Daniel Suarez is the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion

Daniel Suarez wins the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the last race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season, to become the 2016 champion. The history is written in Miami as Suarez is the first ever Latin American driver who win a NASCAR national series title.

The 24-year-old driver of the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing’s Toyota led for most of the race but he wasn’t in front at the final restart on Lap 198 (of 200), as Cole Whitt and Elliott Sadler were on the front row. Whitt stalled out on the restart, opening the door to Suarez, who jumped into the lead and remained there, taking his third win Xfinity win this season and earning the 2016 crown.

Ford EcoBoost 300, Xfinity Series, Daniel Suarez

Victory in Miami and championship crown for Daniel Suarez

The non-Chase driver Ty Dillon finished second, ahead of Elliott Sadler. Ryan Blaney and Austin Dillon rounded out the Top 5. The two other Chase competitors – Justin Allgaier and Erik Jones – finished sixth and ninth, respectively.

Prior to last caution period, Suarez was leading fellow Championship 4 contender and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Erik Jones when Ray Black Jr. spun off Turn 4 to bring out the seventh and final caution on Lap 190. Under the yellow on Lap 193, lead-lap cars came to pit road for tires, but Cole Whitt stayed on the track on old tires and inherited the lead, while Sadler’s two-tire stop put him on the inside of the front row.