When the Cup Series returned to foreign tracks after over five decades, you knew it was going to be a big deal. The last international race had seen two Pettys go up against each other. And this time, while it wasn’t a father-son face-off, the pressure was on the local hero Daniel Suarez. “The Mexico race is something that I’ve been hoping and waiting on for many, many years, and I’m not going to let anything else from outside take that week and that moment from myself,” he explained. Boy, did he deliver on his promises! Forget Friday’s misfortune when Suarez crashed his No. 9 during qualifying; what mattered was the roar of the crowd as he staged one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent memory.
The cheers that erupted weren’t just for the win; they celebrated a hometown hero, resilience, and a moment destined to live forever in Mexican motorsport lore. It’s a moment that will forever stick with Suarez. But before that, let’s revisit what happened in the race.
After a dramatic start to the weekend that included a crash, Suarez stunned the crowd by racing from 39th to 1st, in a backup car no less, to claim his first Xfinity win at home in the Chilango 150. It was a performance that mixed grit, speed, and surgical execution, culminating in a 0.598-second victory over Taylor Gray.
In a recent interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Suarez couldn’t help but bask in the glory and reflect on his race. SiriusXM took to X: “‘First time in my life that I was driving the race car and I could hear the fans.’ @Daniel_SuarezG describes his emotional weekend in Mexico City after winning the @NASCAR_Xfinity race on Saturday.“
The Trackhouse driver goes on to add, “I wouldn’t have traded that for anything. I was extremely proud to represent my sports, my sponsors, my fans in Mexico. It was just an amazing opportunity and I hope that you all enjoy this amazing event and I believe that it was amazing.”
“First time in my life that I was driving the race car and I could hear the fans.”
@Daniel_SuarezG describes his emotional weekend in Mexico City after winning the @NASCAR_Xfinity race on Saturday.
Full Interview https://t.co/WGRTG5gnEd pic.twitter.com/xla4SX9Cqb
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) June 20, 2025
Daniel’s unforgettable weekend in Mexico City wasn’t just a personal milestone; it was also powered by a lineup of key sponsors that amplified the moment. In the Xfinity Series, he drove the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports with Quaker State as the primary sponsor.
He goes on to say, “People sometimes don’t realize how much work is required to put an event together like this. We have known that this event was going to happen for almost a year, but this event has been in the works for years, for three years at least. So it has taken a lot of work from many, many people to put this event together and for me to be able to be the face of the event, to represent my country, fans, the media.”
Suarez’s words tell only part of the picture. The logistics behind the scenes are incredible. Since it wasn’t just a Cup race taking place, Xfinity cars and equipment were part of the 58-trailer convoy that headed off to Mexico. And on race day at Michigan, all equipment teams would need in Mexico, left early in the morning. Facilitating all of this, the sport’s long-term partners like Goodyear, Featherlite, and Stepp’s Towing Service stepped up.
NASCAR’s vice president of racing operations Tom Bryant explained their strategy, “We use the PACE method of planning. meaning we have the Primary plan, an Alternate plan, a Contingency plan and an Emergency plan. So we’ve got three backups to the primary plan for everything we’re doing. The reality is I believe that most of the things we’ve planned will go off roughly how we’ve planned them. But there are going to be unforeseen incidents and things that occur that are going to force us to adjust. But we try to think through all of what those things could possibly be well in advance and plan for how we’re going to react to that so when it comes time to execute, we’re just performing.”
Moreover, the hometown hero adds, ” It was a big deal. It was a very, very big deal and I was already very proud of all the work, of the event, to be able to win one of the two races I participated in. It was already extremely special. It’s the first time in my life that I’m driving in the race car and I can hear the fans. I mean, it was unbelievable. I have never experienced that in my life.”
Amidst all the drama, Suarez kept it flawless on track. When chaos erupted during the final stage restart, taking out frontrunners Connor Zilisch and Ty Gibbs, he seized the moment, avoided incident, and held his nerve to cross the line clean and strong—a statement to his control and race craft.
Even his longtime friend Bubba Wallace was moved by Daniel’s triumph as he poured out praise across social media. NASCAR royalty and JR Motorsports’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a great day at the office that day and was awestruck. “Unlike anything I’ve experienced,” he marveled, noting Suarez’s capability to shoulder hometown expectations and deliver in front of tens of thousands.
However, Daniel’s dramatic charge wasn’t a solo act. Fellow Mexican drivers Andres Perez de Lara and Ruben Rovelo joined the effort. Perez Del Lara making his Xfinity debut, Rovelo racing at his hometown track—it was picture perfect. However, as Andreas went home in 30th position and Ruben parked his car at 37th, neither of them threatened for victory, but their presence added layers of national pride and helped create a sense of collective triumph.
Kevin Harvick can’t hide his happiness for Suarez
Racing in front of a roaring home crowd at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the Monterey native delivered a stirring victory that resonated far beyond the track. Former Cup Series champion and current analyst Kevin Harvick summed it up perfectly during his happy hour podcast. He shared, “The best part of the weekend … I was so excited for Daniel and all the Mexican fans that were there to watch him race in his home country.”
Harvick went a step further, crediting Suarez for boosting the entire event: “For our event, and especially on Saturday, they should send him a bonus for probably selling tickets on Sunday because of the fact he went out and did that on Saturday and all of the headlines that came with that.”
He adds, “Daniel puts a lot of effort into this sport and his craft, but his story of how he got here and the sacrifices he made coming from Mexico to go back there and win in the Xfinity Series—I was really happy for our sport and Daniel.” For Suarez, the win was about more than points; it was a full-circle moment of pride, passion, and representation. And for fans around the world, it was a reminder of just how powerful a hometown win can be.
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