Driver of No. 96 Toyota Camry Turns Attention to Next Race in Las Vegas

Date: Feb. 13, 2020

Event: Bluegreen Vacations Duel

Series: NASCAR Cup Series

Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)

Format: Twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500

Start/Finish: 19th/22nd (Accident, completed 28 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)

Notes:

• Daniel Suárez started his Duel from the 19th position, but he finished 22nd after an accident on lap 29.
• He had settled comfortably into the top-10 by the time he pitted for fuel only on lap 24 and resumed in 12th.
• Coming to the completion of lap 29, Suárez had to avoid the No. 2 of Brad Keselowski, who was diving into pit lane. Keselowski’s teammate, No. 12 Ryan Blaney, tried to make a sudden move into pit lane from the outside lane, just ahead of Suárez, who was fast approaching on the inside. The two collided and hit the outside SAFER Barrier, leaving the No. 96 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Camry unrepairable.
• The 22nd-place finish prevented Suárez from making the 40-car field for the 62nd Daytona 500.
• Drivers earning odd-numbered positions from Sunday’s pole qualifying session were assigned to the first Duel race. Drivers earning even-numbered positions from pole qualifying competed in the second Duel race. The starting positions for each Duel race were based on qualifying times.

Daniel Suárez, driver of the No. 96 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Camry for Gaunt Brothers Racing:

“There was no communication. The 2 (Brad Keselowski) car all of a sudden started to slow down and, obviously, it was either wreck him or go to the right. And I thought the 12 (Ryan Blaney) was going to give me a little more room but, obviously, he didn’t. It’s extremely frustrating and heartbreaking, because we’ve been working our tails off to try to make this happen and this is the result here tonight. This is a program that is just getting started, and we will just go to the next one.”

Next Up:

The next event for Suárez and Gaunt Brothers Racing is the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, Feb. 23 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race starts at 3:30 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its prerace show at 3 p.m.

Contact Laz Denes

True Speed Communication on behalf of Gaunt Brothers Racing