Daniel Suárez will make a special appearance as a wildcard driver in the fifth round of the 2024 NASCAR Brasil Series season, held at the historic Autódromo José Carlos Pace.
NASCAR Brasil Series will have a special guest entering the fifth round of the 2024 season. Top NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suárez will take advantage of the Olympics break to race alongside the top NASCAR Brasil drivers at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace on 3-4 August.
This will be the second international wild card appearance for Suárez in 2024, having previously taken part in NASCAR Mexico’s exhibition race at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum during the Busch Clash weekend.
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“Although the NASCAR Cup Series will be on a multi-week break during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Daniel Suárez will use the opportunity to race in the NASCAR Brasil Series on Aug. 3-4,” announced NASCAR.
“Suárez, 32 and current driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, will race at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, also known as Interlagos, in São Paulo, Brazil. The event acts as Stage 5 of the 2024 NASCAR Brasil Series calendar.”
Suárez, the only non-American NASCAR national series champion to date, revealed that the decision to race in NASCAR Brasil came because he already scheduled a trip to Brazil during the Olympic break.
The Mexican will be celebrating his marriage with fiancée Julia Piquet, daughter of Formula One legend Nelson Piquet Sr, in Brazil in the coming weeks.
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“Brazil is a country that is very close to my heart. Julia (Piquet, fiancée), she’s already from Brazil,” said Suárez, as quipped by John Crane on NASCAR.com.
“Her entire family is in Brazil and I’ve been competing in Brazil since 2015. I have got to know the culture, the people and the motorsport love to a different level.”
“We’re gonna be getting married in Brazil in a couple weeks and when I found out that they were gonna be having a NASCAR Brasil race in Interlagos, a race track that is so historic, it was a no-brainer for me.”
“I started having some conversations with NASCAR and NASCAR Brasil, and I got the opportunity. I’m super excited and very fortunate to have this opportunity.”
Chad Seigler, the Vice President and Chief International Officer for NASCAR, expressed his enthusiasm on this opportunity, stating that Suárez’s wildcard will help NASCAR to increase its status in the international racing scene.
“Anytime we have that opportunity to bring that exposure internationally, it’s huge,” said Seigler. “It’s an opportunity from several sides.”
“For us, on the NASCAR side, internationally, we try to grow the brand. We try to make people have a better understanding of stock-car-style racing and NASCAR-style racing, so that’s big for us.”
“But I think another piece that is so critical is for those young drivers coming up, no different than if you’re a driver that comes up in our weekly and touring series here in the U.S.”
“To have that driver like Daniel in front of them to show them, if I want to go racing in the United States, there’s a path, and there’s a pathway there.”
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