With that vast experience, he arrived at Bristol to run in both the Truck Series and the NASCAR Cup Series dirt race. He finished 17th in the truck race, but put on a show when he climbed into his Cup car. Driving from his 18th starting spot, Suárez finished fourth in Stage 1 and second in Stage 2. Both the best stage finishes at the time for his first-year Trackhouse team.

He led 58 laps and finished fourth as he battled for victory against drivers who grew up racing on dirt. It was an amazing accomplishment for someone with next to no dirt racing experience. 

He would love to repeat that performance Sunday night when he drives the No. 99 Tootsie's Chevrolet on the Bristol dirt.

Fox will televise Sunday's race at 7 p.m. EDT

Suárez Has Been Dirt Racing this Spring - In a Sprint Car

Unlike last year, Daniel Suárez will walk into Bristol Motor Speedway Sunday night with at least a little bit of dirt experience.

Gaining that experience has also been a lot of fun.

Suárez has joined Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain and several other Cup drivers racing a winged 600 micro sprint car at Millbridge (N.C.) in Salisbury, North Carolina this spring on weeknights when he isn't driving his No. 99 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The drivers have been racing at Millbridge as part of a team building exercise, partly to get some dirt experience, and because it is a lot of fun.

"I never thought I would be doing something like this," laughed Suarez. "But this has been so much fun. It took a bit to get used to it. But I am getting better and better."

Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 99 Tootsie's Chevrolet Camaro

Are you ready for Bristol?

"I am a lot more ready than I was last year. It was funny, all the guys with dirt experience seemed to struggle last year and the drivers who dirt racing was something new to seemed to do better.

"I don't know if that will continue. Those guys are pretty smart and will figure it out. It's going to be a lot of fun and the fans should see a really good show Sunday night."

How is life at Trackhouse Racing?

"It has been such a pleasure to be on this journey with Trackhouse Racing from the very beginning. I have seen the plan grow from something that was only on paper to a strong organization of two cars working together. I enjoy working with Ross (Chastain) and his crew chief Phil (Surgeon) and the entire No. 1 team. We share a lot of information and really try to help each other. At the same time we are very competitive. We want to try to keep pushing each other to get better. It's been a lot of fun and really looking forward to keep pushing ourselves."