an important race<\/a> for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, but one of the biggest storylines of the weekend was the throngs of Hispanic and Latino fans in attendance, showing support for the sport. And Su\u00e1rez.\u00a0<\/p>\nAccording to NASCAR, in 2024, 26% of fans were defined as multicultural. That number has grown throughout the years, but further growth remains a top priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASCAR wants to grow diversity, inclusion, multicultural efforts internationally,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cFor me, it’s very important to continue to represent and continue to be there for NASCAR for communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez, the Monterrey, Mexico-born driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet, is one of two full-time international drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 34-year-old has made history throughout his NASCAR tenure. In 2016, he won the O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship, and in 2022 he became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/7-Car-1024x682.jpg\")
Daniel Su\u00e1rez passes Turn 4 during the NASCAR Cup Series Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona on Oct. 18, 2026. (Photo by Zina Garcia\/Cronkite News)<\/p>\n
His success and history-making efforts have brought him a wealth of fans, especially in Phoenix. They were on full display Sunday at the racetrack with fans wearing shirts, jackets, caps and one sporting a sombrero while dressed as a taco.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are a lot of Latinos here,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cIt has always meant a lot to race here in Phoenix, Arizona already for many years. So it’s always a lot of fun to come here.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is no secret that Latinos and Hispanics love sports. An analysis from Fast Company on that sports market in the United States found that 94% of Hispanic males identify as sports fans, with 56% of them describing themselves as \u201cavid\u201d fans.<\/p>\n
Many of those \u201cavid\u201d fans were on display at Phoenix Raceway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLatino people always support Latino people, so I think it’s part of our own culture,\u201d said Sa\u00fal Valle, a NASCAR fan of 22 years. \u201cI think if we saw a Mexican doing something good, we’re gonna cheer him up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valle\u2019s first time at a racetrack was on Sunday. He became a Su\u00e1rez fan after learning of all the hardships that brought him to the Cup Series. Valle was one of many to cheer on the No. 7 car as he finished in seventh place, the eighth top-10 finish for Su\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n
Another set of fans, father and daughter Rudy and Adriana Chavez, were big fans of NASCAR before Su\u00e1rez entered the Cup Series, but after learning more about Su\u00e1rez and where he comes from, they were ready to follow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t really like the machismo mentality that some drivers have,\u201d Chavez said. \u201cHe’s really down-to-earth, just a good person. So (it) really brought me in as a fan, and then seeing someone from the same heritage is really cool, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Adriana, as a younger fan than her father, she not only follows the sport by going in person, but also keeps up with what is going on via social media. She sees how Su\u00e1rez is continuing to build the sport not only through the older generation of NASCAR fans, but also for people like her.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of younger people are getting into NASCAR, I think because of him and a few other racers,\u201d Chavez said. \u201cThe fact that he’s really in tune with his culture is really bringing a lot of us into it.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the biggest events surrounding the expansion of NASCAR in Hispanic and Latino communities was the \u201cDaniel\u2019s Amigos\u201d initiative at Chicago\u2019s Harrison Park. Chavez received an invitation and loved her time there. These initiatives and Su\u00e1rez taking the time to attend events in Phoenix, such as the fan fest showcases, are just some of what he and NASCAR are doing for the community.<\/p>\n
As more and more Latinos become NASCAR fans, Su\u00e1rez will continue to be the face of a population of people who love sports. He was recently extended at Spire Motorsports for next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez wants to make history for Latinos. It\u2019s personal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a lot of fun for me to be able to represent my community and the Spanish-speaking people,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cIt’s my biggest pride.\u201d<\/p>\n
This <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/2026\/10\/19\/daniel-suarez-nascar-latino-hispanic-fans\/”>article<\/a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org”>Cronkite News<\/a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License<\/a>.<img src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/favicon1.png?resize=85%2C85&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”><\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2018It\u2019s my biggest pride\u2019: NASCAR\u2019s Daniel Su\u00e1rez helping build Latino, Hispanic fan bases<\/p>\n
Niall Rosenberg, Cronkite News
\nOctober 19, 2026<\/p>\n
Cronkite News offers an audio version of this story using an automated voice created by AI. Errors in pronunciation, pacing and intonation may occur. If you notice an error please contact cronkitenews@asu.edu.AVONDALE \u2013 Fans of Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano were all loud and proud at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, but there was one racer whose fans stood out from the crowd: Daniel Su\u00e1rez.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Freeway Insurance 500 was an important race for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, but one of the biggest storylines of the weekend was the throngs of Hispanic and Latino fans in attendance, showing support for the sport. And Su\u00e1rez.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to NASCAR, in 2024, 26% of fans were defined as multicultural. That number has grown throughout the years, but further growth remains a top priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASCAR wants to grow diversity, inclusion, multicultural efforts internationally,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cFor me, it’s very important to continue to represent and continue to be there for NASCAR for communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez, the Monterrey, Mexico-born driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet, is one of two full-time international drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 34-year-old has made history throughout his NASCAR tenure. In 2016, he won the O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship, and in 2022 he became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race.<\/p>\n
His success and history-making efforts have brought him a wealth of fans, especially in Phoenix. They were on full display Sunday at the racetrack with fans wearing shirts, jackets, caps and one sporting a sombrero while dressed as a taco.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are a lot of Latinos here,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cIt has always meant a lot to race here in Phoenix, Arizona already for many years. So it’s always a lot of fun to come here.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is no secret that Latinos and Hispanics love sports. An analysis from Fast Company on that sports market in the United States found that 94% of Hispanic males identify as sports fans, with 56% of them describing themselves as \u201cavid\u201d fans.<\/p>\n
Many of those \u201cavid\u201d fans were on display at Phoenix Raceway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLatino people always support Latino people, so I think it’s part of our own culture,\u201d said Sa\u00fal Valle, a NASCAR fan of 22 years. \u201cI think if we saw a Mexican doing something good, we’re gonna cheer him up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valle\u2019s first time at a racetrack was on Sunday. He became a Su\u00e1rez fan after learning of all the hardships that brought him to the Cup Series. Valle was one of many to cheer on the No. 7 car as he finished in seventh place, the eighth top-10 finish for Su\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n
Another set of fans, father and daughter Rudy and Adriana Chavez, were big fans of NASCAR before Su\u00e1rez entered the Cup Series, but after learning more about Su\u00e1rez and where he comes from, they were ready to follow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t really like the machismo mentality that some drivers have,\u201d Chavez said. \u201cHe’s really down-to-earth, just a good person. So (it) really brought me in as a fan, and then seeing someone from the same heritage is really cool, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Adriana, as a younger fan than her father, she not only follows the sport by going in person, but also keeps up with what is going on via social media. She sees how Su\u00e1rez is continuing to build the sport not only through the older generation of NASCAR fans, but also for people like her.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of younger people are getting into NASCAR, I think because of him and a few other racers,\u201d Chavez said. \u201cThe fact that he’s really in tune with his culture is really bringing a lot of us into it.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the biggest events surrounding the expansion of NASCAR in Hispanic and Latino communities was the \u201cDaniel\u2019s Amigos\u201d initiative at Chicago\u2019s Harrison Park. Chavez received an invitation and loved her time there. These initiatives and Su\u00e1rez taking the time to attend events in Phoenix, such as the fan fest showcases, are just some of what he and NASCAR are doing for the community.<\/p>\n
As more and more Latinos become NASCAR fans, Su\u00e1rez will continue to be the face of a population of people who love sports. He was recently extended at Spire Motorsports for next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez wants to make history for Latinos. It\u2019s personal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a lot of fun for me to be able to represent my community and the Spanish-speaking people,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cIt’s my biggest pride.\u201d<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.<\/p>\n
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