BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Daniel Suarez posted the best finish for a Mexican driver in Xfinity Series history as he finished second Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway.
While he couldn't catch Team Penske driver Joey Logano, who led all 300 laps to win the Drive To Stop Diabetes 300, Suarez methodically worked his way from starting ninth to the runner-up spot.
"At one point, I thought I had a shot for the win," said the 22-year-old Suarez, a Monterrey native. "In the middle of the run, I was a little bit faster but in the very long run, I was a little bit too tight. We have to keep learning, keep working. For now, I'm very happy with the performance in today's race."
The previous highest finish by a Mexican-born driver was seventh by Jorge Goeters in the 2007 race at Mexico City.
Suarez, a rookie at Joe Gibbs Racing who has the backing of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, has spent the last four years racing stock cars, earning 10 wins in the NASCAR Mexico Series as well as three victories in the regional NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He made the jump to full-time NASCAR national competition this year with plans for a full Xfinity Series schedule as well as several Camping World Truck Series events.
Tenth in the Xfinity Series standings, Suarez had the benefit of competing at Bristol three times in regional series events from 2012 to '14. That experience, even though he did not have strong finishes in those races, made him comfortable on the high-banked, 0.533-mile concrete track.
"In almost of the races in 2015, most of the tracks I have never been before," he said. "It has been a disadvantage a little bit. At race tracks like Phoenix, like Bristol, where I have experience in the K&N Series, I feel like that disadvantage is not that big. At the small race tracks like I've run before, I feel like I have a little more confidence."
Chris Buescher, who finished third, moved into a tie with Ty Dillon for the series points lead.
Erik Jones finished fourth and was followed by Dillon, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick and Brian Scott.
Brendan Gaughan, Elliott Sadler and Brennan Poole rounded out the top 10.