Daniel Suarez Criticizes NASCAR's Driver Approval Process After Phoenix Crash
Daniel Suarez clarified his stance following a collision with Katherine Legge at Phoenix Raceway, expressing concerns about NASCAR's approval process rather than Legge's abilities.
Racecar driver looking over shoulder
Suarez, who was running sixth when the incident occurred, had a productive conversation with Legge after she reached out to him. He commended her initiative while maintaining his position about NASCAR's driver approval system.
"I was more disappointed with NASCAR than her," Suarez stated at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "I believe she got set up for failure. It doesn't matter if you're a great driver or a bad driver - if you're thrown into one of the most difficult series in the world to be competitive, it's just not fair."
Legge made her Cup Series debut with Live Fast Motorsports after just 10 days of preparation. While she improved during practice and qualifying, Suarez and other drivers felt the current approval process didn't properly reflect her extensive racing background.
Suarez emphasized his support for diversity in motorsport: "Having Hispanics, African Americans, women - it's super important. There's nothing wrong with her; it's just the process. I think the process has to be so much better."
He drew a parallel with his own experience, noting that despite being one of the best stock car drivers globally, he wouldn't be qualified to immediately compete in Formula 1 or Formula 2 without proper preparation. Suarez advocated for a more rigorous approval process "for respect to the driver who is trying, to respect the fans, and to respect the drivers and teams that are running full time."