On Sunday (June 12), at Sonoma Raceway, Monterrey, Mexico’s Daniel Suarez scored his first career Cup victory, winning the Toyota Save Mart 350.
The win comes 15 years after Juan Pablo Montoya became the first Latin American driver to win a race in the NASCAR Cup Series, winning at the same track.
Suarez is the 12th different winner in 16 races this Cup season and has likely secured a spot in the playoffs with this victory.
After running among the top five for nearly all afternoon, Suarez took advantage of the final stage restart to power by race leader Chris Buescher in turn 7.
New leader: @Daniel_SuarezG pic.twitter.com/vBA8d05Q0H
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 12, 2022
Suarez managed the lead for the final 40 circuits, through green-flag pit stops and a restart, to win by nearly four seconds over Buescher.
Polesitter Kyle Larson comfortably won a calm first stage by nearly 12 seconds, after nearly all of the 2021 series champion’s rivals pitted before the end of the stage.
Buescher, returning after a week out of the car due to COVID-19 protocols, hounded leader Chase Elliott for much of the second stage. But once again, the duo hit pit road before the green-and-white checkered flag, handing the lead and stage two victory to Joey Logano.
Those late-stage pit stops saw a bevy of penalties levied at front-running cars: Elliott’s crew quickly intercepted what could have been a loose wheel, but Elliott didn’t back the No.9 fully into his stall and suffered a penalty for pitting outside of the box. Tyler Reddick’s quiet top-five day was derailed by a speeding penalty, and Buescher’s crew got caught throwing equipment.
Chris Buescher’s penalty was reviewed by NASCAR and rescinded, and the driver of the No. 17 started the final stage from the front before finishing runner-up.
.@KyleLarsonRacin loses a wheel and brings out a caution. pic.twitter.com/AalDLRM2m0
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 12, 2022
On the final cycle of green-flag pit stops, a…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Frontstretch…