Getty Daniel Suarez, Iowa Corn 350
Twelve years after first moving to the United States, NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez has become a U.S. citizen after his U.S. Citizenship Oath Ceremony on July 18. Suarez will remain with dual citizenship, representing both his native Mexico and the United States.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet, how big of a deal it is. But this is very special to finally hit this milestone,” Suarez said on Saturday, June 15, ahead of the Iowa Corn 350.
GettyDaniel Suarez and Julia Piquet
Suarez Gains American Citizenship
Gaining American citizenship is no easy feat. Suarez initially came to the United States to race with a tourist visa, then acquired a work visa, and now, a green card. It’s been a 10 to 12-year process overall.
“It’s been a lot to process to get to this point. I don’t think 95 percent of the people in this room (the track’s media center) understand the process to be able to get it done,” Suarez said, post-race on June 16.
A key part of the process has been studying for the test, a prospect that became a fun game between himself, and his fiancee, Julia Piquet.
“Julia helped me a lot. She was kind of like my teacher and then we were having fun in the hauler wondering if the guys actually knew all of the history I was studying. So, we started asking questions at dinner. We actually had fun with it and because of that I was actually able to learn quicker,” Suarez said.
It’s partly because of his impending wedding to Julia Piquet that prompted Suarez’s push to obtain his green card.
“A few years ago, I didn’t know if I really wanted to do this. But now it just makes sense. I’m getting married next month and in a couple years, I might start a family. Without citizenship, with the green card that I have today, if something bad happens I can get kicked out of the country,” Suarez said.
GettyDaniel Suarez drives for Trackhouse Racing
Suarez’s 2024 Cup Series Season
Suarez is in his eighth season competing in the Cup Series, and his fourth with Trackhouse Racing, a team that is co-owned in part by Pitbull (the musician). In 2022, Suarez became the first Mexican-born driver to win a race in the Cup Series, and his most recent win was this season, at the Ambetter Health 400.
In the 2024 season, Suarez currently ranks 18th, with 3 top-ten finishes, and 2 top-five. Because of his win earlier this year, Suarez will be eligible for the Cup Series playoffs.
Suarez has also spent time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, in which he won the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award in 2015, and the series championship in 2016.
Daniel Suarez is a fan favorite; one glance at his fan community, ‘Daniel’s Amigos’ confirms that. He already made history as the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race. Perhaps he can make history again as the first dual citizen to find victory on a NASCAR track.