CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thirty-six times a year Daniel Suárez stands on pit road with his right hand over his heart, his left hand behind his back, as “The Star-Spangled Banner” plays during NASCAR pre-race ceremonies.
On Tuesday, Suárez again struck a similar pose as the national anthem played — except the setting was not a racetrack. The Mexican-born NASCAR driver was standing inside the Charlotte field office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, where he and 47 other individuals hailing from 28 different countries took an oath in the final step to becoming United States citizens.
Advertisement
This time, hearing the national anthem meant something else.
“It is different because now I feel like I have a little bit of a part in it,” Suárez said. “I don’t know why, but it does feel a little bit different. It’s almost like, OK, now that’s part of myself.
“There is something about it that just makes you feel different.”
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Buy
Among those in attendance to watch the naturalization ceremony were Suárez’s fiancée, Julia Piquet; members of Suárez’s Trackhouse Racing team, including president Ty Norris; and NASCAR president Steve Phelps, who also gave the keynote address to the newest American citizens, then presented each of them a certificate of citizenship.
That Phelps would be there was kept from Suárez as they wanted it to be a surprise. He and Suárez, 32, are good friends, with Phelps steadfastly supporting Suárez as he attempted to establish himself in NASCAR, eventually becoming the first foreign-born driver to win a national series title when he won the 2016 Xfinity Series championship.
“Daniel and I have a special relationship,” Phelps told reporters afterward. “To see him fulfill his dream to become a U.S. citizen, I just feel honored I was here. … It’s hard work, it’s a long process, and it’s very difficult. And to see the combination of what these people have gone through and to be able to witness it and be a part of it was super special for me.”
Born in Monterrey, Mexico, to a family of modest means, Suárez started competing full-time in the U.S. in 2013 to pursue a career in NASCAR. It was a bold risk in a sport with mostly American drivers.
Not wanting his lack of English to be a deterrent, but unable to afford English classes, Suárez learned the language, in part, by watching cartoons. He preferred them to movies as cartoons were easier to understand because the characters often spoke slower and their dialogue was clearer. Over time he became fluent; he now works as a guest television analyst for Fox Sports.
Advertisement
He’s also become a success on the track. He initially made his mark at NASCAR’s grassroots level, earned a spot in the league’s Drive for Diversity program, advanced to Xfinity, then the premier Cup Series, where he’s a two-time race winner with his most recent victory coming in February at Atlanta Motor Speedway. For the second time in his career, he’ll be one of 16 drivers vying for the Cup championship when the playoffs commence in September.
Standing against a backdrop with the saying, “Today, I am an American,” Suárez was asked about his journey having elements of the “American Dream.”
“A lot of people have been telling me that,” Suárez said. “And I don’t like to brag or anything like that, but I feel like it is. If you think about it, I came from a family with no money. I grew up in a very small house; it was five of us with a two-bedroom apartment. … I grew up in a very humble family and a lot of people don’t know all the details. But to come here from being in Mexico, going to public school in Mexico and not having really much money, and coming here without speaking English, with not having the contacts, not having really the racing background, and being able to learn the language, making it to Drive for Diversity, racing in NASCAR, win races, win a championship and make it to the top of NASCAR in a sport that 15 years ago, every person that I knew, they were telling me that there was no way, that it was a very American sport.
“I feel like it is. And hopefully I can bring awareness to people to not let anyone tell you can’t.”
Suárez’s path to this moment began five years ago when he decided to go through the process of becoming an American citizen. One requirement is completing the citizenship test — one part is English, the other is a series of civics questions centered around the American government and important events in U.S. history. During the civics portion, an applicant will be asked up to 10 questions from a list of 100 possible, and they must correctly answer six. Suárez completed his test on April 29, needing only seven questions to pass.
Advertisement
“I’m so glad that every single one of the 48 people here, including myself, we had to go through that test,” Suárez said. “It gives you education of how this country got to the point that it is today.”
As Suárez prepared for the test, he said he became engrossed in discovering more about the country’s history. He recalled learning about the Louisiana Purchase, not knowing that New Orleans was once part of a vast swath of territory the French sold to the U.S. in 1803.
“Things like that, I had no idea,” Suárez said. “… I was mind-blown, it was so interesting.”
Suárez will hold dual citizenship with Mexico. He has long been proud of where he came from, but the U.S. has also embraced him, giving him these opportunities in NASCAR. He said he wants to be an example to others contemplating a similar endeavor.
“Being part of this journey in the last few years has really taught me a lot,” he said. “I really hope that a lot of people have the experiences and the opportunity to go through something like this, because it really teaches you a lot of things in life. I feel that I won’t take this for granted.”
(Top photo of Daniel Suárez, right, and Steve Phelps: Jordan Bianchi / The Athletic)
