Before April's race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Daniel Suarez hadn't started a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race since 2021, when the Bristol race was contested on dirt. He hadn't run a non-dirt race since the 2016 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
But Spire Motorsports, his new full-time Cup Series team for 2026, added a third truck to their Truck Series lineup at Bristol for Suarez, and he placed 18th behind the wheel of the No. 71 Chevrolet.
Suarez landed with Spire Motorsports this year after being replaced by rookie Connor Zilisch at Trackhouse Racing, where he had competed full-time from 2021 to 2025. Now he is set to be replaced by Zilisch again, albeit in a difference capacity.
Daniel Suarez replacement confirmed at Watkins Glen
For just the second time in 2026, Spire Motorsports are set to enter the No. 71 truck for this Friday's road course race at Watkins Glen International, and Zilisch, who is a two-time Watkins Glen winner in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, is set to drive it.
Zilisch has not competed in a Truck Series race since driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval back in October. He finished eighth at Watkins Glen earlier in the season for Niece Motorsports.
Zilisch is set to run triple duty this weekend. He drives the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing full-time in the Cup Series and is in desperate need of a good finish, following an extremely rough start to his career as a full-time driver, and he is set to return to JR Motorsports, the team with which he won at Watkins Glen in 2024 and 2025 and competed full-time a year ago, to run the O'Reilly Series race.
The other drivers lined up for triple duty at the eight-turn, 2.454-mile (3.949-kilometer) natural terrain road course in Watkins Glen, New York are Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, his two Trackhouse Racing teammates.
Live coverage of the Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen from Watkins Glen International is set to be provided by Fox Sports 1 beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET this Friday, May 8. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action!
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