It has been 10 years since Daniel Suárez raced in his native Mexico. He was in his early 20s, competing within the NASCAR Mexico Sequence whereas additionally commuting to the US, the place he would compete in what’s now generally known as the ARCA Menards Sequence East — the stock-car equal of Single-A baseball.
He’ll do it once more this weekend when he pulls double responsibility at Mexico Metropolis’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez highway course, competing in each the Xfinity Sequence and the Cup Sequence — the primary time NASCAR’s headliners will race within the nation.
“It’s totally particular,” Suárez instructed ESPN. “Actually, it is very troublesome to place into perspective for folks. Solely those that actually know me very properly perceive how necessary and particular that is for me.
“After quite a lot of work and sacrifices, I used to be capable of make it in NASCAR Mexico, and at one level in my life, that was my purpose — that was my final purpose. I used to be capable of get there at an early age, which gave me hope to have the ability to do one thing in the US.”
Suárez’s story is a Hollywood script, the quintessential American dream. His household did not come from racing or cash, however they did what they may to assist their son. When Suárez was 17, he was able to stop racing as a result of his funding had run out, then alongside got here a big-time sponsor that helped Suárez flip his goals into actuality — serving to him transfer to the U.S. regardless of not talking English.
His journey Stateside included staying on the sofa of a good friend in Buffalo, New York, and persevering with to separate time between racing in Mexico and the US. Ultimately, Suárez landed in Charlotte, North Carolina, and shortly was on the radar of Joe Gibbs Racing, which gave him a shot on the Xfinity Sequence in 2014. He was champion two years later, and has gone on to turn into a two-time winner within the Cup Sequence.
As for the language barrier, Suárez, who now drives the No. 99 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing within the Cup Sequence, taught himself English — and in probably the most endearing method. When his focus wasn’t on racing, it was on watching cartoons. The youngsters-centric exhibits have been simple to observe and the phrases clearly pronounced.
“And now coming again to my dwelling nation as a NASCAR Cup Sequence winner and an Xfinity Sequence champion, all these various things, it is very particular,” Suárez stated. “Not only for me, however lots of people who’ve been in my nook for a lot of, a few years, for the followers, the media, for Mexico. They’ve identified me for a few years. So, it is very particular.”
Suárez by no means imagined when he left his dwelling nation that the Cup Sequence would run in Mexico. It was a dream, however nothing greater than a type of “what if” goals, a “perhaps someday” dream.
There isn’t a arguing that he’s the face of the upcoming weekend because the homegrown star. Suárez has turn into much more standard together with his fellow drivers, a few of whom have picked his mind for data of what to anticipate and different native tidbits.
“I simply really feel very lucky to be on this place and have the ability to characterize my nation, my neighborhood, my folks, and to deliver the whole NASCAR trade into my dwelling,” Suárez stated. “I do not need to say I’ll be the celebrity down there, however I’ll be native, and that shall be particular. And like I stated, there are lots of people down there who’ve adopted me for 15 years.
“Truly, just a few weeks in the past I used to be in Mexico Metropolis doing a little occasions, and I noticed a child on the road ready for a taxi, and he had one in all my hats. He stated, ‘Daniel, I’ll be on the race. I have been supporting you for the reason that NASCAR Mexico days.’ There are going to be 1000’s of individuals like that.”
NASCAR has a worldwide presence, with collection that run in Canada, Europe, Brazil and Mexico. The NASCAR Mexico Sequence will be part of the Cup and Xfinity collection this weekend, however the two nationwide collection going worldwide is a big second for the trade.
The Xfinity Sequence raced in Mexico Metropolis from 2005 by 2008, and the Craftsman Truck Sequence has beforehand run races in Canada. Nevertheless, Sunday would be the first time the Cup Sequence, a true-blue American sport, holds a points-paying race exterior the US since 1958. In doing so, the trade will take its premier collection and do what different skilled American sports activities just like the NFL and MLB have been doing for years: serving a global viewers.
Suárez has little question that NASCAR can present the identical kind of worldwide enchantment, particularly as Mexico continues to develop its automobile, motorsports and total sports activities tradition.
“The rationale I’ve zero doubt is as a result of perhaps I’ve a unique perspective than most individuals and perhaps most drivers right here in the US,” Suárez stated. “Clearly, I am Mexican. I’ve a spouse who’s Brazilian. Now we have quite a lot of relationships in Brazil and South America, Mexico, and I do know some folks in Argentina and Colombia. I do know for a truth how standard this sport is, and I do know that individuals will get loopy in Mexico. And I do know if someday we race in Brazil and Argentina, it will be an enormous success.
“There are lots of people who love motorsports in Mexico and South America. So, the way in which I see it, the sky is the restrict. I believe that NASCAR has achieved an incredible job for over 75 years in the US, they usually have achieved just a few issues right here and there internationally, however I believe it is a good time to discover new boundaries.”
