Races April 26, 2021 But Last Lap Incident Drops No. 99 to 23rd Date: April 15th, 2021 Event: Geico 500 (Round 10 of 36) Series: NASCAR Cup Series Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval) Format: 188 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/68 laps) Start/Finish: 19th / 23rd (running, completed 188 of 188 laps) Point Standing: 24th with 174 points Notes: Daniel Suárez finished 23rd in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Suárez took the white-flag lap in seventh place and moved into the top-five ready to battle for victory over the race’s final 2.66 miles. Seconds later a push from behind sent the No. 99 off track in the first turn. Suárez saved his CommScope Chevrolet from wrecking, but fell to 23rd place when the checkered flag flew Suárez spent much of the race in the back of the pack avoiding the inevitable carnage at Talladega. A brake bias lever issue led to a speeding penalty and falling off the lead lap in Stage 2. He regained the lost lap to begin the third and final stage. Suárez raced in 20th when the race restarted with 12 laps remaining. He climbed into seventh before a caution sent the race into overtime. It was in the overtime that Suárez looked ready to make a strong bid for the lead before contact from behind by William Byron sent the No. 99 off the racing surface. NASCAR Cup Series return to action Sunday May 2 at Kansas Speedway. Fox will broadcast the race at 3 p.m. EDT. Daniel Suárez, driver of the No. 99 Commscope Chevrolet Camaro for Trackhouse Racing: “We didn’t get a chance to race that much today because we stayed at the back. We really wanted to finish this race and avoid all the wrecks at the front of the field. Once we got to race the car was fast. We just didn’t have any Chevrolet teammates up there with us at the end to draft with. On the final lap, I just got hit from behind and that ended our chances.”
