NASCAR history-maker returns from break with new contract and new wife

Daniel Suarez has returned from the NASCAR Olympic break at the Cook Out 400 this weekend, having signed both a new contract and a wedding certificate since his last race three weeks ago.

Suarez, the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, put pen to paper on his new deal with Trackhouse Racing, which was announced on 9th August when drivers and teams arrived in Richmond.

READ MORE: NASCAR Race Today at Richmond: Cook Out 400 start times and how to watch

His wedding, to health coach Julia Piquet, was held on 28th July after a couple of days of festivities well-attended by friends and family, including ex-Formula 1 champion Nelson Piquet (Julia's father) and model Kelly Piquet (Julia's sister, and Max Verstappen's partner).

Suarez discussed the former event at the first race back this weekend, insisting that he'd never been worried about extending his NASCAR deal into 2025.

READ MORE: How the NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture looks heading into the Olympic break

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Suarez: My biggest worry has been performance

“I was never worried,” he said. “It was just a matter of working details. Honestly, my biggest worry in the last four months hasn’t been the contract, I promise you; it’s been the performance.”

While Suarez has only grabbed four top 10 finishes in a tough year, the win he took all the way back at the second race of the season, in Atlanta, has cemented him a spot in the playoffs when the regular season ends.

“For me, that’s the main thing,” Suarez said. “If you perform, everything takes care of itself. I’ve been here in the Cup Series for some time now, and I understand how it works, and you just have to perform, and at Trackhouse been a little bit of a struggle; it’s not a secret. You guys know the numbers.

“We have work to do. We are not happy with where we’re at, but we’re happy with where we’re heading. We’re working very, very hard behind the scenes to get the train in the right direction. We have great people. We have a lot of support from a lot of sponsors and from Chevrolet, and we know we’re heading in the right direction.”

READ MORE: NASCAR Qualifying Results: Richmond Cook Out 400 start order as title contender takes pole

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