Daniel Suarez sent to the back for Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500

Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 99 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, was sent to the rear of the pack ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, after failing a pre-race inspection.

Slated to start from the 11th position initially, the No. 99 of Daniel Suarez was found to have added ballast over the approved limit, as per a NASCAR ruling.

Suarez wasn’t ejected. His crew chief Travis Mack was ejected for improperly attached ballast. Suarez docked 10 points and must drop to rear. https://t.co/PqpQpnMW6j

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 10, 2021

Additionally, both he and the Trackhouse Racing team have been docked 10 NASCAR Cup Series championship points as well.

Daniel Suarez's crew chief Travis Mack has also been expelled, and reports suggest that the team's race engineer Jose Blasco-Figueroa will take over crew chief duties as a replacement for Mack.

Jose Blasco-Figueroa will crew chief for Suarez today (he was crew chief earlier this year when Travis Mack was suspended for two missing lug nuts). Mack was ejected for ballast in the jackpost. Suarez will drop to the rear for start of race today.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 10, 2021

However, this is not the first time Blasco-Figueroa will be filling in for Mack. He took over at Atlanta as well, where Suarez finished 17th. There, Mack was ejected for having two loose lug nuts during at the preceding race, in Phoenix.

The news comes after Daniel Suarez registered a season-best fourth-place finish at the Bristol dirt race a couple of weeks ago; his only top 5 in the season so far.

It remains to be seen if Suarez will feel the absence of his crew chief for the .526-mile oval race at "The Paperclip."

Unfinished business. See you guys tomorrow afternoon at 4pm ET! pic.twitter.com/xdJhDoAWd0

— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) April 11, 2021

With 144 points to his name, Daniel Suarez is currently 20th in the standings and will have to fight to make it to the playoffs.

Daniel Suarez has company at the back of the pack

In addition to Daniel Suarez, a handful of other drivers were sent to the rear for the rain-marred NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville, including Corey Lajoie, James Davison, and Justin Haley.

SUNSHINE AT @MartinsvilleSwy! pic.twitter.com/4easvIDaBi

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) April 11, 2021

The Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 was earlier red-flagged due to rain after just 42 laps and rescheduled for a 4.00 p.m. EST start on Sunday, when fans can expect clear skies and a perfect Sunday of short-track racing.