Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrated as his JR Motorsports team clinched an emotional victory at the NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Mexico City, making the moment even more special as Daniel Suárez made a triumphant comeback after a challenging start. Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates JR Motorsports Mexico Xfinity win captured the team‘s excitement, as Suárez moved from last on the grid to first, overcoming adversity to secure a memorable win for the organization.
Daniel Suárez fights through the field for an unforgettable win
Daniel Suárez, a star hailing from Monterrey, Mexico, began the weekend on a difficult note after a heavy crash during qualifying left his car badly damaged. The JR Motorsports crew quickly assembled a backup car, forcing Suárez to start from the back of the grid in 39th position. By the time the checkered flag waved, Suárez had surged to the front and narrowly edged out Taylor Gray by just 0.598 seconds, earning a stirring victory that sent waves of excitement throughout his home country.
This achievement attracted attention nationwide in Mexico, where Suárez is viewed as a sports legend. The collaborative efforts of Dale Earnhardt Jr., his team JR Motorsports, and Trackhouse Racing’s owner Justin Marks played a key role in orchestrating Suárez’s remarkable return to Victory Lane.
“Hey, we put good cars on the track,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
“I think any one of those Trackhouse guys could get in those cars and go to Victory Lane.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
Dale Earnhardt Jr. commended the caliber of drivers that Trackhouse Racing brings to the table, highlighting their skill and the seamless teamwork it fostered. He mentioned the combined efforts with Trackhouse owner Justin Marks in making sure their lineup remained top-notch for elite racing.
“Either way, I think we’d still be sitting here [in the winner’s media session] today because I told Justin (Trackhouse owner Justin Marks), ‘Man, we’ve worked with all your guys and they’re just amazing’,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
“He’s done such a great job if you think about their talent in the Cup Series plus, [Connor] Zilisch. They do a really good job of hiring really top-notch drivers,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
Having watched Suárez’s journey from his early NASCAR days in Trucks, progressing to Xfinity, and now racing in the Cup Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his pride in witnessing Suárez’s evolution as a competitor and his friendship with fellow drivers like Ross Chastain.
“I’ve been pretty good friends with Daniel over the years, as well as [Trackhouse teammate Ross] Chastain. So it’s kind of fun to put them in good race cars and have them go out and run well and have fun doing what they do,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
“There’s not a lot of pressure on them usually — except for maybe this weekend — to run in the Xfinity Series, so it’s fun to do that with them and put a good car underneath them,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
The challenge of racing with a backup car and the pressure of performance
After Suárez’s qualifying crash, the crew at JR Motorsports rebuilt a car nearly from scratch, emphasizing just how demanding and high-pressure the situation was for team owner Dale Jr. and his staff. Despite these challenges, Suárez methodically moved through the pack, securing the win in style.
“There’s a lot of pressure as an owner to make sure you supply them with a winning vehicle, and we feel like we can do that,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
Dale Earnhardt Jr. recognized the anticipation not only for Suárez’s performance in the Xfinity race but also leading into the following NASCAR Cup Series event. A double-win could even, as he joked, spark nationwide celebrations in Mexico.
“I knew coming here with Daniel was going to be a great experience just because of the reception that he would have, the attention around him driving. Daniel drove such a smart race, made minimal mistakes, put himself in position to win, and drove a smart few laps at the end,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
“I felt great about the job the team did. I saw all of the mechanics as they were coming to the car at the podium, and I told them, ‘You’ll never forget days like this,’ where you have trouble,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
The magnitude of the achievement was not lost on Dale Earnhardt Jr., who recounted the monumental challenge the crew undertook—building a backup car just before the start and then watching it race to victory.
“You have to get a backup out, build the car right there, right before the race begins, and your driver goes out there and wins the race. These are the moments that you always remember,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
A memorable podium and hopes for more NASCAR races in Mexico
Dale Earnhardt Jr. described the post-race experience as distinct from any he’d previously encountered on other circuits, praising not only the crowd’s energy but also the unique podium ceremony in Mexico—something not commonly found in traditional NASCAR events.
“I will say that the experience down on the racetrack and going through the whole post-win process — photos, the podium — is unlike anything that I’ve ever experienced at another race,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
“We don’t traditionally do podiums, and we don’t traditionally have someone as beloved as Daniel win in Mexico or any foreign country, so [it’s a] pretty unique set of circumstances really. That made this very special and memorable,”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Owner
Reflecting on the vibrant energy of racing in Mexico City and the warm reception given to both his team and Daniel Suárez, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed a desire for NASCAR to consider returning for future events. The combination of Suárez’s popularity, the team’s accomplishment, and the non-traditional celebration marked the weekend as a highlight in JR Motorsports history, promising long-lasting memories for drivers, crew, and fans alike.
