Daniel Suarez won the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, his third Cup Series victory and first since 2024.
The Mexican-born driver became the first to win the Coke 600, benefiting from a crucial pit call and a break from Mother Nature.
What happened?
Suarez gambled and took two tires during a late pit stop, then held off Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin on restarts before the race was called due to rain.
The race was called with 27 laps remaining, and Bell finished second, while Hamlin was third.
Emotional victory
Suarez was emotional in his victory, remembering the late Kyle Busch, who had previously encouraged him in his racing career.
“Kyle, he was special,” Suarez said, tearing up, as he dedicated his win to Busch's family.
Honoring Kyle Busch
The racing world remembered the late Kyle Busch, with NASCAR and CMS honoring him with his No. 8 and signature on the frontstretch grass and a highway billboard near the track.
The U.S. Army Golden Knights carried a Busch flag prior to the race, and each of the 39 cars in the field carried a small, black No. 8 decal.
Suarez previously raced for Kyle Busch Motorsports, making the victory even more special for him.
The win came just three days after Busch's death, which sent shockwaves throughout the motorsports world.
Race details
Kyle Larson won the first stage race, while Hamlin won the second stage and Bell the third.
Defending champion Ross Chastain crashed out when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. clipped his car in Turn 2 with 81 laps remaining in the race.
Connor Zilisch and Austin Cindric only made it 52 laps before getting caught up in a crash, ending both drivers' day.
Chase Elliott, a two-time winner this year, hit the outside wall and ping-ponged into the inside wall, damaging his car.
Suarez's victory was a significant one, as he became the first Mexican-born driver to win the Coke 600, on May 26, 2024, as his last win.