Ross Chastain reflects on bond with Daniel Suarez amid the latter's Trackhouse Racing exit 

Ross Chastain has opened up about his time with Daniel Suarez amid the latter's impending departure from Trackhouse Racing. He recalled how they entered the team with 'something to prove' and supported each other's milestones.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Suarez and Trackhouse Racing had mutually agreed to part ways by the end of this season. It's widely believed that the team's development driver Connor Zilisch would take his seat in 2026.

The news comes after a long stretch of poor results for the Mexican driver, while his teammate has found himself regularly among the top 10. Notably, Suarez was the team's sole driver during its inception in 2021, followed by the debut of Chastain's #1 entry in 2022.

Reflecting upon their time as teammates, Chastain spoke to Frontstretch and said [1:35 onwards]:

"Been four years together my entire time...after once moved into the Concord Building, it was him. He's the most like-minded person outside of the car i've a teammate I've ever had. We were at the same, I feel like parts in our careers where we had something to prove and Justin hired us. "

When asked about their most cherished memory together, Chastain 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."

Daniel Suarez's future prospects remain unknown, but Rick Ware Racing has emerged as the top pick to field him in their potential third entry next season. A switch to JR Motorsports is also possible, for the former Xfinity Series champion may regain his footing in the lower-tier series. His recent Xfinity win in Mexico offers further support for this notion.

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Daniel Suarez reveals the reason for the pace gap with Ross Chastain

Daniel Suarez's results this season have paled compared to his teammate, Ross Chastain. 18 races into the season, Chastain ranks among the top 10, while Suarez is on the brink of falling out of the top 30, with only a single top-5 result to show for his efforts.

When NASCAR analyst Bob Pockrass questioned the pace gap, Suarez replied [0:14]:

"I've been very vocal with the team, ‘We need to adjust this, we need to adjust that.’ [...] I don't think that's the only reason, but I think lately, there have been things that have made me feel like I'm not as important.”

He also pointed out Trackhouse Racing's recent inconsistency. The car showed pace during practice but struggled and fell back during the main race.

Having crashed out in Round 1 of the In-Season Challenge, Daniel Suarez heads into The Grant Park 160 with a starting position of 18, four spots ahead of Chastain. Fans can watch the action unfold on TNT Sports on Sunday, July 6, at 2 p.m. ET.