Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images

It’s surprising for some to think that Daniel Suarez has a NASCAR XFINITY Series win rather than a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series triumph in two years of competition.

After all, Suarez, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver began showing his potential in trucks last season driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). And while many contributed his truck performances to the transferring success to the XFINITY Series, much can’t be said for the same in 2016.

So far, Suarez has virtually done everything he’s needed to do in XFINITY this year.

From winning a pole, to out-dueling XFINITY Series master Kyle Busch on a last lap pass at Michigan International Speedway for his first series win, the mounting top-fives, top-ten, laps led, the accolades roll on.

Over across the garage, aboard the No. 51 ARRIS Toyota Tundra for KBM, not so much.

In six truck races this year, the Monterrey, Mexico native has struggled and that’s putting it lightly.

Just one top-five and two top-ten finishes in six races are a far cry from ten top-tens in 13 races last year.

The 24-year-old Suarez though isn’t making excuses. He’s being honest.

Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

“In the trucks we have had a lot of ups and downs,” said Suarez. “It’s a brand new team from last year to this year and I think we’ve had a lot of speed. Sometimes we lost races very easy as well. I just feel like a lot of ups and downs. Very aggressive ups and downs.

“Right now, we put all of our stuff together and we had several meetings to try to put races together to try to be more just consistent. Because like I said, sometimes we are great and sometimes we are horrible.”

Despite being great and sometimes horrible, Suarez says his team has brought him a fast truck for Thursday night’s Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 hoping to propel him to Victory Lane and join teammates Christopher Bell, Busch and William Byron as winners for KBM this season.

“We have several conversations about this before this race and it seemed like all these guys put together a really, really fast Toyota Tundra for this weekend,” added Suarez. “It seemed like they really want to win races. It’s the only team on KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) who hasn’t won a race yet and I’m sure that we’re going to have a big shot tonight so hopefully we can get it done and gain some confidence for the whole team and move forward.”

Looking ahead, Suarez said running truck races ahead of his primary responsibilities in XFINITY even in the Chase will be important, especially if he’s contending for the championship.

“I think the Truck races have been very helpful for me,” he added. “Some race tracks more than others but overall it’s very helpful.”