Daniel Suarez came tantalizingly close to victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's Pennzoil 400, ultimately finishing second to Josh Berry after leading in the final laps.

The race's decisive moment came during the final restart with 19 laps remaining. Suarez, who gained the lead through a quick four-tire pit stop, held the front position until Berry made his move with 16 laps to go. Berry completed the pass after a three-lap battle.

"It just sucks to be that close," Suarez reflected. "Sometimes I feel like third feels better than second." The second-place finish marked a significant improvement for Suarez, whose previous best result this season was 13th at the Daytona 500.

The final caution with 23 laps remaining had set up the dramatic finish, eliminating a potential fuel mileage scenario and putting all leaders on the same strategy. While clean air initially favored Suarez, his car's handling on short runs proved challenging.

"I was having a little bit too much contact with the ground in turns 1 and 2, and that's where he got me," Suarez explained. "The first five laps were my weakness, and unfortunately, we lost the race there."

The result highlighted a strong day for Trackhouse Racing, with teammate Ross Chastain finishing fifth. Both drivers showed impressive pace, with Suarez leading 12 laps and Chastain 14, despite starting from mid-pack positions. Suarez maintained an average running position of 8.6 throughout the race, while Chastain averaged 11.4.

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