Daniel Suarez relishes NASCAR Xfinity Sequence victory in Mexico Metropolis on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Saturday within the Chilango 150.
MEXICO CITY – In all his excessive hopes and onerous work over the past yr to advertise NASCAR’s return to his residence nation of Mexico, even Daniel Suarez couldn’t have imagined the superb story of his dramatic win in Saturday’s The Chilango 150 – coming from final place on the grid in a back-up automobile and charging to Victory Lane.
Daniel Suarez Relishes Victory
After victory spinouts, the 33-year outdated from Monterrey, Mexico native climbed out of his No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, stood on the automobile’s roof, pounded his chest and pointed upward to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez grandstands – shouting to the thrilled crowd in his native Spanish and thanking his loyal followers for his or her assist.
“It’s all the pieces I used to be searching for, only a special occasion,” mentioned an emotional Suarez, the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Sequence champion, who led a race finest 19 of the 65 laps and beat Taylor Grey to the checkered flag by 0.598-second in a back-up automobile the staff re-built after he crashed within the morning qualifying session.
“It’s a really special occasion, very, very particular to be right here in entrance of my folks, all these folks that have supported me for a lot of, a few years and recognized me since my NASCAR Mexico days, now I’m preventing with the large boys,” mentioned Suarez, who was compelled to make use of the ‘worldwide provisional’ beginning place after his incident in qualifying.
And even after diligently working his manner by all the 37-car subject, Suarez needed to ‘earn’ this win–by each definition. The NASCAR Cup Sequence full-timer went door-to-door with Grey on a restart with three laps, in the end pulling away, solely to fend off a fast-approaching Grey once more on the ultimate stretch of the final lap.
Suarez first took the lead Saturday in an identical dramatic trend, prevailing on a three-wide restart with 19 laps remaining.
He emerged out entrance after going door-to-door with the race’s early leaders, rookie Connor Zilisch and fellow NASCAR Cup Sequence common Ty Gibbs. The polesitter Zilisch, who led 17 laps, wheel-hopped taking the opening nook underneath these crowded circumstances on the restart, spun, after which hit his JR Motorsports teammate Carson Kvapil because the pile-up behind started.
A Pile Up Involving 13 Automobiles
Gibbs, a NASCAR Cup Sequence common led 18 laps. He moved ahead from the preliminary contact solely to make contact with Kvapil’s Chevy within the subsequent flip. The following pile-up affected 13 automobiles in various levels.
Suarez drove by the melee to the gang’s huge cheers. The Mexican followers stood on their toes with arms raised and Mexican flags within the air.
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill completed third, Kaulig Racing’s Christian Eckes was fourth, and Zilisch recovered to complete fifth in one other of his extra outstanding drives.
With 17 laps remaining after that incident, Zilisch fell again to twenty eighth place. With harm to the fitting facet of he Chevy, he moved by the sector at a tremendous tempo. Zilisch in the end, moved up 14 spots in three laps after the restart. With ten laps to go, he was in tenth place and earned a top-five end.
“I’m pleased with my staff for his or her effort,’’ mentioned Zilisch, who leaned in opposition to his automobile alone on pit highway, clearly disenchanted with the result after such a robust afternoon.
“Clearly, the end isn’t what we needed. We in all probability had a greater automobile than fifth place, however we obtained caught up in an incident on that final restart. Simply proud to have the ability to come right here and get a good end.
“Congrats to Daniel [Suarez], it’s superior to see him win right here in his hometown. That’s tremendous massive for him. Actually pleased with JR Motorsports and we’ll get it subsequent week.
As for the incident, Zilisch conceded, “Nonetheless don’t know what I actually may have carried out to get the to the entrance faster, in all probability may have been a little bit cleaner on that final restart and gotten by guys faster … actually proud to complete top-five after day like that.’’
William Sawalich, Austin Inexperienced, Jeb Burton and his cousin Harrison Burton, and Sammy Smith rounded out the highest ten.
There have been seven lead adjustments amongst six drivers with Kvapil profitable the primary stage and Smith profitable stage two.
Earlier than the tip of the primary stage the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence championship chief, Justin Allgaier needed to take his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet behind the wall for repairs. He ended the race settling for a Thirty fourth-place and 15 laps right down to the winner. Thankfully, the reigning sequence championship chief held a 92-point lead over Hill earlier than the race. He now leads by 54 factors.
Subsequent Up
The sequence travels to Pocono Raceway for its subsequent race on Saturday, June twenty first. The Discover the Pocono Mountains 250 begins at 3:30 pm ET. Protection is on the CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The 2024 winner was Cole Custer who’s now racing within the NASCAR Cup Sequence.
