Daniel Suarez Channels Music City for Special Nashville Scheme [LOOK]

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Nashville Superspeedway for a Cup Series race on June 20, 2021. The Ally 400 will feature fully-packed grandstands, a special sideline reporter in Brad Paisley, and a Nashville-inspired scheme on Daniel Suarez‘s No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro. The veteran driver will partner with Tootsies Orchid Lounge to channel Music City.

The Trackhouse Racing social media team revealed the new look on Tuesday, June 8, showcasing a very different style on the No. 99. Suarez’s stock car will feature multiple shades of purple, as well as the Tootsies text on the rear fenders and trunk space. There will be special orchid designs next to the door numbers to cap off the scheme.

“Nothing is more quintessential Nashville than Tootsie’s,” said Justin Marks, co-owner of Trackhouse Racing, per Jayski. “When I saw Nashville on the Cup Series schedule last year, my first thought was to find a way to represent this amazing city in a big way. It is very important to me that Trackhouse become a recognized part of the Nashville community, as a professional sports team, as good citizens, and as vocal ambassadors for the region.

“I met with Tootsie’s owner Steve Smith and shared our vision. Immediately he was in, and we all agreed we needed to celebrate the return of NASCAR to this region in an impactful way. This is a partnership that will become a part of the Nashville racing landscape for years to come.”

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The Cup Series Hasn’t Raced in Nashville for 37 Years

The last time NASCAR’s top series headed to the Nashville area, the majority of drivers were not alive. There were two races at the Fairgrounds Speedway in 1984, with Darrell Waltrip and Geoffrey Bodine reaching Victory Lane. Though Dale Earnhardt Jr. is trying to help the Cup Series return to the short track.

The Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, on the other hand, both raced at Nashville Superspeedway in the mid-2000s. There are several drivers with experience at the Tennessee track, including Austin Dillon and Brad Keselowski. However, Suarez is not among this group.

Despite having an overall lack of experience at Nashville Superspeedway, Suarez will have an opportunity to test out the concrete oval before the race starts. The Ally 400 is one of eight events on the 2021 schedule that will feature practice and qualifying sessions due to being a new addition.

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Suarez Will Showcase the Tootsies Scheme While Pushing for Playoff Points

Heading toward the trip to Nashville, Suarez sits below the playoff cutoff line with 293 points. He has been in the mix during multiple races, posting a season-best finish of fourth in Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt race. He also finished ninth during the trip to Dover International Speedway.

Suarez’s playoff chances took a dip during the first-ever trip to Circuit of the Americas in Austin. He started 15th but finished 33rd in the rain-shortened road course race. Though he avoided some of the collisions that sent other drivers to the garage.

Despite the setback, Suarez made positive strides with top-15 finishes in the past two races. He turned in a 15th-place performance in the Coca-Cola 600 and then took 12th in the trip to Sonoma Raceway. These outings were not enough to move him ahead of other bubble drivers, but they served as steps in the right direction for the Trackhouse Racing driver.

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