For the second year in a row, the reigning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion will be making the jump to full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing the following year.
After Carl Edwards‘ surprise move away from full-time racing that was officially announced today via a press conference (after initially being reported yesterday by sources to FoxSports.com), Daniel Suarez has been revealed as his replacement in the No. 19 for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Cup Series for 2017.
Suarez comes off a season that saw him win the XFINITY title — his first — following three wins, 19 top fives and 27 top 10s in 33 races for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 outfit in the series.
When he takes the green flag at the season-opening Daytona 500 in February, it’ll be Suarez’s Cup debut, after competing in 68 XFINITY races and 27 Camping World Truck Series events since 2014.
ARRIS, Stanley and Subway are confirmed as sponsors for Suarez’s full-time effort.
"This is amazing. It's hard to believe I'm in this position and opportunity"- Daniel on joining the Cup Series.
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG) January 11, 2017
Suarez was initially announced to run the full XFINITY schedule with the same team; however, at Wednesday’s press conference, Suarez and team owner Joe Gibbs revealed that Suarez is now likely to run around 10 races in 2017, with other Gibbs drivers filling in. Those drivers have not yet been named, but Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch are currently among the team’s full-time Cup drivers.
About the author
Rutherford is the managing editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2015 after serving on the editing staff for two years. At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.
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How convenient to have the driver who brought the sponsor waiting in the wings with a title, and demographics that marketers fantasize about. I’m sure no one nudged Edwards into making the change a season early.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$……..$$$
Pretty sad. That’s the best seat I’ve ever seen taken by a rich kid.
Ugh, never liked Suaruz. The hype, the “message”, the obvious agenda of Nascar, Brian France, Jesus Joe and his crew. I was never a true fan of Carl, but I did like him (I know that sounds funny), and it made me sick when he went to Toyota, he just didn’t seem to fit with that crew. I believe Jesus Joe would go overboard regarding getting $$$$$$$ and would sell his own mother, something stinks about Danny getting the seat. I may be wrong, but I will never ever root for him. A agenda seems to be in the works, fluck em’ all!
Carl I really did feel in later years you were a better driver than the Red Hat Club of Divas…glad you never became a member..of the beotch hypocrite club that is obviously not retiring anytime soon. God Bless! Wish it was them instead of you!