Daniel Suarez is ready for the pressure at the Daytona 500

Daniel Suarez has received several kicks in the gut in the last few years (some would say the kicks have hit lower on his body), and certainly as many as any other NASCAR Cup Series driver.So when talking about the nerves Thursday night and handling what will be the most excruciating race of his NASCAR Cup Series career, he at least has some perspective.Not knowing until December 2018 that he would have a ride for 2019, then being fired for the second time in two years and not knowing until about a month ago that he would have a ride for this year, the anxiety of trying to race his way into the Daytona 500 will be just another hill to climb.“I’ve been through a lot the last couple of years,” Suarez said. If both Haley and Gaughan finish best in their duel, Sorenson and Hill fill the final two spots.Suarez is the only driver among those seven who competed full time in the series last year, having finished a career-best 17th in the standings driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, his first year there after being replaced at Joe Gibbs Racing by Martin Truex Jr.SHR, looking for the next Kevin Harvick and unsure of the reliability of the Suarez sponsorship, replaced him with Cole Custer, winner of seven Xfinity races and son of SHR executive Joe Custer, for 2020. Of the open teams, the only owner who said making the race would truly impact potential future races was Carl Long, whose MBM Motorsports is fielding the cars for Hill and Finchum.Sorenson, who has plenty of experience and will drive for Premium Motorsports, is likely the biggest threat to Suarez in his duel.Suarez has three fellow Toyotas in the field (other than Finchum).