearly 13 years older than him with less upside.

With all things considered, Suarez appears to be safe at Stewart-Haas Racing for at least another season.

Will Daniel Suarez return for what would be his second year driving for Stewart-Haas Racing in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season? If not, where will he end up, and who will replace him behind the wheel of the #41 Ford?