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Daniel Suarez and Alex Bowman had an average regular season and missed the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs after participating in 2022. In the first playoff race of the season at Darlington Raceway, the two drivers were involved in a race-ending crash and blamed each other.
After being exited from the infield care center, Daniel Suarez called Alex Bowman’s block "dumb" and explained his side of the story. Speaking to Kim Coon, a pit reporter for NBC Sports, Suarez said:
“I had a run on him. I went to the inside, and, after that, he blocked me pretty low. I had to lift a little bit to not wreck him and put him into the inside wall because we both are Chevy partners.
"I didn't want to do that to him. But then I go high, and he blocks me again. You can block once. You cannot block twice like that”, as quoted by motorsports.com.
Suarez continued:
“He has to use his brain a little more. We have been racing here for 3.5 hours, and to wreck with 50 laps to go is a little bit dumb.
"He just has to be smarter. It's a shame. My team did a very good job. I feel like today we had a top-ten car, and all we have to show for it is a wrecked race car”.
Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez late race crash at Darlington Raceway
With 49 laps remaining in the Darlington race, Daniel Suarez tried to pass Alex Bowman for the eighth-place heading down the front straightaway. The #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver responded by moving down to block.
Suarez then tried to get the outside of Bowman’s car, but Bowman blocked the #99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet driver again, and the two collided, sending both into the wall.
The incident caused a multi-car crash involving Harrison Button, and none of the three drivers were able to re-join the race.After they were in a position for top-10 finishes, Suarez and Bowman finished 34th and 33rd, respectively.
Catch Daniel Saurez and Alex Bowman in action at Kansas Speedway for the second playoff race of the season on Sept. 10.
