The 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion from Byron, Michigan, is set to achieve a milestone start in his sixth full-time season in NASCAR's premier series.
The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports entry piloted by Kyle Larson and led by crew chief Cliff Daniels become the 10th team to be penalized for a loose wheel infraction following Sonoma.
The 30-year-old Suarez from Monterrey, Mexico, became the first Mexican-born competitor to win in NASCAR's premier series following a dominant run in Sonoma, California.
The NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series travel to the 1.99-mile road course at Sonoma Raceway this weekend. The Xfinity Series is off and will return to competition at Nashville Superspeedway on June 25.
The 2018 Cup Series champion led 20 of 242 over-scheduled laps and prevailed in a late crossover battle with Kyle Busch to capture the inaugural Cup event in Madison, Illinois.
The 22-year-old Smith from Huntington Beach, California, will be filling in for Buescher, who will not compete at Gateway following a positive COVID-19 test.
