When Daniel Suárez first broke into the American motorsport scene, he wasn’t just carving a path for himself; he was carrying the flag for Mexico. Now, as the NASCAR Cup Series prepares to race on Mexican soil for the first time, Suárez has become the sport’s de facto ambassador, the face entrusted with drawing a crowd and bridging two racing worlds.
Advertisement
In recent weeks, Suárez has juggled a demanding schedule of obligations. Despite frequent visits to Mexico, he’s had little time for family, instead dedicating himself entirely to NASCAR’s outreach efforts. From giving interviews to appearing at public events, he’s shouldered the burden with pride, fully embracing his role as NASCAR’s cultural conduit.
Speaking with Jeff Gluck during the 12 Questions segment, Suárez opened up about the delicate balancing act he’s been performing, staying sharp for race day while simultaneously helping shape the event from the ground up. “It’s a tricky balance. I’ve been hoping for this moment to come for years since I won the championship in Xfinity almost 10 years ago (in 2016). And now we are here,” he said.
Suárez sees this as more than a personal milestone; it’s a landmark moment for the sport, one he feels honored to help usher in. He expressed pride in bringing teams, media, and fellow drivers to his homeland, eager to share pieces of his identity and culture.
That pride, however, hasn’t distracted him from the task at hand. “Once we get to Friday, it’s time to be selfish because I want to be the best version of myself, and I know we can win the race. But for that, I have to execute everything right, and I have to be on my game,” Suárez noted.
To set the tone early, he traveled to Mexico City ahead of schedule, boarding a Tuesday flight to get a jump on altitude adjustment, light training, and a packed media itinerary.
“So I’m going to be traveling to Mexico City very early, way earlier than normal (he flew Tuesday), so I can acclimate with the altitude, I can start training a little bit, and then do a lot of media activities I have to do. And once Friday starts, I have to slow down because I have to focus on racing,” he concluded.
A three-time winner in the NASCAR Mexico Series, Suárez is no stranger to victory at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. But that was on the venue’s former 1.0-mile oval layout. This time, the road course configuration presents an entirely new test, on the same stretch of asphalt where his journey once began.
