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DANIEL SUÁREZ – 2019 Gander Outdoors Duels Race Report

Event:  Gander Outdoors Duel
Series:  Monster Energy 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:  11th/11th (Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)
Duel No. 1 Winner:  Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Duel No. 2 Winner:  Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

SHR Finish:        

●  Kevin Harvick (Started 8th, Finished 1st/ Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)
●  Daniel Suárez (Started 11th, Finished 11th / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)
●  Clint Bowyer (Started 4th, Finished 2nd / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)
●  Aric Almirola (Started 9th, Finished 3rd / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)

Notes:                   

●  Suárez started his Duel from the 11th position and ended the 60-lap race in the same position.
●  Suárez began the race running the low line, and eventually moved to the top when drivers lined up single file after five laps.
●  Suárez made a fuel-only pit stop on lap 12, joining 11 other drivers.
●  Moved up to sixth on lap 16 when second group of drivers pitted together.
●  Ran as high as fifth before the caution flag waved on lap 27.
●  “Very, very tight when I’m on the bottom,” said Suárez on lap 34 when he was running 12th.
●  With 10 laps to go, made a mover underneath Bubba Wallace, but lost lead draft.” Finished the race comfortably in 11th.
●  Suárez will start 23rd in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish is 29th (2017).
●  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. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“I feel like our Haas Automation Mustang has good speed. It is a little different than our Clash car and we will work on it and try to tune up for Sunday. It was okay in traffic. I feel like we need to make a couple adjustments with the handling of the car to be able to be a little bit better. We just have to keep working on it. It was the very first time I have been in the draft with this racecar, so we have to work on that a little bit.”

Next Up:

The 61st Daytona 500 gets underway at 2:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 17, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m.