Skip to main content
Join Now
NASCAR Logo

Daniel Suárez wrecks during NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Mexico City

JHby: Jonathan Howard06/14/25Jondean25
Daniel Suárez Xfinity Mexico wreck
Screenshot credit: CW Sports via X.com

Everything was looking good for Daniel Suárez in practice, but he put his No. 9 car into the wall during NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying. Suárez is the only international Xfinity Series champion ever, and is the only Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race. Today, in his home country, he had trouble.

JR Motorsports will go to a backup for the Quaker State No. 9 Chevy. Daniel Suárez should be one of the favorites to win the Xfinity Series race. Then again, there is this guy named Connor Zilisch that everyone is chasing.

In front of his home crowd, Suárez got in too deep just before the stadium section of the track. The brakes locked up, and he drove right into the Turn 11 barriers with the front of his Chevy. Suárez didn’t seem too upset after the incident.

Good news, you know that JR Motorsports will have that backup car ready to go. Bad news, having to start P39 in the biggest Xfinity Series field in years. That is going to really test Daniel Suárez as he tries to work his way up to the front without getting into more trouble.

Brakes have been the big story. Both in Cup and Xfinity. The altitude makes it so the air is thinner. It doesn’t cool these brakes off as much as it would closer to sea level.

Connor Zilisch on pole, Daniel Suárez in the back

Daniel Suárez did not make a qualifying lap. He wrecked during his opening lap in Turn 11 after a brake issue. Good thing those extra provisional spots were added to the field, there will be 39 cars starting the race today.

Andrés Pérez de Lara is making his Xfinity Series debut for DGM Racing. He is a hometown kid from Mexico City. The 20-year-old qualified P16 and is hoping to have a career day in front of his family, friends, and fans in Mexico. Pérez is the 2024 ARCA Menards Series champion and runs full-time for Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series.

Connor Zilisch is the definite favorite for the race today, starting on pole. However, Ty Gibbs is going to push him to his limits. Christopher Bell and Daniel Suárez are two other Cup Series drivers in the field who will try and take Zilisch down today.

There could be a lot of restarts. Drivers in Cup and Xfinity have had troubles on the track. Turn 4 is hard on these cars. The braking zones are going to be where a driver makes or breaks their race today.