Daniel Suarez Impressively Wins the Chilango 150 On His Home Turf

Daniel Suarez promised he’d put on a show in Saturday’s first Xfinity race at Mexico’s premier raceway, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, for the first time in over a decade, and he did just that. The Mexican native took the checkered flag for JR Motorsports at the 2.674-mile track 0.598 seconds ahead of Richard Childress driver No. 54 Taylor Gray.

It was an incredible sight to witness Suarez soar to the top of the field after starting at the bottom and in a backup car, no less. So, forget about the misfortune that took place during Friday qualifying, when he crashed his No. 9 Chevrolet with a flying lap and just 22 minutes to go.

Daniel Suarez’s Late Race Woes in the Chilango 150

Suarez’s luck changed during the race’s final stage as he raced three-wide against Ty Gibbs and teammate Connor Zilisch after a late restart. Gibbs tested Suarez, knowing he was running strong and had a single goal in mind to push him to the outside. During his attempt, he unexpectedly clipped Gibbs’ No. 19 Toyota GR Supra.

The incident sent him headfirst into an unsuspecting Daniel Suarez, who was in a clear fight to maintain the race lead.Miraculously, Suarez’s JR Motorsports Chevy survived the incident, and he was able to continue holding the top spot on the field, but not for long. Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Taylor Gray rounded the outside, and a heated battle between him and Suarez ensued.

Eager to break his 49-race winless streak apart from the Cup Series Daniel Suarez knew he had to think fast and keep his eye on the finish line within his sight, but Gray continued to edge him from the outside pushing him off track. Despite veering off course, Daniel Suarez was able to collect himself as Gray pulled back his dominance, allowing him to lead the field once again.

Still, Taylor Gray couldn’t resist bump drafting him during the final lap of the Chilango 150. The No. 9 driver knew he had a job to do, and that was to block out everything around him at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and cruise to victory. He accomplished just that, and as he sailed past the finish line and made his way to victory lane, cheers from adoring fans donning Mexican Flags and handmade signs brandishing “Vamos Suarez” erupted from the grandstands.

Immersed in Pride

Upon winning the checkered flag in the Xfinity Series in Mexico City, pride coursed through Daniel Suarez’s veins because he won on his home turf. What made it even more special was the overpowering roar of thousands of adoring Mexican fans cheering him on. The moment was surreal, and Suarez said it best during a post-race interview, recalling the very second he knew he’d won the Chilango 150 and the reaction from fans.

He explained that it was nothing like he had ever experienced before, and the sound of screams and chants celebrating his victory was so close that it sounded as if it were right next to him.It was a moment that gave him goosebumps and rightfully so after breaking his winless streak in none other than his home country.

Daniel Suarez could be seen smiling in victory lane, and as he stood atop the podium, it was clear he was beaming from the inside out. He expressed that the momentous win in the Xfinity Series race gave him a lot of confidence ahead of Saturday, but admitted that he was uncertain of where he stood going in. This was due to his crash during the final minutes of race qualifying, which ultimately left a bad taste in his mouth.

He felt much better, however, when it boiled down to securing a spot for the Viva Mexico 250 and even felt he had a shot at starting from the pole. He had no intentions of winning the Chilango 150, but it certainly set an enormous precedent for the following day.

Aside from shaky qualifying leading up to race weekend, there were issues with all of his crew members making it to Mexico City on Thursday ahead of practice. Therefore, his team had to make do with the sparse number of crew members they had, but as luck would have it, the remainder of his crew made it just in time for Saturday’s qualifying.

“I have never experienced what I experienced today. When I took the lead, I was able to hear people like they were right next to me. … It was unbelievable,” Daniel Suarez told reporters post-race. 

“I got goosebumps. I felt so blessed. I never had that feeling in my life. And then I had to tell myself, ‘Daniel, don’t get distracted,” he proudly added. 

Final Thoughts

Despite a weekend full of ups and downs, Daniel Suarez reminded fans why he’s still relevant in NASCAR within the United States and internationally. The win in the Xfinity Series Chilango 150 was not one he had anticipated, but it was immediately clear that, though he was not racing for points, he was racing for unity. NASCAR, in itself, is a sport that represents unity, so it was incredible to see people from two different walks of life come together in support and admiration for not only Suarez but for racing as a whole.