Seven years after making his Series debut, Daniel Suarez, the only driver of Mexican descent to win a Cup Series race, took the oath of loyalty in Charlotte.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps was present to encourage Suarez and delivered a speech to the driver and other recently naturalized Americans.
Phelps remarked, “I sincerely admire your dedication and accomplishment.” “To travel to the United States requires a tremendous degree of guts, and as we like to say in sports, put your money on yourself. I’m proud of everything you’ve done to become a citizen.
Suarez’s path was characterized by Phelps as one of resiliency, and he was praised for his will and tenacity to not only compete at the
Before his Cup Series dream became a reality, the driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing car learned English by watching cartoons, then working his way through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.
Suarez made his NASCAR debut in 2014 with races in both the Xfinity and Truck Series, after previously racing for six years in Mexico. The following year, he earned a full-time ride with Joe Gibbs Racing before moving up to the team’s Cup Series lineup in 2017.
After exits from Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing, his career found new life with Trackhouse, which is co-owner by international music superstar Pitbull. He was signed as the team’s first-ever driver in 2021.
He made history in 2022, winning at Sonoma Raceway to become the first Mexican to win a Cup race. Then, this February, he won for the second time in his career, beating Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch by a nose in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history.