Local hero Daniel Suarez takes dramatic last to first NASCAR Xfinity Mexico win

Daniel Suarez did something incredible on Saturday, earning a dramatic victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ long-awaited return to Mexico City. He did it all in a backup car, starting 39th before steadily marching through the field.
“This is very special,” said Suarez. “This is very, very special to be here in front of my people. All these people have supported me for many, many years. They have loved me since my NASCAR Mexico days. And now we’re fighting with the big boys, so it feels good.”
The final stage went green with 19 laps to go and that’s when the pivotal moment came. Suarez, who restarted fourth, sent it on the outside in a three-wide move for the lead into Turn 1. He took the top spot by force as chaos ensued behind him. The two fastest cars all day were heavily damaged as both Connor Zilisch and Ty Gibbs crashed. Several other drivers were collected in the melee through Turns 1 and 2 while Suarez escaped unscathed.

Watch: Zilisch, Gibbs, others involved in multiple wrecks to begin final stage

The following restart was much cleaner as Suarez held onto the top spot. Despite the damage, Zilisch drove his wounded car back through the field, setting the fastest lap of all drivers. Suarez was cruising, but of course, a caution with seven laps to go for an incident involving Jesse Love set-up a mad dash to the finish.
Suarez had to hold on in another hectic restart with Gray drawing even with him, slamming doors through Turns 1 and 2. Suarez ran off into the grass due to the contact, but held onto the race lead. Gray never let him get too far away, shadowing him throughout the closing laps. On the final lap, Gray went for a mega lunge into the final corner, but kept it clean as Suarez escaped with the victory in hand.
Gray finished second, Austin Hill third, Christian Eckes fourth, and Zilisch fifth. William Sawalich finished sixth, Austin Green seventh, Jeb Burton eighth, Harrison Burton ninth, and Sammy Smith tenth.
Stages 1 and 2

Daniel Suarez, JR Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

The race got underway with Zilisch starting from pole position. Suarez did not wait to begin his march, quickly moving from 39th to 25th by the time the first caution flew on Lap 3. That was for Sam Mayer, who spun into the barriers.
Zilisch lost the lead after getting bumped out of the way, but he quickly rebounded as a tense fight for the lead played out between himself and Gibbs. They, along with several other frontrunners chose to short-pit, choosing track position over stage points. Carson Kvapil was among those who stayed out, winning Stage 1 win.
Several drivers suffered mechanical issues in the opening stage, including Justin Allgaier Jeremy Clements, and 2020 NASCAR Mexico champion Ruben Rovelo.
At the beginning of Stage 2, Suarez quickly moved from seventh to third with a bold lunge into Turn 1, but it was Zilisch was the driver in control of the race.
There were various single-car spins, but no cautions for cause during the second stage. Of note, Hill suffered a cut tire that put him to the tail-end of the lead lap. As drivers again chose to short-pit, Christopher Bell’s engine blew while running third. He limped into the pits and pulled to the side, allowing the stage to end under green flag conditions.
Sammy Smith claimed the Stage 2 win as Zilisch and Gibbs had a dramatic race off pit road, running side-by-side through the pit exit. Zilisch prevailed, but at the start of the final stage, both he and Gibbs would see their shot at a win slip away through the previously mentioned chaos.
After Suarez’s three-wide move to take the lead with 19 laps to go, he never relinquished the top spot again. This is his first Xfinity winning the 2016 finale at Homestead, where he also won the championship. He now has four career victories in the Xfinity Series.
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D. SuarezJR Motorsports
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2:16’13.988

 
9
 

2

T. GrayJoe Gibbs Racing

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+0.598
2:16’14.586

0.598
4
53

3
A. HillRichard Childress Racing
21
 
Chevrolet
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+4.452
2:16’18.440

3.854
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41

4
C. EckesKaulig Racing
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Chevrolet
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+5.857
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1.405
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5

C. ZilischJR Motorsports

88
 
Chevrolet
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+6.416
2:16’20.404

0.559
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34

6

W. SawalichJoe Gibbs Racing

18
 
Toyota
65

+6.573
2:16’20.561

0.157
5
31

7

A. GreenJordan Anderson Racing

32
 
Chevrolet
65

+7.245
2:16’21.233

0.672
8
30

8
J. BurtonJordan Anderson Racing
27
 
Chevrolet
65

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2:16’22.141

0.908
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31

9
H. BurtonAM Racing
25
 
Ford
65

+9.116
2:16’23.104

0.963
5
28

10

S. SmithJR Motorsports

8
 
Chevrolet
65

+9.471
2:16’23.459

0.355
5
37

11
S. CreedHaas Factory Team
00
 
Ford
65

+9.809
2:16’23.797

0.338
7
34

12

D. ThompsonSam Hunt Racing

26
 
Toyota
65

+10.271
2:16’24.259

0.462
5
29

13

D. DyeKaulig Racing

10
 
Chevrolet
65

+11.392
2:16’25.380

1.121
5
29

14
T. GibbsJoe Gibbs Racing
19
 
Toyota
65

+13.060
2:16’27.048

1.668
7
 

15
A. LabbéSS-Green Light Racing
07
 
Chevrolet
65

+13.728
2:16’27.716

0.668
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23

16
M. DiBenedettoViking Motorsports
99
 
Chevrolet
65

+15.199
2:16’29.187

1.471
5
24

17
K. WrightOur Motorsports
5
 
Chevrolet
65

+16.292
2:16’30.280

1.093
6
20

18

J. LoveRichard Childress Racing

2
 
Chevrolet
65

+17.622
2:16’31.610

1.330
7
27

19

C. KvapilJR Motorsports

1
 
Chevrolet
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+17.872
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20
J. WilliamsKaulig Racing
11
 
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+18.391
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0.519
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17

21

A. AlfredoYoung’s Motorsports

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+18.955
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0.564
11
16

22

T. AnnunziataCope Family Racing

70
 
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+20.159
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8
15

23

S. MayerHaas Factory Team

41
 
Ford
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+20.656
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0.497
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14

24
J. BilickiSS-Green Light Racing
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+22.044
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B. JonesJoe Gibbs Racing
20
 
Toyota
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+22.183
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0.139
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26

B. PerezAlpha Prime Racing

45
 
Chevrolet
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+22.654
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B. PerkinsJordan Anderson Racing

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Chevrolet
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+24.939
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2.285
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10

28

K. SiegRSS Racing

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Ford
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+25.250
2:16’39.238

0.311
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29
R. SiegRSS Racing
39
 
Ford
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+26.338
2:16’40.326

1.088
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8

30

A. Pérez de LaraDGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports

91
 
Chevrolet
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+36.935
2:16’50.923

10.597
6
 

31

N. SanchezBig Machine Racing Team

48
 
Chevrolet
64

+1 Lap
2:15’24.945

1 Lap
6
15

32
R. EllisDGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports
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Chevrolet
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+4 Laps
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7
5

33
S. KaramJoey Gase Motorsports
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Toyota
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+13 Laps
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5
8

34
J. AllgaierJR Motorsports
7
 
Chevrolet
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3

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P. RetzlaffAlpha Prime Racing

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Chevrolet
46

+19 Laps
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36
J. ClementsJeremy Clements Racing
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+22 Laps
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1

37

R. RoveloJoey Gase Motorsports

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+22 Laps
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1

38
B. PooleAlpha Prime Racing
44
 
Chevrolet
40

+25 Laps
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1

39
C. BellSam Hunt Racing
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Toyota
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+29 Laps
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4
 

In this article

Nick DeGroot

NASCAR Cup

NASCAR XFINITY

Daniel Suarez

JR Motorsports

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