Suarez Drives Backup Car to Victory in Mexico for JRM

June 15, 2025

Race 15 of 33: The Chilango 150 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Track Specs: 2.42-mile road course / 65 laps
Race Winner: Daniel Suarez
Zilisch’s finish: 5th
Smith’s finish: 10th
Kvapil’s finish: 19th
Allgaier’s finish: 34th

Daniel Suarez

Monterrey, Mexico’s Daniel Suarez, making his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start for JR Motorsports, captured the checkered flag in his home country on Saturday afternoon in dramatic fashion, taking the win at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City behind the wheel of a backup No. 9 Quaker State Chevrolet.

Starting the race from the rear of the field due to an incident in practice Saturday morning, Suarez methodically worked his way toward the front, as the 2016 NXS champion took the race lead for the first time on lap 47 and never looked back. Pacing the field for the final 19 laps, Suarez fended off all challengers to secure the fourth victory of his NXS career, and the first for crew chief Cory Shea atop the pit box for JRM. Additionally, with today’s win, Suarez becomes the first driver in NASCAR history to go from last to first and score a victory on a road course.

“What an unbelievable day. I can’t thank everyone at JR Motorsports and this Quaker State team enough. To come back from having to go to a backup car, start at the back, and then get to the front to win here is just incredible. All the guys on this team worked so hard to get this car ready for today. To just be here, in front of my people who have supported me for many, many years, it’s just a special, special day.”

Connor Zilisch

Connor Zilisch, driver of the No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, bounced back from a spin in the final stage to score a fifth-place finish Saturday afternoon in Mexico City. Zilisch started from the pole and ran up front for much of the day. He made a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 18, leading to a 13th-place finish to Stage One. Zilisch cycled into the lead for the start of Stager Two and led the next 15 laps until he made another scheduled stop under green on lap 38. Returning to the track outside the top 10, the JR Motorsports driver powered forward to score a ninth-place finish when Stage Two ended on lap 40. Moments after the green flag waved on lap 46 for the final stage, Zilisch found himself in the middle of a three-wide battle for the lead in Turn 3, but was turned sideways in the middle of the field. The No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet suffered a bit of cosmetic damage, but fortunately nothing major. HE restarted 28th when the race went green on lap 51 and immediately began his charge to the front. He clawed his way through the field over the final laps and was ultimately credited with a fifth-place finish at the checkered flag.

“I’m proud of everyone at JR Motorsports and their effort. We fought back after the incident on that last restart and got our way back to fifth. I’m proud to come here and get a decent finish in our WeatherTech Chevrolet. Congrats to Daniel (Suarez). It’s awesome to see him win here in his home country. I’m really proud to come back after a day like that and get a top-five.”

Sammy Smith

Sammy Smith, driver of the No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet, came home with a hard-fought 10th-place finish on Saturday afternoon in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. Taking the green flag from the fifth position, Smith battled for position up front for much of the day, claiming a Stage Two win and leading for five laps before taking the checkered flag in 10th. With today’s result, Smith climbed three positions in the point standings to claim 10th position.

Smith lined up fifth for this first international event in Mexico City following a strong qualifying effort Saturday morning. The JR Motorsports driver fought inside the top five until five laps to go in the opening stage when the No. 8 Chevrolet was forced into the grass, shuffling Smith back a few positions. Now outside the top 10, crew chief Phillip Bell opted to flip the stage and called Smith down pit road for four tires and a track-bar adjustment. Smith closed out Stage One in 28th. Once the pit cycle took place, Smith restarted fifth for Stage Two. The team played its cards right and Smith had a strong front-running car, allowing him to take the race lead and win the second stage, earning an extremely valuable playoff point in the process.

The 21-year-old driver restarted within the top five once again in the final stage, but was collected in two different multi-car accidents that caused damage to his Pilot Chevrolet. Undeterred by the damage, Smith did all he could over the final laps to come home with a 10th-place finish.

“I’m proud of the progress this No. 8 Pilot team has made on road courses. It was a day of tough racing with a lot of contact, but we brought home a top-10 on a new track and JRM had strong cars. It was cool to see Daniel (Suarez) get the win. We’ll make notes and look ahead to Pocono.”

Carson Kvapil

Carson Kvapil, driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Clarience Technologies Chevrolet, took the initial green flag in the fourth position for his first trip to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Saturday afternoon in Mexico City. Throughout the first stage, Kvapil managed the handling of his Chevrolet and maintained position in the top six. He would ultimately take the lead with five laps remaining and capture the green-and-white checkered flag for his first NASCAR Xfinity Series stage win. After coming to pit road, Kvapil restarted the second stage in 13th and, while working his way back through the field, was involved in an incident which shuffled him back to 26th by the conclusion of Stage Two on lap 40. Pit strategy ahead of the final stage saw the 22-year-old rookie line up in sixth for the remaining 20 laps. Unfortunately, he was collected in a large, multi-car incident on the initial start and sustained significant damage to his Chevrolet. The team was able to make repairs to keep going and, after rejoining the tail of the field yet again, Kvapil fought hard to make his way back into the top 20, taking the checkered flag in 19th.

“It feels great to get my first stage win for this team. Johnny Morris and everyone at Bass Pro Shops and Clarience Technologies. I wish we would have been able to contend for the win at the end, but I am proud of this team for working so hard to get me back out there. We will continue to learn and prepare for Pocono next weekend.”

Justin Allgaier

Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, wasted little time marching forward in the opening laps of Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. Taking the green in 12th, Allgaier quickly raced into the top 10 and up to as high as seventh before an issue with the left rear axle forced the JR Motorsports driver behind the wall. Returning to the track following the necessary repairs, Allgaier soldiered on, utilizing a never-give-up attitude to climb four positions over the remaining laps and ultimately take the checkered flag in 34th.

“It wasn’t the result we were hoping for with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, but we had a really fast car. It’s unfortunate that we had an issue there early in the first stage, but I can’t thank these guys enough for getting us fixed and back out on the track. Huge congrats to the entire No. 9 team, Daniel (Suarez) and JRM as a whole on the win. That was pretty incredible to see.”