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NASCAR’s Mexico City race: Daniel Suarez balances racing at home with uncertainty over contract

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Daniel Suarez has become the unofficial tour guide for all things Mexico City as NASCAR prepares to race internationally this Sunday for the first international points-paying Cup Series event of the modern era. From where to eat, what to do, how to navigate the city and even basic conversation in Spanish, […]

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Daniel Suarez has become the unofficial tour guide for all things Mexico City as NASCAR prepares to race internationally this Sunday for the first international points-paying Cup Series event of the modern era.

From where to eat, what to do, how to navigate the city and even basic conversation in Spanish, Suarez has been the go-to guy in the garage since NASCAR said it would take the Cup Series outside the United States for just the third time in 77 years.

The Monterrey native has made multiple trips to NASCAR as the face of Sunday’s race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, where he’s raced on a different course layout 13 times, with three wins in NASCAR’s Mexico Series.

He’d like to win at the Cup level — if he pulls it out in his home country Sunday it will be his first victory of this season — but Suarez is juggling a very difficult balancing act. He’s elated to be racing in front of a home crowd, honored to show of the culture and magic of Mexico City, but at the same time tremendously concerned about his NASCAR future.

Suarez is in a contract year with Trackhouse Racing, which has Ross Chastain and Shane van Ginsberg under contract while Connor Zilisch is its development driver and on loan to several teams at lower national levels of NASCAR racing.

Trackhouse only has three Cup Series seats, math Suarez can’t ignore as he heads into Sunday ranked 28th in the standings.

“It’s not the first time that I’ve been in this position. Definitely the first time with the Mexico race, but it’s not the first time that I’ve been in the position that we have to win or in the position that we have a contract negotiation in the middle of the season,” Suarez said. “It’s definitely a distraction. I won’t sit here and tell you that it doesn’t really matter. I’m trying to be as smart as possible and to put all this stuff on the side and just do my thing on the track.”

Return to Mexico

Suarez, the only Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race, has two Cup victories, three Xfinity Series wins and one Truck Series win. His 2016 championship in the second-tier Xfinity Series made him the only foreign-born driver to win a national series title.

Suarez has faced adversity before, but never like the pressure he’s feeling hoping to deliver in front of the local crowd. This weekend in Mexico is special to Suarez, who expects well over 100 of the spectators in attendance Sunday to be friends and family.

They’ve watched from afar as he’s worked his way into the NASCAR spotlight, a journey full of ups and downs that have seen Suarez drive for four different Cup teams. He joined Trackhouse Racing in 2021 and last year signed a one-year extension through 2025.

At the time, he said he wanted to reassess where the program was before signing a long-term deal. But it’s been a disappointing start to the season and his average finish of 21st is three spots worse than last year.

“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,” Suarez said. “We have to just continue to put one foot in front of the other and continue to move forward. I think that in Trackhouse, we have found some decent speed in the last few weeks, so that’s promising, and hopefully we can continue to move in that direction.”

Suarez will have Mexican communication company Telcel on his car this weekend.

“For many years, I never had a sponsor deal with a company from Mexico because I wasn’t racing there,” Suarez said. “So right now that we’re going to be having an event down there, it opens a whole new world of opportunities and that’s great, obviously for me, but for the entire sport.”

Contract Distractions

It’s another layer of pressure for Suarez, who wants nothing more than to balance the demands of being the star of Sunday’s show with delivering a strong showing.

“Once we get into the race, we don’t want to deal with any of this stuff, and I just want to focus and have fun driving race cars,” he said. “There is going to be more on my plate just by nature, just being the local guy, the very first race ever in Mexico City in the Cup Series. I have to accept that. With that being said, I have to protect my space for the competition stuff because if we don’t do the competition stuff right, everything else doesn’t really matter. So we have to put a balance on everything.”

As Suarez noted, a win on Sunday would dramatically improve his hopes of remaining with Trackhouse on a contract extension. It could happen: Suarez’s first Cup victory came on the road course at Sonoma, and the next five Cup races include road-course races at Mexico City, Sonoma and the Chicago street course.

He admitted “honestly, I don’t know” about what he’d like out of a contract extension, but said he speaks regularly with team owner Justin Marks.

“The trajectory of Trackhouse has been tremendous,” Suárez said. “We have learned so many things. I really want to help Justin bring Trackhouse to the next level. I believe that 2022 has been our best year as a company, still. So why is that? Are we missing something? Do we have to change something? What do we need to do better? As a new team, to have your best years that early, it’s kind of uncommon. One of the reasons, I believe, was because of the new car. So I believe that we have to continue to grow.

“Ross just won a race a couple weeks ago, and that’s brought a lot of energy to the team and some more momentum. Before that, it was a little bit of a struggle. So we have to continue to find that speed in a consistent basis, just like the big teams,” he continued. “So we’re having all these conversations. I wish I didn’t have to have these conversations, and I didn’t have these distractions, but it’s part of life, right? Sometimes you have to do several things at the same time. But I’m trying not to think about it too much and trying to work in my job and push as hard as possible for competition and trying to help the team slowly get better and better.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



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NASCAR road closures expand as Chicago 2025 Street Race nears

NASCAR road closures expand as Chicago 2025 Street Race nears – CBS Chicago Watch CBS News We’re just days away from the 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race, so there are more road closures in place every day. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now […]

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NASCAR road closures expand as Chicago 2025 Street Race nears – CBS Chicago








































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We’re just days away from the 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race, so there are more road closures in place every day.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Explains Why Chase Elliott Can Afford to Be More Selfish Than Alex Bowman at Hendrick Motorsports

Chase Elliott won the Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway last Saturday, thanks to a timely push from teammate Alex Bowman. Though Bowman could have gone for the win himself, he chose to help Elliott — a selfless move that earned widespread praise. But Dale Earnhardt Jr. explained in a recent conversation with TJ Majors […]

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Chase Elliott won the Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway last Saturday, thanks to a timely push from teammate Alex Bowman. Though Bowman could have gone for the win himself, he chose to help Elliott — a selfless move that earned widespread praise. But Dale Earnhardt Jr. explained in a recent conversation with TJ Majors why Bowman had no choice but to be so giving in the moment.

Elliott is a Cup Series champion and arguably the most popular NASCAR driver on the planet. His standing within Hendrick Motorsports is higher than that of Bowman. This allows him to carry a slight tinge of selfishness on the race track.

On the other hand, a driver like Bowman, who doesn’t have his future as secure, doesn’t have that luxury. He would likely have drawn heavy criticism from fans and the suits at Hendrick Motorsports had he attempted to win the race and failed. Junior detailed this vividly.

“Chase can be Chase. Chase can go out there and be selfish and do what he wants for himself, and he should. Alex isn’t really afforded that same leeway because he’s not won enough races or a championship,” Dale Jr. said.

“They’ve won the same number of races, honestly, in the last couple of years. But Chase is the most popular driver and also the champion. He’s got long-term equity built up in that team,” Junior added.

As unfair as this may sound, it is the harsh reality of invisible hierarchies in motorsports. Notably, there have also been rumors about Bowman’s seat at Hendrick Motorsports being in trouble over the last few years.

Elliott feels for Bowman and his team

The final push that Bowman gave Elliott in the last lap is what led him to cruise past Brad Keselowski and win. Elliott admitted this and appreciated his teammate in his post-race interviews.

Elliott said, “He and I both knew that the only shot we as a company had at that juncture was to line up and push and hope that something worked out good in our favor because at that point it was two on one. Whether it was he or I — obviously we both wanted to win — I recognize that he gave me a great shove.”

Bowman finished the race in third place. Elliott continued to express hope that the No. 48 team can reach Victory Lane soon, since they have been really fast.



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Grillo Pickles is Hosting the Ultimate NASCAR Weekend Pop-Up

Grillo’s Hot Pickle Car Garage pop-up will feature a Chicago-style cookout, meet and greets with NASCAR stars, and fan giveaways. Photo/Shutterstock and Grillo Pickles NASCAR Weekend is almost here and Grillo Pickles is celebrating with the ultimate Chicago Street Race pop-up! The Boston-based pickles brand is bringing its signature flavors to the Midwest from July […]

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Grillo’s Hot Pickle Car Garage pop-up will feature a Chicago-style cookout, meet and greets with NASCAR stars, and fan giveaways.

NASCAR Weekend is almost here and Grillo Pickles is celebrating with the ultimate Chicago Street Race pop-up!

The Boston-based pickles brand is bringing its signature flavors to the Midwest from July 3-5 with the launch of the Grillo’s Hot Pickle Car Garage.

Grillo X NASCAR

Grillo Garage poster
Photo/Grillo Pickles

The pop-up will take over Vault Gallerie in Pilsen (2015 S. Laflin Street) for three full days of fun-filled activations and delicious eats.

  • Thursday, July 3 – opening giveaway in which the first 100 visitors will receive NASCAR swag signed by racing star Todd Gilliland.
  • Friday, July 4 – Grillo is turning up the heat on Independence Day with a Chicago-style cookout, featuring free hot dogs and brats.
  • Saturday, July 5 – On July 5, NASCAR fans will enjoy a live art installation (1 – 4 p.m.), followed by a meet and greet with drivers Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, and Zane Smith (5 – 6P.M.)

Food & Drink Things To Do





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Reeves to front Cadillac F1 documentary series

Keanu Reeves will host a new multi-part documentary series following the Cadillac Formula 1 team’s journey to the grid in 2026. The filmmaker and actor recently produced a documentary telling the remarkable story of Brawn GP – Ross Brawn’s eponymous team that was borne out of the withdrawal of the Honda works team and duly […]

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Keanu Reeves will host a new multi-part documentary series following the Cadillac Formula 1 team’s journey to the grid in 2026.

The filmmaker and actor recently produced a documentary telling the remarkable story of Brawn GP – Ross Brawn’s eponymous team that was borne out of the withdrawal of the Honda works team and duly won both championships in 2009 – and will now turn his attentions to the newest team on the grid.

In partnership with North One, the unscripted series will explore behind-the-scenes of Cadillac’s journey as the team is built from scratch as a new constructor.

RELATED: Behind the scenes at Cadillac F1’s UK base

“I’m very honored and excited to be a part of telling the remarkable Cadillac Formula 1 team story and its incredible journey into the world of Formula 1 racing,” Reeves said. “Our goal with the docuseries is to bring audiences into the heart of this journey and showcase what it takes to participate in one of the most exclusive sports arenas in the world.”

The project will receive exclusive access from Cadillac, TWG Motorsports and General Motors (GM), to document how it goes about establishing a competitive team with an American foundation to compete in F1.

“This is a story of bold ambition and relentless drive,” Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports and the Cadillac F1 team, said. “We’re honored to work with Keanu, whose passion and knowledge of racing runs deep, and proud to partner with GM on this incredible story. We have an opportunity to welcome a new generation of fans to Formula 1 and Keanu’s creativity is the perfect spark to ignite that journey.’’

The producers say the series will air prior to Cadillac’s first race in F1, with the 2026 season kicking off on March 8 in Melbourne, Australia.

“General Motors and TWG Motorsports joined forces on a bold mission – to build a uniquely American Formula 1 team,” added GM president Mark Reuss. “It’s a thrill to have Keanu Reeves document the Cadillac Formula 1 team’s journey to our first season in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.”



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Craftsman, Ace Hardware, JGR Launch Racing for a Miracle Program

Craftsman announced its partnership with the Ace Hardware Foundation and NASCAR driver Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing for the 19th Annual Racing for a Miracle program, supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals). This year, Craftsman is donating $100,000 to the Ace Hardware Foundation for CMN Hospitals. The Racing for a Miracle program provides […]

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Craftsman announced its partnership with the Ace Hardware Foundation and NASCAR driver Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing for the 19th Annual Racing for a Miracle program, supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals).

This year, Craftsman is donating $100,000 to the Ace Hardware Foundation for CMN Hospitals. The Racing for a Miracle program provides funding for vital treatments and healthcare services for children and their families at 170 CMN Hospitals across the U.S. and Canada.

“For nearly 20 years, we have seen firsthand the impact Racing for a Miracle, and our partnership with Ace Hardware Foundation and CMN Hospitals, has had for children and their families. We’re always so inspired by their stories, and their strength and perseverance,” says Tony Merritt, vice president of sponsorships for Stanley Black & Decker. “We’re proud to be part of this legacy and happy to celebrate the incredible impact this program has made.”

The donation to the Ace Hardware Foundation will take place during a tailgate at Ace Hardware corporate headquarters. At the tailgate, Craftsman, Ace Hardware and Christopher Bell will unveil the design for 2025 Craftsman Racing for a Miracle car with the help of ten children from the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.





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Suarez to lose ride at end of season | News, Sports, Jobs

CONCORD, N.C. — Daniel Suarez, the only Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race, is out at Trackhouse Racing at the end of the 2025 season. Trackhouse and Suarez officially called the parting a “mutual decision” that allows the driver an earlier opportunity to pursue a new ride for next season. While Trackhouse […]

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CONCORD, N.C. — Daniel Suarez, the only Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race, is out at Trackhouse Racing at the end of the 2025 season.

Trackhouse and Suarez officially called the parting a “mutual decision” that allows the driver an earlier opportunity to pursue a new ride for next season.

While Trackhouse did not name a replacement in the No. 99 Chevrolet, Suarez’s departure opened the door for the team to promote teen sensation Connor Zilisch into the ride. Zilisch, who drives in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, has run three Cup races for Trackhouse this season, including Saturday night at Atlanta.

Suarez has just two wins in 305 career Cup starts, and is a distant 29th in the points standings this season. The 33-year-old Suarez is in his fifth season with Trackhouse Racing and was the team’s first driver in 2021. He made NASCAR’s playoffs two times with Trackhouse.

“We took a team nobody had even heard of in 2021 and in just a couple of years we were winning races and running upfront on a weekly basis,” Suarez wrote on social media. “Just like the seasons in a year, sometimes things change and we have agreed to each go in our own direction.”

Trackhouse founder and owner Justin Marks thanked Suarez for his contributions.

“The role Daniel has played in the Trackhouse origin story and its first five years will remain a valued part of the company’s history forever,” Marks said. “His commitment, work ethic and dedication to the effort is one of the most impressive things I personally have seen in my career.”

Trackhouse Racing also has Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen under contract, along with Zilisch is its development driver. Chastain has six career wins and was the 2022 Cup Series runner-up while van Gisbergen has a win this year and is in the playoffs.

Suarez, who became an American citizen last year, also has three Xfinity Series wins and one Truck Series win. His 2016 championship in the second-tier Xfinity Series made him the only foreign-born driver to win a national series title.

He made a triumphant return last month to his home country when he won the Xfinity Series race in Mexico City driving for JR Motorsports at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Yet the balance of celebrating a homecoming with looming contract negotiations weighed on Suarez.

“It’s not the first time that I’ve been in this position. Definitely the first time with the Mexico race, but it’s not the first time that I’ve been in the position that we have to win or in the position that we have a contract negotiation in the middle of the season,” Suarez said. “It’s definitely a distraction. I won’t sit here and tell you that it doesn’t really matter. I’m trying to be as smart as possible and to put all this stuff on the side and just do my thing on the track.”

He’ll do his thing at the track in 2026 with yet another new team.

Suarez started his Cup career with Joe Gibbs Racing and has raced for Stewart-Haas Racing and Gaunt Brothers Racing. He has Cup wins in 2022 at Sonoma and last year in Atlanta.



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