“Made the whole week so worth it”: HMS legend moved by Daniel Suarez’s electrifying Mexico moment

Steve Letarte highlighted Daniel Suarez’s run at the front, which ignited the stadium’s roar. The current NASCAR analyst and former crew chief for Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports said that the moment defined the weekend indelibly.

Suarez is the first foreign-born Xfinity champion and one of only three Mexicans ever to start a Cup race. During the inaugural Cup race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez (June 15), the Trackhouse Racing driver staged a memorable homecoming at the Mexican road course. He pulled off the dramatic charge to the lead before teammate Shane van Gisbergen ultimately claimed victory and fans in the stands erupted, waving Mexican flags.

"I'll never forget the moment Daniel Suarez took the lead. The caution came out and he rolled through the stadium behind us. I was over in the booth watching it and I heard the roar and that was the moment that I learned that sports goes across cultures and nations and borders," Letarte said on the Prime Video broadcast (via a video he shared on X).

"It doesn't matter. It's universal for everyone. And this fan base loved their driver and it was so exciting to hear. As a fan, we all have our favorite teams or drivers. He was so loved and it made the whole week so worth it being here," he added.

Suarez also made history as the first Mexican to compete in a Cup Series race on home soil, but his lead was brief and he finished 19th in the Viva México 250.

However, he did take the win in front of his home crowd in the Xfinity Series, which returned to Mexico for the first time since 2008 on Saturday (June 14). After crashing in qualifying and starting at the back in a backup Chevrolet, the 33-year-old fought his way through the rain‑soaked field. He took the lead with 19 laps to go and held off Taylor Gray after a late restart to claim his fourth Xfinity win.

"I hope that we come back many, many times" - Daniel Suarez looking forward to regular appearances in Mexico

Daniel Suarez's Cup race did not go as he would have hoped, but he did look forward to coming back strong next time.

"I'm pretty happy for everything about this weekend—the people, the fans, the sponsors, the excitement and the energy... I hope that we come back many, many times," Daniel Suarez said (via Reuters).

However, there is no confirmation if either of the two series will return to Mexico next season. NASCAR senior executive Ben Kennedy said they hoped to come back in the future, but pointed out the challenges the sanctioning body and teams faced last weekend.

A couple of NASCAR planes with team members were delayed, which forced NASCAR to adjust the practice and qualifying schedules. Kennedy also suggested including an off‑week to make travel and logistics easier for teams.