Ricky Stenhouse Jr. praises Daniel Suarez Mexico City win after Suarez made an extraordinary recovery to claim victory at The Chilango 150, held in Mexico City, in front of a passionate home crowd. The dramatic finish unfolded at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday, where Suarez overcame setbacks and captured an emotional triumph on home soil.
Suarez Battles Adversity to Seize Win in Mexico City
Daniel Suarez, driving the No. 9 Chevy for JR Motorsports, saw his race hopes shaken early when a crash during qualifying sent him head-first into the track’s concrete walls. The incident forced his team to switch to a backup car, earning Suarez a penalty that relegated him to the back of the starting grid.
Despite these challenges, Suarez showed remarkable determination as he worked his way through the field of competitors. He avoided a major wreck that eliminated frontrunners Connor Zilisch and Ty Gibbs, then asserted control during a key late-race restart. With steady nerves, he managed to maintain the lead for the final 19 laps, ultimately crossing the finish line to secure a deeply meaningful homecoming victory.
Fellow Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a two-time Xfinity Series champion, went public on social media to commend Suarez’s comeback, describing the moment as historic for both the driver and Mexican motorsports fans.
Stenhouse Jr. currently sits 20th in the Cup Series Driver’s standings, positioned eight places ahead of Suarez. Interestingly, both drivers have achieved only a single top-5 finish so far this season, underscoring the competitive nature of the series.
Stenhouse Jr. Discusses the Impact of High Altitude on Race Conditions
Appearing on Prime Video’s pre-race coverage, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. offered insights into how Mexico City’s challenging altitude affected team performance during practice sessions. As a driver for Hyak Motorsports, Stenhouse noticed that the high elevation created engine overheating problems, attributing this to the thin air’s effect on cooling systems.
“Definitely, all the engine manufacturers are worried about overheating. Heard there were a few overheating issues throughout that practice session,” Stenhouse said
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, standing at around 7,500 feet above sea level, tests not only engines but also the physical endurance of the drivers. Decreased oxygen levels increase fatigue, prompting competitors like Daniel Suarez to arrive early and begin altitude training ahead of time for the event.
“You’re so slow right here (the stadium section), but I feel like there is some time to be made up, so you are kind of hustling it. You go on the gas and there’s nothing there, and then all of a sudden it lights up, almost like a two-stroke dirty bike,” he said.
Mechanical Setbacks Plague Several Drivers
The altitude’s toll was felt beyond just Suarez and Stenhouse Jr. Christopher Bell, for example, suffered a dramatic engine failure in his No. 24 toyota/”>Toyota Supra during the Xfinity Series race on Saturday—his car emitting visible smoke as he struggled through the stadium section. This setback also hindered his Cup Series qualifying performance, resulting in a 31st-place start out of 37. Meanwhile, Stenhouse Jr. struggled as well, starting even further back in 33rd position for the main race.
The History and Future After a Landmark Victory
Suarez’s perseverance and ability to rally from the back in front of a Mexican audience resonates far beyond the track, inspiring both his fellow competitors and fans. Stenhouse Jr.’s recognition of the win as “historic” speaks to the rarity and difficulty of such a comeback, especially under the challenging altitude conditions present at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. As the Cup Series season continues, the resilience and performance on display in Mexico City may set a new bar for what is considered possible in stock car racing.
