Xfinity Series: Daniel Suárez goes from last to first in Mexico City

Bailey Defoor
Jun 15
6 min read

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

Daniel Suárez, the home hero, wins in NASCAR’s return to Mexico City after starting at the back of the field. It didn’t come easy, so let’s see how it went down.

As it unfolded

Connor Zilisch started on pole alongside Ty Gibbs, who is doing double duty this weekend. Daniel Suárez started at the rear after crashing during qualifying.

Zilisch had a good start as Carson Kvapil jumped up to make it three wide on the front stretch. Gibbs takes the lead going into turn 2 as the two rookies battle behind.

Kvapil falls back a bit, allowing Gibbs and Zilisch to create a gap. Zilisch caught up to Gibbs and retook the lead on lap 2 before missing turn 2 and going through the grass. Zilisch dropped to fifth.

Jesse Love had a great start to the race, battling with Kvapil and Zilisch for fourth, after starting from tenth.

Sam Mayer flew off the track at turn 11, bringing out the first caution on lap 3. Mayer wheel hopped while on the inside of Love and went sideways into the barrier. He was able to make it back to pit road.

Gibbs and Zilisch lined up for the restart on lap 6 and Christopher Bell made it three wide going into turn 1. Gibbs comes out on top with Bell behind. Sammy Smith and Kvapil also got passed Zilisch.

On lap 7, Harrison Burton spins from 30th but continues.

Jeremy Clements pits with a transmission problem on lap 7 as Kvapil falls back. Zilisch moves up to third, followed by Smith and Love.

Zilisch got close and began challenging Bell on lap 8 before passing him on lap 9.

By lap 12, Zilisch was right on the back bumper of Gibbs and pushing for the lead as Bell remained right behind.

Bell spins off the exit of turn 14 on lap 13 and drops to ninth.

Justin Allgaier pits with 6 to go as the left rear axle broke and goes behind the wall.

Many drivers pit with 3 to go, including leaders Gibbs and Zilisch. Zilisch gets off pit road ahead of Gibbs, coming out in 13th and 14th, respectively.

Stage 1 Results:

No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)
No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 53 - Sage Karam (Joey Gase Motorsports)
No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)
No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)
No. 07 - Alex Labbe (SS-Green Light Racing)

Just before pit road opened, Ruben Rovelo began to smoke with a track bar issue.

The top 12 pit under the stage caution. Love comes off pit road first ahead of Kvapil.

Zilisch and Gibbs lined up again for the restart on lap 26 and took the drivers back to green with Bell and Sheldon Creed right behind them. Bell got the jump on Gibbs as Zilisch got away with the lead. Suárez jumped up to third after restarting in seventh.

Kris Wright spins in turn 3 on lap 28 after contact with Austin Green, but continues. Anthony Alfredo also spun on this lap in the esses and limped his way back to the pits with a flat rear tyre.

Austin Hill also slowed after his front right tyre blew.

On lap 36, Thomas Annunziata goes into the pits with an issue as Allgier and Clements return to race.

Bell begins smoking on lap 37 and enters the pit. Bell is out of the car, reporting that it turned off.

Zilisch and Gibbs pit with 2 to go, coming out side by side. Zilisch was on the inside and retook the lead going into turn 1.

Stage 2 Results:

No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)
No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)
No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing)
No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)
No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)
No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)
No. 19 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

Once again, Zilisch and Gibbs line up for the restart on lap 45. This time. William Sawalich and Suárez behind. Suárez makes it three wide for the lead as a caution was thrown.

Zilisch got squeezed on the inside and hit the sausage curb, going sideways. Gibbs was tagged during the spin. Zilisch also got hit by Mayer and Smith.

Gibbs suffered a flat tyre after turn 1 from contact with Suárez, before Gibbs drove off into the wall of turn 3. This incident collected Kvapil, Parker Retzlaff, Rovelo, Kyle Sieg, Creed, Sawalich, Brandon Jones, and Ryan Sieg.

Suárez and Christian Eckes lined up on the front row for the restart with Taylor Gray and H. Burton right behind them. With 14 to go, Eckes momentarily took the lead before Suárez retook it in turn 1. Suárez immediately put about a second between himself and the rest of the field.

Gray and Eckes battled away for second before Gray pulled a late lunge and got ahead on lap 53.

Since the restart, Zilisch had moved from 28th place up to the top 10 with 10 laps to go.

Eckes goes a little loose and opens the door for Hill to get past for third.

Caution with 7 to go as Love spins while entering the final turn.

Suárez and Gray take the field to green with 4 to go. There’s brief contact for Suárez, but he comes out in the lead still. Zilisch breaks into the top five in turn 1.

R. Seig spins in the back but keeps it out of the wall.

Nick Sanchez starts smoking as Zilsich gets past Hill for the fourth with 3 to go. Hill repasses Zilisch a couple of turns later.

Jones spins around with 2 to go but no caution is called.

Suárez and Gray stayed within a half-second of each other through to the checkered flag.

However, today was Daniel Suárez’s day as the home hero wins in NASCAR’s return to Mexico City!