With 17 races remaining in the Cup Series season, questions remain about where Daniel Suarez will race in 2026. One potential option is JR Motorsports, which has Suarez's name in the proverbial hat.
Team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. addressed the possibility of adding the Mexico native to the fold next season. He did not indicate that the team will sign Suarez, but he acknowledged that a deal is not out of the realm of possibility based on other factors.
Suarez and Trackhouse Racing previously announced they will part ways after the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
"We're just kind of sitting back and seeing how things play out," Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday morning at Sonoma Raceway. "We always are going to have like one or two cars that are in a limbo each year.
"That's the business model that we have and have had for years. That's not unique. And we do kind of weigh options and ideas. And there's a lot of -- every year, right around this time -- there's a lot of names in the hat and a lot of ways to sort of piece the puzzle together."
Numerous possibilities remain for JR Motorsports as it looks at the 2026 season. Justin Allgaier will continue to be the man in the No. 7 Chevrolet while serving as the veteran presence, but the team has not provided any details about the other three full-time cars.
Of course, the expectation is that Connor Zilisch will leave JR Motorsports after this season and move up to replace Suarez in Trackhouse Racing's No. 99. The team hasn't confirmed this yet with a formal announcement.
Zilisch's departure would leave one open seat in the JR Motorsports stable and take a name out of the hat. The team's other two full-time cars currently feature Carson Kvapil and Sammy Smith.
"Are all four cars full time?" Earnhardt Jr. asked. "Do we have an all-star car again like we had back in the day? Those are always fun.
"You're not racing for a championship on the driver's side, but having all those -- having the Cup level talent come in, I think, helps Justin and helps our team and the program understand kind of where our stuff is."
Suarez is one of the multiple Cup Series drivers who have joined JR Motorsports this season to drive the part-time fifth car, the No. 9 Chevrolet. He joined current teammates Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen.
Suarez delivered success for the team in his lone start this season. He started from the rear of the field in Mexico City after a crash but he worked his way to the front of the pack and held off Taylor Gray for the win.
If a deal at JR Motorsports materialized, Suarez would immediately become a contender for multiple Xfinity Series wins based on his championship-winning experience and the team's championship-winning cars.
"I like the potential of the idea around Daniel driving our cars -- or whoever it may be," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I love the turnover. I also love the security and stability that Justin brings.
"But I also love -- it's a great thing about having four cars. You got one that is always going to be this way and always going to be dependable and then you can do fun s*** with this other car over here."