Suarez becomes first Mexican driver to win NASCAR national series race – Nascar

RELATED: Race results | Drivers react to Suarez’s win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 11, 2016) — Daniel Suárez earned his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series win on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, becoming the first Mexican-born driver to capture a NASCAR national series victory.

With the victory, Suárez clinches a spot in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.

Suárez, a graduate of both the NASCAR Drive for Diversity and NASCAR Next programs, has accomplished a long list of accolades since joining NASCAR in 2011. Last season, he became the first Mexican driver to win the NASCAR XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, finishing fifth in the championship standings. This season, Suárez became the first foreign-born driver to lead the points in any of the three NASCAR national Series, topping the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings for six consecutive weeks. He is the current points leader in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the series where “Names Are Made.”

Suárez, 24, has quickly climbed the NASCAR ladder system throughout his career, with full-time stops in the NASCAR Mexico Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East before joining the NASCAR XFINITY Series with Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2015 season.

During his four years (2011-14) in the NASCAR Mexico Series, Suárez won 10 races and finished in the top 10 in championship points in all four of his seasons, including a runner-up championship finish in 2013.

In two full-time seasons in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Suárez won three races and finished third in the final standings in 2013.

Suárez had scored six runner-up finishes in the national series prior to his win on Saturday.

With the victory, Suárez becomes only the fifth Latino driver to win a NASCAR national series race, joining Frank Mundy, Juan Pablo Montoya, Aric Almirola and Nelson Piquet Jr.

NASCAR Next is an industry-wide initiative designed to spotlight to best and brightest rising young stars in racing. NASCAR Drive for Diversity, operated by Rev Racing, is an academy-style development program for female and multicultural drivers and crew members who have the potential and determination to succeed at the highest levels of NASCAR.

MORE: Watch final laps of Suarez’s win