NASCAR news site TobyChristie.com is reporting Daniel Suarez and Gaunt Brothers Racing have completed a deal for Suarez to drive a car full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for the team in 2020, citing anonymous sources. If the report is true, this season will be the first full-time season in the series for Gaunt Brothers Racing.
GBR fielded a #96 Toyota part-time in 2019. Parker Kligerman drove the car in 14 races last season but told NBC Sports that he would not be with the team in 2020.
“It was a super cool opportunity,” Kligerman said. “I didn’t think I was going to get a second shot at Cup. Then, I had that opportunity at the Coke 600 [in 2018], and last year, we did way more races than I ever thought we would do and got to be a part of the Toyota family. I felt like we really, as race team, improved and improved and improved and got to where our last race at Texas was one of our best races of the year. We were just solid, speed-wise and execution and all that stuff. It was cool to see that and be a part of that. That’s why I did that. I felt like we were building something. (Marty Gaunt, car owner) has been great to me, super open to the process in the offseason. In my position, being a driver that doesn’t have any personal funding, you always know, especially being a part-time driver, you’re on borrowed time. I’m very happy for them. I wish them all the best.”
Suarez was released from Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of the 2019 season to promote Cole Custer from a NASCAR Xfinity Series car to the #41 Ford in the Cup Series. Last season was Saurez’s only season at SHR. He moved to the #41 after being replaced in the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota by 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr.
JGR promoted Suarez to the Cup Series ahead of the 2017 season after he won the 2016 Xfinity Series championship. In 108 Cup Series races, Suarez has eight top-fives and 32 top-10 finishes.
Suarez posted four top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes in his only season at Stewart-Haas and finished 17th in the driver standings, highest among non-playoff drivers. He was the only SHR driver who didn’t make the playoffs last season.
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