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NASCAR Driver Daniel Suárez Returns to SLAM Radio, Reaffirming the Power of Grit, Gratitude, and Representation

When NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suárez walked into the SLAM Radio studio in Miami, he wasn’t just visiting a radio station—he was returning to a platform that reflects his own story of perseverance, representation, and rising above expectations.

Now in his eighth full-time season with Trackhouse Racing, Suárez sat down for an in-depth conversation with SLAM Radio’s team, opening up about the journey from Monterrey, Mexico, to one of the most competitive arenas in professional sports.

“I didn’t grow up with money,” Suárez said. “I grew up with my two sisters and my parents in a two-bedroom home with one bathroom. Every morning we were going to school, we were fighting to see who was going to take the shower first.”

He spoke openly about the defining role his father played in his career, sacrificing everything to help Daniel pursue a dream few around him thought possible. “He gave up everything he had to give me a chance,” Suárez said. “When someone does that for you and you have awareness, you have to be thankful. And you have to make it worth it.”

The visit was part of SLAM’s ongoing partnership with NASCAR, designed to expose students and families to the world of motorsports. That collaboration has grown through continued support from Trackhouse Racing and the SLAM Foundation, with a shared mission: to create real-world opportunities for young people to lead in sports, media, and beyond.

This wasn’t Suárez’s first time at SLAM — he’s visited before, and his presence continues to resonate. For many of the students, his story mirrors their own: immigrant roots, working-class family, relentless drive.

“When I came to the U.S. in 2011, I didn’t speak English,” Suárez recalled. “I taught myself by watching cartoons, movies, reading—little by little I started to understand more and more.”

He talked about the moment his career took off, when he unexpectedly replaced Carl Edwards in 2017. “Everything came as a surprise,” he said. “There was no real preparation, but things worked out because we were ready to grow.”

As the first Mexican-born driver to win in the NASCAR Cup Series, Suárez carries a unique weight of visibility. And while he's proud of that legacy, his focus is always on what’s next. “I try to focus on the next thing. How can I prepare? How can I execute? The result is a consequence of the work,” he said.

When asked whether the speed ever becomes intoxicating, he was quick to answer. “When you’re used to going 200 miles per hour every weekend, there’s nothing on the street that gives you even 10% of that feeling,” he said. “Honestly, driving on the street does nothing for me. I like going slow—with style.”

For a student body that is majority Hispanic, Suárez’s return to the Miami campus wasn’t just meaningful — it was personal. He reminded them that success isn’t about shortcuts or lucky breaks. It’s about discipline, belief, and knowing who you’re doing it for.

Suárez may still have wins ahead on the track, but at SLAM, he’s already set an example that transcends sport — one that speaks to where you come from, how hard you work, and how far you can go when you're seen.

About SLAM Radio

SLAM Radio is the first and only SiriusXM satellite radio station in the nation managed and operated entirely by high school students. Broadcasting live 24/7, the station features national programming that blends sports, culture, entertainment, and current events — available to SiriusXM’s 33 million subscribers and its broader audience of more than 160 million across platforms.