Last year at the Sonoma Raceway, Daniel Suarez snatched his maiden NASCAR Cup Series win. Aside from this being his first win, there was another reason why it was so special.
That reason came in the form of Kinsley Wilkerson, a six-year-old girl battling brain cancer. Prior to the race, she paid a visit to his #99 Trackhouse Racing garage. When Suarez won the race, the delighted Mexican driver brought her to Victory Lane and called her his ‘lucky charm’.
Daniel Suarez was hugely upset at the passing of his ‘lucky charm’
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A year later, tragedy struck when it transpired that the now 7-year-old had lost her fight with cancer. According to her mother, she was born five weeks prematurely and was very small for her age. Additionally, Kinsley had been battling the condition for nearly five years. Safe to say, those who knew her well, were left devastated at the news of her passing.
A visibly shaken Suarez wrote on social media, “It’s difficult to find the right words in moments like these. I find a little comfort in knowing that Kinsley and her family had a really good time the day this picture was taken, as we were able to bring her out to Sonoma and celebrate my first cup win together in victory lane. Her unicorn will always be above my racecar door and I know she will be my guiding light. Rest in Peace little angel.”
View this post on Instagram
The good news is that the Wilkerson family can take comfort in the fact that she will always be with Suarez. This is because the Mexican driver revealed that her unicorn has always been emblazoned on his car door.
READ MORE: Meet the ‘Lucky Charm’ Who Inspired Daniel Suarez to his Maiden NASCAR Cup Series Win
Fans shared their condolences in the comment section of Suarez’s post
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Who knows, maybe the #99 driver will be extra motivated to grab another win in honor of his ‘lucky charm’. It would be the perfect tribute to Kinsley Wilkerson and she would be very proud. And this is what the fans felt too. They wrote:
“Heartbreaking. I hope that unicorn is in victory lane a lot in the future 🦄”
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“We need unicorn pińata”
“Heaven gains another angel. ❤️”
“her good aura brought you the win at sonoma 🦄”
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“So sorry to hear this. Some things are far more important in life than other things… like children and family ❤️”
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