MEXICO CITY — Daniel Suarez stood exterior the infield medical middle Saturday morning and declared: “I’m going to placed on a present for you guys.”
Daniel Suarez and crew rejoice in victory lane after profitable the NASCAR Xfinity Collection The Chilango 150 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
He certain did. And he hopes to placed on yet another Sunday afternoon to please the followers of his dwelling nation much more than he did Saturday, if that’s even potential.
Suarez, the one Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race, rallied from the rear of the sphere by profitable the Xfinity Series occasion in a backup automobile at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The Mexican followers waved flags. They chanted Suarez’s identify. They held indicators that stated “Vamos Suarez.”
“I’ve by no means skilled what I skilled at the moment,” stated Suarez, the 2016 champion of the sequence, NASCAR’s model of a triple-A baseball. “Once I took the lead, I used to be capable of hear individuals like they have been proper subsequent to me. … It was unbelievable.
“I bought goosebumps. I felt so blessed. I by no means had that feeling in my life. After which I needed to inform myself, ‘Daniel, don’t get distracted.’”
The 33-year-old Suarez received’t get a lot time to rejoice. He begins tenth within the NASCAR Cup Collection occasion Sunday, the primary Cup factors race exterior the USA in 67 years.
Beginning tenth within the Cup race for Trackhouse Racing will likely be a lot better than what Suarez needed to face on Saturday, after he wrecked in Xfinity qualifying, which required JR Motorsports to drag out a backup automobile.
“Proper now, I really feel like this offers me plenty of confidence,” Suarez stated. “Once I crashed in Xfinity qualifying, I went into Cup qualifying somewhat bit down.
“I used to be good, however I used to be not 100% as a result of I simply crashed. … However the feeling I had in my [Cup] automobile in qualifying, I used to be very pleased with it. I believe my automobile was able to profitable the pole place.”
FINAL LAPS: Daniel Suárez wins The Chilango 150 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
When watching the staff put together the Xfinity backup, Suarez appeared assured and relaxed, taking selfies with followers as he walked to driver introductions and addressing the group.
It has already been a busy 5 days for Suarez, who made a number of appearances within the metropolis selling the race with a path of media and a documentary crew following nearly each transfer.
All for a driver who’s on a 49-race winless streak in Cup. His final win got here within the second race of the 2024 season at Atlanta. And he sits twenty eighth within the standings.
“I’ll go on the market tomorrow and have enjoyable and luxuriate in it,” Suarez stated. “That’s what I did at the moment. In the present day, I simply loved the second.
“My aim wasn’t to win the race. My aim was to maximise the potential of the race automobile.”
Making an attempt to maximise the potential hasn’t been straightforward on the Cup aspect this week.
His race staff had journey points Thursday and he operated with a skeleton crew for observe Friday as NASCAR put Cup automobiles on the two.42-mile 15-turn highway course for the primary time. The remainder of his crew made it on Saturday, together with his engineers nearly a half-hour earlier than qualifying.
“I like adversity,” Suarez stated Friday. “I find it irresistible. You set me in opposition to the wall, I’m going to come back at you swinging. And our staff is identical manner. … That is simply going to be a greater story after we win on Sunday.”
Suarez faces unimaginable stress in Mexico Metropolis, as he’s combating to maintain his experience at Trackhouse Racing with up-and-comer Connor Zilisch working nicely sufficient in Xfinity to probably be elevated to Cup.
Zilisch, additionally driving for JR Motorsports, dominated the race till a restart with 19 laps remaining when he entered the primary activate the within of a three-wide state of affairs with Ty Gibbs within the center and Suarez making an attempt to make a transfer on the skin.
Zilisch slammed into Gibbs, who hit Suarez, however Suarez was capable of survive and take the lead, by no means relinquishing it the remainder of the best way. Zilisch took the blame for the accident.
It wasn’t completely straightforward the remainder of the best way for Suarez. On the ultimate lap, Taylor Gray, battling Suarez for the lead, pressured him off the course. Grey checked as much as enable Suarez to collect his automobile and Suarez retained the lead. Grey gave him one other faucet late within the closing lap and Suarez crossed the end line to large cheers.
He’ll get extra cheers on Sunday.
“This race was very particular,” Suarez stated. “I do know it’s Xfinity. The massive one is tomorrow. However it’s a very particular race for me.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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