Daniel Suarez wins Xfinity race at Mexico City but can he delight fans in Cup?

MEXICO CITY — Daniel Suarez stood outside the infield medical center Saturday morning and declared: "I’m going to put on a show for you guys."

Daniel Suarez and crew celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Chilango 150 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

He sure did. And he hopes to put on one more Sunday afternoon to delight the fans of his home country even more than he did Saturday, if that is even possible.

Suarez, the only Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race, rallied from the rear of the field by winning the Xfinity Series event in a backup car at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

The Mexican fans waved flags. They chanted Suarez's name. They held signs that said "Vamos Suarez."

"I have never experienced what I experienced today," said Suarez, the 2016 champion of the series, NASCAR’s version of a triple-A baseball. "When I took the lead, I was able to hear people like they were right next to me. ... It was unbelievable.

"I got goosebumps. I felt so blessed. I never had that feeling in my life. And then I had to tell myself, ‘Daniel, don’t get distracted.’"

The 33-year-old Suarez won’t get much time to celebrate. He starts 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series event Sunday, the first Cup points race outside the United States in 67 years.

Starting 10th in the Cup race for Trackhouse Racing will be much better than what Suarez had to face on Saturday, after he wrecked in Xfinity qualifying, which required JR Motorsports to pull out a backup car.

"Right now, I feel like this gives me a lot of confidence," Suarez said. "When I crashed in Xfinity qualifying, I went into Cup qualifying a little bit down.

"I was good, but I was not 100 percent because I just crashed. ... But the feeling I had in my [Cup]