It’s about 1,500 miles between Daniel Suárez’s hometown of Monterrey, Mexico and Fontana, California where the NASCAR Cup Series races Sunday on the two-mile, highbanks of Auto Club Speedway.
But, Fontana still feels like home to Suárez and his Trackhouse Racing team.
“For me, racing in Los Angeles is similar to racing at home,” said Suárez who signed a multiyear contract extension with Trackhouse Racing last week. “There are a lot of Hispanics here, so it’s extra exciting for me to race here, where I can call it almost home.”
He has made his mark in California.
Suárez became the first Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race when he dominated at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June, and he has proudly sported a sombrero at the Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum the last two events.
He nearly created a signature moment in Fontana last year when he took the lead with three laps to go and looked like he might capture his first career victory. While racing hard for the checkered flag, eventual winner Kyle Larson plus two others slipped past the No. 99 in the final laps.
“We had a fast car, but we went through a lot of adversity. We had a few issues. We hit the wall once. We had an issue with a diffuser,” said Suárez. “My pit crew, those guys are legends and they gave me a chance to win that day.”
Suárez arrives in California after finishing seventh in Sunday’s Daytona 500. It was a remarkable comeback after falling to 30th and a lap down as the field was coming to the white flag lap. But a caution and two overtimes allowed him to regain the lost lap and rally to a seventh-place finish – a career best at Daytona.
He’d like to create a happy memory this weekend in Fontana where he will sport the color of longtime partner Freeway Insurance whose blue and green colors he will carry in several Cup races in 2023.
It won’t be all racing this weekend in California.
On Thursday he’ll spend the day with personal sponsors, then a production day with Freeway Insurance on Friday. On Saturday, he’ll meet with his race fans at 3 p.m. local time in the parking lot of the Freeway Insurance office at 9800 Sierra Ave. Suite B2 in Fontana.
Suárez might even work in a LAFC vs. LA Galaxy soccer match Saturday night if he can fit it in his busy schedule.
It will almost be like a weekend at home.
Fox will broadcast Sunday’s race at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet
How was your Daytona 500?
“It was a little bit crazy, but I told the team they did a hell of a job. We lacked track position most of the day, and when it mattered the most, we had it. We just spun out there and I was just struggling with loose balance when people would get to the rear bumper for some reason. That one, the 2 came very close to me, very tight and the car behind me came very close as well and got me loose. We recovered and we are getting better at this kind of racing and we are going to get one of these one day.”
Do you enjoy racing in Fontana?
“I love racing there. The track is so fast and wide. The restarts are amazing. We were so close there last year despite hitting the wall. We are very optimistic for Sunday.”
How was your off season, ready for Fontana?
“I personally, honestly, I had the best off-season I’ve ever had. Normally in the past, I would be dealing with moving from one team to another. This off-season was the first time ever that I was really able to disconnect from racing for a few weeks, and that really made me recharge my batteries 110 percent. It was very, very good for me to have some time off. We came back excited and ready to go race again. Everyone in November is tired, very exhausted. So for me, it was very important to be able to take that time.”
You will meet race fans Saturday at the Freeway Insurance office in Fontana?
“Yes, at just about every Freeway race we go to a local office and meet the race fans and sign autographs, take pictures and just have a lot of fun. Freeway usually has a radio station broadcasting from the party. It’s cool to get to my everyone. Parents bring their kids out. You see a lot of 99 shirts. It kind of recharges your batteries and that’s a good thing.”
Suárez Notes
Suárez, 31, became the first driver from Mexico (Monterrey) to win in the NASCAR Cup Series on June 12, 2022 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
He became the fifth different driver all-time not from the United States to win a NASCAR Cup Series race; joining Marcos Ambrose (Australia), Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Earl Ross (Canada) and Mario Andretti (Italy).
Suárez drives for the third-year team Trackhouse Racing – a team owned by former racer Justin Marks and partner Pitbull.
Trackhouse Racing won three races in 2022 and placed both Suárez and teammate Ross Chastain in the 2022 playoffs. Suárez finished a career-best 10th in points.
Suárez, came to America to race. He did not speak English when he arrived in Buffalo, New York.
He is the only Spanish-speaking driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Suárez became the first Latin American, as well as the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate, to win a NASCAR national series title when he won the 2016 Xfinity Series championship.
In 2016, he became the first Mexican driver to win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, claiming three victories at Michigan, Dover and the championship finale at Homestead-Miami.
He was the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year – the first Mexican driver to win the award.
In 2013, Suárez finished third in the ARCA Menards Series East final championship standings, the highest finish for an international driver in series history.
Suárez and fiancé Julia Piquet were engaged in November 2022.
Suárez received the National Series Driver Award during the NASCAR Diversity Awards in Los Angeles in February.
Suárez is a fan of the Mexican Soccer team Tigres UANL – he grew up playing soccer.
