The Mexico-born driver used a two-tire pit stop and hard rain on Sunday night to hold off Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin and win an emotional Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
In the first race since Thursday’s passing of 41-year-old two-time champion Busch, Suarez’s No 7 Chevrolet took two tires with 45 laps left after a caution for lightning, sat through a red flag and was awarded the win after a three-lap final run in the crown jewel race with 27 circuits remaining and rain pounding the 1.5-mile speedway.
Suarez’s third career Cup Series victory broke an 82-race winless streak for the Spire Motorsports driver.
The 10th-year Cup veteran was a part-time driver in NASCAR’s truck series in 2015 and 2016, wheeling the Kyle Busch Motorsports No 51.
“This one really means a lot,” said Suarez, who was hugged on pit road by teammate Michael McDowell and four-time 600 winner Jimmie Johnson.
“I’ve been saying for years this is my favourite race of the year. … It’s been a very tough week. You know, Kyle, he was special, man. We wanted to win this one for Kyle, Samantha, Brexton and Lennix and his family.
“Every win is special, but definitely this one has a special flavour because of Kyle. This one is for him. If it wasn’t for Kyle, I wasn’t going to be an Xfinity champion. I wasn’t going to have my shot in the Cup Series.
“To be able to win this race for him is unbelievable,” Suarez said.
Following Bell and Hamlin were Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Driving the No 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in place of Busch’s No 8, Austin Hill finished 27th.
British racer Katherine Legge wrecked early in the Indianapolis 500 and came in 31st in Charlotte to become the first woman and foreign-born driver to attempt “The Double”.
Following a ceremony with Busch’s family forefront to honor the 2015 and 2019 champion, Reddick led the 39-car field in the “missing man” formation by dropping back, leaving an open spot where the polesitter would line up during the warmup laps.
Reddick’s No 45 led them all until Josh Berry’s spin on Lap 35, and the first major wreck was on Lap 53 when Austin Cindric’s Ford got sideways and was smacked by Connor Zilisch’s Chevrolet.
Zane Smith’s No 38 Ford found the lead, and Chase Elliott lost control of his No 9 on Lap 91 of the 100-lap Stage 1 and hit the inside backstretch wall to end his night.
Larson’s No 5 beat Chase Briscoe, Reddick, Hamlin and Erik Jones as the segment concluded.
Hamlin snagged the lead and led by 3.6 seconds over teammate Briscoe by Lap 160. His No 11 Toyota dominated the second 100-lap stage, using a long green-flag run to beat Ty Gibbs by nearly four seconds. Briscoe, Reddick and Larson finished the top five.
After the checkers, a short break took place and a giant “Honor and Remember” flag was unfurled on the front stretch with military members and civilians on each side holding it up to commemorate the Memorial Day weekend.
Reddick led most of Stage 3, but Bell zipped by Hamlin with four laps left to claim the top bonus points. Gibbs, Briscoe and Larson finished behind them.
With about 70 laps left, Briscoe’s night ended after contact with Chris Buescher triggered the ninth of 12 cautions.