It’s Good To Be Genuine Toyota Driver Just Misses Seventh Top-25 of 2020

Date: Aug. 2, 2020

Event: Foxwood Resorts Casino 301 (Round 20 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Cup Series

Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)

Format: 301 laps, broken into three stages (75 laps/110 laps/116 laps)

Start/Finish: 37th / 26th (Running, completed 299 of 301 laps)

Point Standing: 31st with 214 points

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-75):

• Started 37th, finished 30th.
• From his 37th starting position, Suárez was up to 27th by the lap three, then was back to 31st by the time the first caution flag flew for a single-car incident on lap 16. He reported the It’s Good To Be Genuine Toyota Parts & Service Camry was loose on entry and exit and tight in the center of the corner. He stayed out during the caution and restarted 12th on lap 21.
• Suárez was 29th when the competition caution flag flew on lap 30. He pitted for four tires, fuel, and right-rear air pressure and left-rear track bar adjustments. He then pitted a second time to pull a dent out of the left-front fender and restarted 33rd on lap 34.
• The caution flag flew on lap 62 for a single-car incident with Suárez running 28th. He stayed on track and restarted fifth when the race went back to green on lap 67.
• He crossed the line 30th when the stage ended on lap 75, reporting his Camry was still lacking grip and surprise at how quickly the rear tires lost traction during the run. He pitted during the break for air pressure adjustments across both rears and further left-rear track bar adjustments, as well as packer pulled from the left front.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 76-185):

• Started 31st, finished 26th.
• Suárez took the green flag 31st on lap 86 and had made his way up to 28th when the caution flag flew for a single-car incident on lap 92. He pitted on lap 97 for wholesale air pressure and chassis adjustments and restarted 25th when the race went back to green on lap 100.
• The race stayed green until the caution came out on lap 171 for a single-car incident with Suárez running 28th and one lap down. He reported his Toyota Camry was still struggling with grip. He stayed out on track, took the wave-around back to the lead lap, and restarted 26th when the race went back to green on lap 177. He was still in that position when the caution flag flew for another single-car incident two laps later, stayed on track once again, and restarted 21st on lap 183.
• The caution flag flew on lap 185 to end the stage with Suárez crossing the line 26th. He pitted during the break for air pressure adjustments all around and left-rear track bar adjustments.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 186-301):

• Started 29th, finished 26th.
• Suárez took the green flag 29th to start the stage on lap 191 and picked up a pair of spots by the time the caution flag flew for a single-car incident on lap 196. He stayed on track and restarted 23rd when the race went back to green on lap 200.
• Another caution flag waved on lap 204 with Suárez running 28th. He pitted this time for tires and fuel expected to get him to the checkered flag, with added air pressure adjustments. He restarted 24th when the race went back to green on lap 208.
• Five laps later, the caution flag waved for another single-car incident with Suárez running 26th. He stayed on track and restarted 19th when the race went back to green on lap 218.
• The race went green the rest of the way and Suárez held down the 26th position all the way to the checkered flag.

Daniel Suárez, driver of the No. 96 It’s Good To Be Genuine Parts & Service Toyota Camry for Gaunt Brothers Racing:

“We gave it everything we had today with our It’s Good To Be Genuine Toyota. We were pretty good on restarts most of the day but then it was surprising how quickly it went away within about 15 laps the early part of the race. We worked to make it better on the long run, and it felt like it was coming to me during the long run at the end. But that was pretty much all we had today. We just need to keep working hard. Next week, we’ll have two chances to keep making things better.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule for Suárez and the Gaunt Brothers Racing team is a doubleheader weekend Aug. 8 and 9 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. Saturday’s Firekeepers Casino 400 begins at 4 p.m. EDT, and Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400 begins at 4:30 p.m. Both races will be broadcast live by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Contact Laz Denes

True Speed Communication on behalf of Gaunt Brothers Racing

(704) 875-3388, ext. 806 or Laz.Denes@TrueSpeedCommunication.com