Daniel Suarez Translates Opportunity Into Success

Daniel Suarez got the surprise opportunity of driving one of NASCAR's most competitive rides, and he is turning that into incredible success.

May 31, 2017 by JD Hellman

Daniel Suarez Translates Opportunity Into Success

Racing is an entity that bonds people from all walks of life, all different types of cultures and can bridge language gaps when there's difficulty communicating.

Daniel Suarez is a perfect example of all those elements. He came to race in NASCAR and live in the United States in 2012 from his native Mexico, not knowing a word of English.

Five years later, Suarez has not only become fluent in English, his racing career has taken off incredibly. From his first season in the NASCAR Mexico Series in 2010, Suarez went on to win the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

And then, when Carl Edwards shocked the NASCAR world following last season by announcing he'd be stepping away from the sport, Suarez was in a racecar driver's dream situation: being in the right place at the right time, becoming Edwards' heir apparent.

Admittedly, Suarez's first season in the NASCAR Cup Series has been a struggle at times -- never having driven a Cup car prior to the Daytona 500. But he's slowly but surely becoming more comfortable -- and having better finishes -- behind the wheel of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry NASCAR Cup ride.

In the first 12 Cup races -- the first third of the season -- Suarez has amassed an average start per race of 16.9 and an average finish per race of 16.8. That's kind of to be expected of a Cup rookie.

But he's also had some very strong finishes, including seventh-place showings in three races, his first top-10s in the Cup ranks: Phoenix, Fontana and Kansas. Last week at the longest and most grueling race of the year, he missed adding another top-10 by one position.

What's more, he's finished all but one race (crashed and DNF in the season-opening Daytona 500). He's finished all laps in eight races and came close to finishing all the laps in three others.

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(Daniel Suarez held off a determined challenge by Chase Elliott to win the Monster Open and advance to the All-star race. Photo by Jim Dedmon, USA Today)

Heading into this weekend's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway, Suarez is leading the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over Ty Dillon, Erik Jones, Corey Lajoie, and Gray Gaulding.

What's missing is the same thing that was missing before Suarez had his big breakthrough in the Xfinity Series last season: a win. In fact, he earned three Xfinity Series wins in 2016 en route to the championship: Michigan, and playoff victories at Dover and the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami.

When Suarez earned his first Xfinity triumph at Michigan on June 11, 2016, leading just four laps but also the most important one -- the last lap -- it was as if the floodgates had opened up.

In so doing, his talent took a giant leap forward and the confidence gained from that win carried on through the remainder of the season, directly led to the other two wins, and of course the championship.

Even with the Xfinity champion's trophy on his mantle, some observers still believed Suarez needed a third season in the Xfinity Series in 2017 before he'd be ready to move up to the Cup level.

But when you're presented an opportunity like he was when Edwards stepped aside, there was no way Suarez could turn down the chance. If he struggled, so be it; he'd also be learning at the same time. And even if it became NASCAR's version of cramming for a final examination in high school or college, Suarez has quickly adapted and succeeded.

That he won at Dover last fall in the Xfinity Series gives him increased confidence heading into this Sunday's Cup race. It'd be a perfect place not only for Suarez to notch his first NASCAR Cup career victory, it'd also qualify him for the 10-race plyoffs, where he'd get the opportunity to go for his second straight NASCAR championship.

Not to mention become the first Mexican driver to ever win a NASCAR Cup championship, too.

And that's translatable in any language.