No. 99 Good Sam Chevrolet driver Daniel Suárez has special memories of Upstate New York where the NASCAR Cup Series will return to action Sunday on the road course at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
When the Monterrey, Mexico native first came to the United States 10 years ago, he ended up just outside of Buffalo, New York.
Development series car owner Troy Williams welcomed the young racer into his home as Suárez worked to further his driving career in the United States.
Suárez moved in with Williams and begin to learn American culture as well as English.
He also learned that weather in Upstate New York is a bit different than Monterrey, Mexico.
“I can’t forget the day I landed in Buffalo and seeing all of the snow. I had never seen anything like that before. I remember shoveling the snow with everyone every day. I lived there for about three months in the middle of winter before going back home to Mexico.”
Suárez returned to Mexico after three months and then came back to America to embark on a NASCAR career that included a 2016 Xfinity Series title and driving in the Cup Series.
He’d like to celebrate his first Cup Series victory in the Upstate New York area on Sunday. In three Cup races at Watkins Glen, he owns two top-four finishes. He finished third in 2017 and fourth in 2018. In 2019 he finished 17th and the Cup Series did not race there last year due to Covid-19.
Sunday marks the Cup Series’ first race since July 18 at New Hampshire Speedway in Loudon. The sport took two weeks off for the Olympic break.
NBCSN will televise Sunday’s race at 3 p.m. EDT.
Before traveling to Watkins Glen, Suárez and Trackhouse Team Founder Justin Marks will race in the Trans Am TA2 Series race on the Nashville, Tenn. street circuit as part of the inaugural Music City Grand Prix weekend.
Suárez will fly to Watkins Glen Saturday night after the Trans Am race.
Trackhouse Racing PR
