Daniel Suárez’s Life and Training on Full Display in ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’

Daniel Suárez is no stranger to the cameras, but in season two of Netflix’s NASCAR: Full Speed, the only Mexican driver ever to win a NASCAR Cup Series race allows fans to see the passion that he has for competition both inside and outside of the car. And, while tempers may have flared with team Trackhouse in edge-of-your-seat scenes, the speed star says that it’s simply all part of wanting to be the very best. When it comes to controlling his car, Suárez says that it’s really all about maintaining his core for success.

NASCAR fans get to know the iconic driver, Daniel Suárez, one of 16 drivers in the playoffs, and his family in the second season of Full Speed. The docuseries provides a deeper look into the trials and tribulations of life in the fast lane, including the pivotal influence that Suárez’s father, Alejandro had on the young upstart’s career, as well as the driver’s wife, Julia Piquet, (daughter of F1 legend Nelson Piquet), who became a viewer favorite thanks to her straight-talking attitude and support for her husband.

“There is just a lot going on in the racing world,” Suárez tells M&F. “And also, the personal side. But sometimes people don’t really know, right? And that to me is the most important part to share in this show. To show people who we are. Who I am as a person? What do I do to stay healthy? What do I do to stay fit? What do I do to stay connected with my family, with the busy schedule? All these different things.”

Why Daniel Suárez is NASCAR to His Core

Suárez began racing karts at the age of eleven and tells Muscle & Fitness that by fourteen he was lifting weights. “At first, I started doing it just because I liked to look good, to look fit, to be strong. I was a very skinny kid,” reveals the elite-athlete. As Suárez’s knowledge of working out progressed, he also began to understand the mind-to-muscle connection. “I’m training my mind as much as I’m training my body,” he says. Still, there is one part of the body that really determines ultimate control of the car. “It is very important to have a strong core in my opinion,” explains Suárez, who most recently placed first at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in February 2024.”

While the racer loves to get his reps in, Suárez shares that his training has evolved to use more bodyweight movements, often relying on resistance bands to increase his flexibility and mobility, while working his core with exercises like weighted situps, Russian twists or dead bugs.

“Also, a lot of push-ups and squats,” adds the driver, who reveals that when it comes to the bench press and pullups, he is usually able to outperform his race rivals when they are battling for pole position in the gym.

Of course, when gripping the steering wheel, the upper body also comes into play. “Every driver is a little bit different, but for me, I have come to learn that the shoulders are very important,” shares Suárez. His decision to utilize resistance bands rather than weights is a smart choice during the busy NASCAR season because studies have shown training with elastic resistance provide strength gains that are similar to training with conventional weights, but without the potential for injury that comes from lifting the barbell.

Withstanding the Heat of Competition

Recovery is also key, and this racer loves to hit the sauna, especially the day after a race. Suárez tells M&F that he fits at least one cardio focused workout into his week as well and gets out on the mountain bike when time allows. Suárez’s choice of using the sauna for recovery is also a winning strategy, because it keeps him acclimatized to the intense heat of the race. “You know, when we’re inside these race cars, it’s almost like being in the oven,” he shares. “In the middle of summer, it gets extremely hot. I have seen temperatures inside my race car up to 150°F.”

Once again, the ability to withstand incredible heat is a time when Suárez must rely on that mind-to-muscle connection. While he attempts to stay hydrated, the driver details the fact that he loses around 3 pounds in weight per race. The driver says that during such tests on the track; a tight core and lower back are essential in order to stop himself from “falling apart.” Fortunately, he has always relished a challenge. “I have to feel comfortable being uncomfortable,” he concludes.

NASCAR: Full Speed Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

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