KENOSHA, Wis. — Colder and cloudier conditions didn't dampen the spirits of Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain, two NASCAR drivers making an appearance at the Jockey Factory Store in Kenosha.
TMJ4's Lance Allan asks, "Since you're usually around here, July 4, Road America, what are you thinking about this?"
"It was quite different, right?" Suarez says. "Quite different. It was hot and slick."
"We stepped off the airplane this morning and just in the jet bridge it hit me and it's hitting me now," Chastain says. "So a South Florida native from Fort Myers, Florida, Alva, is, I'm a long way from home, but honestly? I mean this is colder than it really, pretty much ever gets in Florida."
"When I was younger, I remember being in school," Suarez says. "And I remember an athlete came to my school to do a little speech. And I remember all the advice and all these little comments that we were receiving from this guy. And now to be on the other side of the fence, for me, is very important to always give a good mark to all these kids."
Both drive for Trackhouse, sponsored by Jockey, each with incredible seasons.
Lance Allan asks, "What's the secret? How did you do it so quickly?"
"Well if I tell you, I will have to kill you," Suarez says. "Nah, rather it's the people."
Chastain is seeded third in the championship four. Thanks to a video game-level move at Martinsville, where he slingshotted around the final turn to get the title shot.
"We did everything right, all year, just so that I could do everything wrong at the roval and crash and still make it," Chastain says. "We had a few more points than some other guys and when we stumbled and I full-on tripped and fell and didn't catch myself and hit the wall, you know, we had enough to get through it."
While Suarez lost the power steering in his ride at the roval in Charlotte.
"It was the most difficult race of my life," Suarez says. "Mentally and physically. And unfortunately, we didn't accomplish a goal. But that's how it happens you know sometimes. And I have never felt like that after a race. I was out. I guess I had 10 hours of sleep the following night. I was out. My shoulders, my back, my neck. I was using every single part of my body to be able to drive that car."
Chastain and Suarez also made a donation on behalf of Jockey of $5,000 to Lincoln Middle School in Kenosha.
