Daniel Suarez reveals familiarity with Mexico course ahead of landmark NASCAR race

Daniel Suarez, the only Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series title, is at the centre of attention as NASCAR prepares for its first-ever points-paying Cup Series race in Mexico City at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Suarez has spoken on his momentous return to his home country for the Cup Series race.

Daniel Suarez has had a deep connection with Mexican motorsports, as he has won 10 races in the NASCAR Mexico Series before he moved to the United States. To maximise his preparation for the race, he will be competing in both the Cup Series race and the Xfinity Series race, a strategy called “double duty”. He will be driving the #99 for Trackhouse Racing and #9 for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. Suarez has long advocated for a NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico, seeing it as a major milestone for the sport.

Daniel Suarez said in an interview with Dustin Long of NBC Sports:

"The elevation is going to be a big deal. A lot of people think that I know the racetrack, and I actually don't. I've never been in that configuration. I have raced there several times in the oval configuration, but never in the road course configuration, the way that we're going to race it. So, it's going to be something new for everyone. The elevation, definitely, that's going to be a challenge. I hope that people don't underestimate that because it's a little bit tricky. "

"I have had a lot of conversations with my team about it. I'm personally training different to prepare for that, because it's going to be different. I don't think many people here in NASCAR, driver-wise, have experience competing in that altitude, in elevation. So, it's going to be different, for sure," he added.

After competing in 16 races of the 2025 season, Daniel Suarez has accumulated 254 points, which places him at 27th in the Cup Series standings. He has had one top-five finish and three top-ten finishes. His best performance came in Las Vegas, where he finished second in the race after leading for 12 laps.

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Daniel Suarez breaks silence on contract uncertainty with Trackhouse Racing ahead of Mexico

Daniel Suarez, currently facing uncertainty about his contract with Trackhouse Racing, has admitted that the situation is a distraction as he heads into the highly anticipated Viva Mexico 250, NASCAR’s first points race outside the U.S. since 1958. With 16 races completed and no contract secured beyond 2025, Suarez acknowledged that negotiating his future while competing is challenging, though he’s experienced similar situations before.

He emphasized that while it’s not the first time he’s had to deal with contract talks during a season, the added significance of the Mexico race makes it a unique challenge.

“I'm trying to be as smart as possible and to put all this stuff on the side and to just do my thing on the track. And already the Mexico race is something that I've been hoping and waiting on for many, many years, and I'm not going to let anything else from outside take that week and that moment from myself", he said in an interview.

In addition to his on-track efforts, Suarez and his No. 99 team have secured a new sponsorship with Very Good Ventures for the upcoming Pocono Raceway event. This partnership, which began earlier in the year, aims to enhance the team’s digital capabilities and fan engagement, with Very Good Ventures providing advanced technology for the pit box experience.