Happy birthday to Daniel Suarez, who turns 34 today, on the 7th of January. Although an American citizen by law now, he was born in Mexico and is still deeply connected to his roots, which he reflected while racing in Mexico City with JR Motorsports in 2025. This was the time when the NASCAR Cup Series held a points race outside of the US since 1958. And it was also a year that Suarez and his fans will never forget.

Daniel Suarez had a fairytale win in The Chilango 150 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico, his hometown. Starting from the last, he battled his way in a backup car and ultimately finished first, a story that can’t be scripted. Today, let’s take a look back at that emotional and historic homecoming victory, which didn’t come so easily.

There seemed to be no possible way for Suarez to win

JR Motorsports delivered Suarez a competitive #9 car that day for his home race. However, he had a mishap during the morning qualifying session and crashed into the wall. This damaged the car beyond repair, considering the race was on the same day. This was tragic. The car was almost perfect for him (except for the brakes, as he mentioned shortly after the crash).

Not only was Daniel Suarez forced to drive a backup car, but he also started from the back of the field, in 39th place. There seemed to be no chance for him to win. However, he was focused more on the race, and less on the crash.

“The past is the past. Nothing we can do about it. I cannot fix the past but I can fix the future,” he said hours before the race.

His goal was simple. To keep his head down, focus on consistency, and wait for others to make mistakes. NASCAR drivers aren’t the best ones when it comes to road courses, and Suarez seemed to hammer down on that opportunity.

He showcased exceptional racecraft and a calm racing attitude, not rushing enough. The main straight on the track helped him make steady overtakes early. Despite being in the backup car, Suarez had managed to get close to the lead by the middle of the race as fans cheered him. But then came the next challenge: patience and resilience.

Leading with 14 laps to go

“I’m a nervous wreck,” a notable quote from Julia Piquet, Suarez’s wife, as he fought for the lead.

While the field behind the #9 Chevy was in a fight of their own, Suarez put his foot down and focused on clinching the lead. With 18 laps remaining, he was already battling Ty Gibbs within the top three.

Coming out of the first chicane, multiple cars wrecked, including Gibbs, who was battling Suarez. But there was one car that continued leading, and to the home crowd’s joy, it was the #9. After the caution, Suarez found himself in the lead for the final 14 laps.

But 14 laps is a long time. A lot can go wrong. One oversteer, one tire or engine issue, or a mistimed shift. A lot can go wrong. It wasn’t an easy challenge for him, especially with some light damage on the car’s front and the field racing alongside him.

But he proved himself. Despite a late contact with the #54 Supra, he kept a calm lead, getting ahead of any obstacle he faced. At the end, he was the first driver to cross the checkered flag.

By doing this, Daniel Suarez had become a hometown hero, in a way that even he couldn’t have imagined. He stood on his car, and let his emotions pour out to his fans.

“It’s everything I was looking for, just a special day,” an emotional Suarez said.

His wife, Julia Piquet, and other family members came down to celebrate with him. Dale Jr. also congratulated him on the win. “I was so thankful for him to have a moment like he had today,” Junior said.

But that 2025. A year where not everything went well for him in the Cup Series. In fact, he changed teams for the upcoming season, and there are quite a few challenges that he could face.

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How does the 2026 season look for Daniel Suarez?

Suarez’s 2025 season never fully unraveled. It rarely flowed the way he or Trackhouse Racing would have hoped. The expectations had shifted, especially considering his improving performances in the previous season with a race win in Atlanta. Although he did come close to winning races in 2025 as well, there were quite a few inconsistencies, with regular drops out of the top 20 finishers.

Owing to this, Trackhouse announced his departure from the team, claiming that it was a mutual agreement. Suarez also agreed about his performance struggles and the contract situation with the team.

For the upcoming season, he signed with Spire Motorsports. Bringing his experience and long-time sponsor, the team could benefit from his signing. He comes in as Justin Haley’s replacement and will pilot the #7 Chevy. The latter largely struggled last year, with a few top-10 finishes, but mostly finding himself out of the top competitors.

Owing to the race-winning experience and resilience that Daniel Suarez brings, the team can find themselves in a better position, and the same can be said for him, too. His victory in Mexico City in 2025 showcased the talent that he possesses, and all he needs now is a competitive car and a cooperative team to get back to winning ways in the Cup Series as well.