“Changed My Career”: NASCAR’s Mexican Star Shows Promise About a Victorious Deja Vu in Sonoma

Daniel Suarez made history with his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Sonoma Raceway in 2022. He became the first Mexican-born driver ever to win the Cup Series race. This was a significant win for the Trackhouse Racing driver, as he was winless in his last five seasons of NASCAR racing. Moreover, he justified team owners Justin Marks and Pitbull’s decision to back him despite a disappointing first season with them.

Since the win, the driver has cemented himself as a key member of the Trackhouse Racing team and is running in his fourth full-time season. Now that the Sonoma road course race is lined up for this weekend’s schedule, it’s natural that Suarez is touted to be among the contenders for the win.

Daniel Suarez is banking on home support to script a repeat of the 2022 win

First-career wins are indeed special for NASCAR drivers. There were questions regarding his winning credentials in his early days at JGR and SHR. But his first win was a befitting response to his critics and naysayers, who had doubts over his success in NASCAR.

Speaking in an interview with Bob Pockrass, Suarez summed up the emotions of clinching his maiden NASCAR Cup Series win at Sonoma. “Definitely, that win meant a lot. It really changed my career because it gets old when people start asking you, ‘Hey, when are you going to win? When are you going to win?’ And finally getting that first one out of the way is very important, very relieving, not just for me but for the entire people that worked with me.”

The Sonoma Raceway is situated in southern California, home to Hispanic and Mexican communities. And they have always rallied in support of their amigo, making it a special place for the driver whenever he comes out to race. Expressing his close connection with the venue and the event, Suarez feels like he does have a real shot at winning his second race of the 2024 season.

“Being in California, I got a lot of support from the Hispanic community there, from the Mexican community there. To come back there with a shot and knowing that we’re going to be competitive, it’s always very special. It’s always a weekend that I personally have a lot of fun, not just on the track but also off the track,” the driver concluded.

Of course, the win at Atlanta has somewhat secured his spot in the playoffs for the season. But Daniel Suarez himself is well aware of the inconsistent runs and is hoping to get back on track before the knockout rounds.

Suarez needs to turn a corner for good ahead of the playoffs

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In 15 Cup Series starts this season, the Nuevo Leon native has only managed two top-10 results, which includes his dramatic three-wide photo finish at Atlanta. Had it not been for this win, Suarez would have found himself placed 19th in the standings, 55 points shy of the cut-off line. With 11 regular-season races still to compete in, it is high time that the #99 team gets their act together and sets themselves up well for the playoffs run.

Suarez himself is well aware of the slump in the results and is therefore looking to weed out the shortcomings before the playoffs. “We’ve been up and down, extremely inconsistent … We still have a lot of work to do be able to make ourselves a consistent top 10 team, and that’s a goal. The goal is to hopefully, in the next two months before the playoffs if we can grab some consistency and gain a rhythm before the playoffs,” Suarez said in an interview with Bob Pockrass from FOX.

This Sunday’s race at Sonoma provides a perfect opportunity for Suarez to rake up yet another big result to his name. And further, send out a message to the fans and his competitors that his Atlanta win wasn’t a one-off lucky run.