NASCAR: What’s Daniel Suarez’s status at Stewart-Haas Racing for 2020?

Stewart-Haas Racing team co-owner Tony Stewart and driver Daniel Suarez commented on Suarez’s status with the team for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Perhaps the most discussed NASCAR Cup Series driver over the last few months among the active full-time drivers without contracts to continue competing next year has been Stewart-Haas Racing’s Daniel Suarez.

Suarez is the only one of the four Stewart-Haas Racing drivers who has not signed a contract to return to the team next season. Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola are all set to return for their seventh, fourth and third seasons with the team driving the #4 Ford, the #14 Ford and the #10 Ford, respectively, in 2020.

But there has been plenty of speculation that Suarez, despite the fact that he has seemed confident about getting a deal done to remain with the team for the past several months, will be on his way out.

More from NASCAR Cup Series

• NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
• NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
• NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
• NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
• NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500

The 27-year-old Mexican, who has stated that sponsorship will be the biggest factor in terms of whether or not a new deal gets done, replaced Kurt Busch behind the wheel of the #41 Ford ahead of this season after Busch left in the offseason to replace Jamie McMurray behind the wheel of the #1 Chevrolet at Chip Ganassi Racing.

Suarez came to Stewart-Haas Racing after spending two seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing. In both of those seasons at the four-car Toyota team, he was the lone Joe Gibbs Racing driver who failed to qualify for the playoffs.

This season, it was more of the same for him at Stewart-Haas Racing as he continues to seek his first career victory. He finished in third place in Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, tying the season-high result he set at the same track back in March.

So will Suarez be Stewart-Haas Racing’s fourth driver next year?

Here is what team co-owner and three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart had to say about the status of the driver of the #41 Ford for the 2020 season, according to NASCAR.

"“You know, it’s just a matter of trying to get this deal done and see if we can put it all together. He’s worked really hard; we’re working hard at it. I think we’re getting closer, but it’s not done yet obviously.”"

Here is what Suarez had to add.

"“We are not in the perfect situation. I wish two months ago we were done with all this stuff. You never know. Fortunately or unfortunately, who knows, I have been in this situation for the last couple of years. Everything will be fine. We just have to work out a couple of things sponsor-wise and hopefully everything will fall in place.”"

Should everything not fall into place, Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series driver Cole Custer is believed to be the top candidate to land Suarez’s ride for next year based on his progression through three seasons driving for the team in NASCAR’s second highest series. He entered the 2019 season with two career victories and has already won seven races this year.

Custer will likely remain in the Xfinity Series if Suarez is re-signed by the team, as Go Fas Racing, which just formed a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2020 season, announced that he is not in the running to drive their #32 Ford next year.

Will Daniel Suarez be back with Stewart-Haas Racing in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, or will he be replaced? If he his replaced, will he be replaced by Cole Custer? Where will he end up if he does get the boot after only one year?