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Diamars 14 Juni 2022

State Department officials meet with Griner’s WNBA team

WASHINGTON (AP) — The administration has pre-
State Department officials viously said that its working
met Monday with repre- to bring Griner and another
sentatives of Brittney Gri- American, Michigan corpo-
ner’s WNBA team about rate security executive Paul
the Phoenix Mercury Whelan, home from Russia.
star’s monthslong deten- Griner was detained on Feb.
tion in Russia and the 17 at an airport in Russia after
Biden administration’s ef- authorities there said a search
forts to secure her release. of her bag revealed vape car-
tridges containing a cannabis
The State Department con- derivative. In May, the State
firmed the meeting, which Department reclassified Gri-
involved officials from its ner as wrongfully detained
specialized office that advo- and transferred oversight of
cates for hostages and wrong- her case to the State Depart-
fully detained Americans, but ment Presidential Envoy for
offered no additional details Hostage Affairs, or SPEHA.q
about what was said or who
specifically attended.

Suárez’s win at last delivers a Mexican Cup winner

keep the seat longer than one locked into the playoffs while
season. The weekend of the Suárez was below the play-
finale, he learned he’d been off cutline with not much to
fired for the second time in show for his improvement.
a year. Immediately after Suárez
Gaunt Brothers Racing took took the checkered flag Sun-
Suárez for the 2020 season day, Marks noted that Suárez
but it was a fledgling team and crew chief Travis Mack
and failed to qualify for the built Trackhouse and Chas-
season-opening Daytona 500. tain victories were “tough on
The remaining 35 races were them. But they never gave
awful and Gaunt Brothers up, they knew they were go-
has run just eight races since ing to be in victory lane.”
Justin Marks threw Suárez a Suárez’s entire career has
lifeline at the end of that sea- been about not giving up and
son. his decade-long climb has
Marks was launching Track- been remarkable. Fox Sports
house Racing and wanted to last season put Suárez in the
By JENNA FRYER in Mooresville, unofficially toya (Colombia), Earl Ross build it around Suárez, who booth for an Xfinity Series
AP Auto Racing Writer known as “Race City USA” (Canada) and none other was joining his fourth team broadcast and he even called
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) because of its proximity to than Mario Andretti (Italy) in four years. Marks is a for- a lap in Spanish.
— Here are some things NASCAR shops. as internationally-born Cup mer driver but also a busi- His journey is far from over
to know about Daniel It was the hardest two years winners. nessman; he believed Suárez and he has been celebrated
Suárez’s long journey be- of his life. But Suárez had won long could be a winner in the right across motorsports since his
fore becoming the first “I didn’t have money to buy before Sunday, first in the environment, and also recog- win: Mexican drivers Checo
Mexico-born winner at myself classes to speak Eng- NASCAR Peak Mexico Se- nized what a Mexican driver Perez of Formula One and
the top level of NASCAR: lish,” recalled Suárez. “I re- ries, then in K&N, then a could do for Trackhouse. Pato O’Ward of IndyCar sent
member one day waking up Truck Series race driving for As he built Trackhouse social media congratulations,
— When he decided as a child and being scared that the Kyle Busch. He was beloved around Suárez, Marks while F1 reigning champion
in Monterrey to seriously language barrier was going by Toyota, which very much brought entertainer Pitbull Max Verstappen left his re-
pursue a career as a racecar to keep me away from my wanted him in its program, into his ownership group. gards on an Instagram post of
driver, Suárez’s father closed goal, which was being a win- and he advanced into an The duo had clear goals of Suárez’s girlfriend, Julia Pi-
his well-known automobile ner, a championship winner Xfinity Series ride with Joe tapping the Latino market quet. Suárez and Verstappen
restoration shop to support in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gibbs Racing that should and making an impact on are both in long-term rela-
his son. I didn’t want that to happen. have changed his life. youth in America’s minority tionships with the daughters
— Suárez’s first move to the I started working extremely Suárez won three races and communities. of three-time F1 champion
United States to pursue his hard to learn English. the 2016 Xfinity title, and The biggest move was last Nelson Piquet.
dream wasn’t a relocation to “It’s been quite a journey. maybe in another year he’d be summer when Marks bought As he glanced across Sonoma
NASCAR’s hub in Charlotte, That’s why I felt like my story ready for Cup. Instead, Carl the entire NASCAR organi- Raceway, Suárez noticed
North Carolina, but rather is very similar to many, many Edwards abruptly retired and zation from Chip Ganassi, his section of fans. They are
an unconventional arrange- Mexicans, Latinos, out there with an unexpected hole to which gave him the people, called Daniel’s Amigos, and
ment to live with his team coming to this country, trying fill in its Cup lineup, JGR the parts and the shop he they had a fan club event be-
owner in Buffalo, New York. to find a goal or trying to find hastily promoted Suárez. needed to field a winning fore the race. Now their driv-
— He spoke no English their dream. If I was able to He wasn’t ready to drive the team. It also gave him room er was a winner and Suárez
and had to learn by watch- make it happen, everyone out No. 19 Toyota, and JGR gave for a second car and the seat apologized for the exuberant
ing cartoons, programming there can make it happen.” him two seasons before cut- went to Ross Chastain, who expletive he shouted toward
with light dialogue that could Suárez is only the fifth Cup ting him loose to promote not only won Trackhouse’s their section.
teach him the basics. winner born outside the U.S. Erik Jones. JGR has since cut first Cup race this March but Then Suárez addressed his
— When he finally made it to in NASCAR history. He won Jones, too. added a second victory, as fans in Spanish before quick-
North Carolina, he crashed on the road course at Sonoma Stewart-Haas Racing took a well. ly translating his message
with various friends until Raceway, in his 195th career shot on Suárez in 2019 and Suárez was supposed to win into English:
at last landing the cheap- start, to join Marcos Ambrose he thought he’d cobbled to- Trackhouse’s first race, not “This is the first one of
est apartment he could find (Australia), Juan Pablo Mon- gether the sponsorship to Chastain. Now Chastain was many,” he smiled.q