Daniel Suarez trades his NASCAR gear for IFL outfit as he trains at the Panthers facility

Daniel Suarez had an off-track excursion ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at Sonoma Raceway. The Mexican driver visited the Bay Area Panthers' facility and swapped jerseys with the team's quarterback, Josh Jones.

Driving the #99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Suarez came off a 29th-place finish in the Chicago street race last weekend. He arrived in California for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and met with the Indoor Football League (IFL) team on Thursday.

Daniel Suarez shared his football experience on social media with a series of Instagram stories ahead of the Bay Area Panthers' home game against the Vegas Knight Hawks.

Daniel Suarez's Instagram story - Source: @daniel_suarezg on IG

This weekend, Suarez will race at Sonoma Raceway against 36 drivers, including part-time driver Katherine Legge in the #78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet. His first career victory came on the 1.99-mile Californian circuit in 2022, as he became the first Mexico-born driver to win in NASCAR's premier series.

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma will kick off on July 13 at 3:30 p.m. ET. The 110-lap road course race will also host the third round of the In-Season Challenge, though Suarez is already out of contention after the first round at EchoPark Speedway.

Daniel Suarez drives the #99 Chevrolet Camaro for Trackhouse Racing - Source: Imagn

This season also marks Suarez's last full-time schedule with Trackhouse Racing. He is set to leave the team following a five-year stint in the #99 Chevrolet. The 33-year-old has been Trackhouse Racing’s first Cup Series driver since the team purchased Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021.

---

“When he won at Sonoma”: Daniel Suarez's teammate shares their fondest memory at Trackhouse Racing

Daniel Suarez's long-time teammate, Ross Chastain, recently shared their fondest memory at Trackhouse Racing. Chastain cited their wins in the 2022 NASCAR season, where he won at Circuit of the Americas, followed by Suarez at Sonoma Raceway.

Chastain's COTA win was Trackhouse Racing's first victory in the Cup Series. Their wins that year were a significant feat for the Chevrolet-affiliated camp, considering they were a new and small team amid the introduction of the Next-Gen car era.

Speaking about his teammate, Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Chevrolet Camaro, said (via Frontstretch on X):

“Been four years together, my entire time at Trackhouse, and once we moved into the Concord Building, it was him and I. He's the most like-minded person outside of the car. We were at the same, I feel like parts in our careers where we had something to prove to Justin (Marks), who hired us.” [0:08]

When asked about their fondest memory, he replied:

“Both of us winning, seeing his excitement for me at COTA and then me when he won at Sonoma.... just seeing that come full circle for both of us.” [1:35]

Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain have unique yet similar celebrations when winning races. The Mexican driver smashes a piñata, while Chastain smashes a watermelon. Their new teammate, Shane van Gisbergen, kicks a football into the stands.

This year, Suarez has yet to return to the victory lane. Both Chastain and SVG have won at least one race, earning themselves spots in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.