An excerpt from The Undefeated -
NASCAR driver Daniel Suarez shares inspirational story at My Brother’s Keeper event
Ambassadors from NBA Cares and NASCAR talked about their journeys and the importance of diversity BY RHIANNON WALKER
Four-and-a-half years ago, Daniel Suarez had aspirations of becoming a NASCAR driver, but didn’t have the means to achieve that goal. At the time, he wasn’t in the United States — he was living with his parents and two sisters in Monterrey, Mexico.
Besides that, he didn’t come from a racing family. His father was the only one in the household working, so there wasn’t money for Suarez to pursue his dream initially. What his father did have was expertise in repairing cars, so when Suarez was in elementary school, his dad provided him with the tools for go-karting in 2002.
Eleven years later, Suarez’s biggest obstacle wasn’t having a car, sponsorship or recognition, it was finding a way to Charlotte, North Carolina, where NASCAR’s headquarters is based, and learning how to speak English. He had the official papers from NASCAR, so Suarez drove 26 hours cross-country from Mexico to Charlotte in a 1994 Volkswagen Beetle.
Fast-forward to 2016, and Suarez won his first race in a final-lap coup past Kyle Busch, which made him the first Mexican-born driver to win in a NASCAR national touring series. And just this month, the 24-year-old nabbed his second victory in the round of 12 in the Chase at Dover in October, making him eligible for the round of eight.
http://theundefeated.com/features/white-house-host-latinx-students-to-discuss-my-brothers-keeper-preview-undefeatedconvo/
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