The announcement we’ve been waiting for all summer has finally come down: Carl Edwards is moving to Joe Gibbs Racing.
But today’s also a big day for NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series and K&N Pro Series East product Daniel Suarez.
The 22-year-old from Monterrey, Mexico was also announced today to drive the No. 18 ARRIS Toyota Camry full-time in next year’s NASCAR Nationwide Series championship. Additionally, he’ll run select Camping World Truck Series events in 2015 as well.
Suarez, an alumnus of the NASCAR Next program, has had a busy 2014 already.
In addition to running full-time and maintaining the points lead in the Toyota Series (four wins, six Top-5s, six Top-10s), he’s also ran the majority of K&N East events this year (two wins, four Top-5s, seven Top-10s in 12 starts).
He also made his Nationwide Series debut this past spring in a one-off for JGR at Richmond International Raceway, finishing 19th.
“This is crazy…This is a dream come true,” Suarez said today at JGR headquarters in North Carolina. “I can’t thank Joe Gibbs Racing enough for their confidence and support in a young driver from Mexico that’s just 22 years old. Also, I can’t thank ARRIS enough for their confidence.
“This is amazing. I can’t wait to learn from all of these guys.”
Suarez’s Nationwide Series program will be supported by the Escuderia TELMEX project, which helps many Mexican drivers and their programs across multiple motorsports disciplines.
Most prominent among those are: Memo Rojas and Chip Ganassi Racing’s program in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship; Sergio Perez of Sahara Force India and Esteban Gutierrez of Sauber in Formula One; and German Quiroga in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Escuderia TELMEX will also partner with JGR in its diversity program, intending to help develop Mexican and Latin American drivers in NASCAR racing.
“Daniel is here because he has the fight to be here,” Carlos Slim Domit, co-founder of Escuderia TELMEX and Chairman of the Board of Grupo Carso, said today at JGR. “It has been his life. He has given all of his effort possible to reach his dream.
“When we spoke with him when he was very, very young, we said, ‘How do you want your career to develop? Do you want to go to formula cars?’ He said, ‘No, my life is in stock [cars], and I’m going to be the first Latin champion in history in a [Sprint] Cup car.’ Today, he’s starting to reach that dream.”
After starting out in karting, Suarez began his NASCAR journey in 2008 by racing in what’s now known as the Stock V6 Series in Mexico. In 2010, he moved up to the main Toyota Series and won Rookie of the Year honors despite not running a full season.
The next year saw him go full-time in the Toyota Series and also make his debut in the American-based K&N East series. He’s competed in both leagues ever since, going as far as running a full schedule in each of them last year; Suarez finished second in Toyota Series points and third in K&N East points.
