NASCAR officials announced on Tuesday that the Cup Series will host a race in Mexico during the upcoming season. This will be the division's first international points event in the modern history of the 2025 schedule.
The upcoming historic race scheduled for Sunday, June 15, is generating significant excitement among motorsports enthusiasts worldwide. Taking place at the renowned Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, the vibrant capital of Mexico, this event promises to deliver thrilling moments and intense competition. Notably, the race weekend kicks off with the NASCAR Xfinity Series event the day before, adding an extra layer of anticipation and energy to the overall experience.
As the main highlight of the weekend, the Cup Series race will captivate audiences and fans alike, showcasing the skills and determination of top drivers as they navigate the challenging circuit. With a global audience in mind, the race will be broadcast live on Prime Video, ensuring that viewers from around the world can witness the action as it unfolds in real time.
Furthermore, the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, airing live on The CW, provides an excellent opportunity for fans to immerse themselves in the racing atmosphere ahead of the main event. This back-to-back schedule offers a comprehensive motorsports experience, allowing spectators to enjoy multiple races and witness the diverse talents on display throughout the weekend.
In conclusion, the upcoming race weekend in Mexico City is poised to be a memorable and adrenaline-filled occasion, celebrating the rich tradition of motorsports and showcasing top-tier racing talent on an international stage. With live broadcasts and a diverse lineup of events, this racing extravaganza is set to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression on all who tune in to witness the excitement.
“This has been on our radar for a long time,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, chief venue & racing innovation officer. “We’ve been talking about the continued iteration of our schedule, right? You can go back a few years, went to new markets like Nashville and Austin, Texas. We went to the Coliseum for the Clash.
We went to our first street race in downtown Chicago, and this is going to be another first for us in a lot of ways. This is going to be certainly a monumental event for us, the first time we’re going south of the border.”
Although a points-paying Cup Series event in Mexico will be a first, NASCAR has long held a position in the country. The Hermanos Rodríguez circuit hosted four races in the Xfinity Series from 2005-08, and three current Cup Series stars are among its winners — Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
NASCAR has also sanctioned the NASCAR México Series since its formation in 2004, and the Hermanos Rodríguez course will be the site of this year’s season finale on Nov. 3. Mexican-born Cup Series driver Daniel Suárez — who won the series’ season opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in February — is among those who have emerged from that tour.
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“This, for me, is like a dream,” Suárez said at Tuesday’s announcement. “This is really a dream come true. Exactly 10 years ago, I was here racing NASCAR Mexico in 2014, and I won a race here before leaving NASCAR México and moving full-time to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015, and I knew that some, some years before my time, the NASCAR Xfinity Series had the opportunity to come to Mexico for a few years and I remember thinking what a dream it would be for me to race the NASCAR Cup Series one day in my country. I remember thinking that, and fast forward now nine years later, and here we are in Mexico City.”
Kennedy said the partnership with Mexico City is a multiyear deal, and the expansion of the Cup Series’ footprint outside the United States borders marks the latest innovative step taken by NASCAR’s schedule makers in recent seasons. The Cup Series held two races in Canada in its earliest years — a 1952 event won by Buddy Shuman at Stamford Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and a 1958 meet at the Canadian Exposition Stadium in Toronto where Lee Petty prevailed and his son, Richard, made the first of his record 1,184 Cup starts. The series also held a series of exhibition races in Japan from 1996-98.
RELATED: NASCAR’s connections to Mexico through the years
Kennedy said returning the sport’s top division to the global stage has long been a priority.
“It’s huge,” Kennedy said. “When we talk as a leadership team about where we feel like our biggest growth opportunities as a sport is, international is always one of the first things that comes up. … We brought the Craftsman Truck Series to Canada for a number of years, we’ve had the Xfinity Series in Mexico. This is a monumental moment for our sport in the sense that this is our first step of really taking the Cup Series internationally, and I think it could set us up for the future in potential new markets. I think we’ve been honest about our interest in taking our Cup Series abroad, whether that’s north of the border or south of the border, and then as we talk about some of our other races, there are opportunities for us to take the Cup Series even further than that.
“This will be a significant project for us, with many questions on our minds. I anticipate that the industry will also have inquiries. Nevertheless, I am thrilled to tackle this challenge and venture into one of the largest markets, not only in the country but globally, which will be a major opportunity for our sport.”
Since its establishment in 1959, the Mexico City track, featuring both road course and oval layouts, has been the venue for a variety of racing series. Renamed in tribute to racing siblings Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez soon after its inauguration, the circuit underwent renovations in 2015 and has since welcomed eight Formula 1 grands prix.
During the Xfinity Series races from 2005 to 2008, NASCAR utilized a 2.518-mile track layout, which was slightly shorter than the complete 2.674-mile, 17-turn circuit. Kennedy mentioned that the race distances for both the Cup and Xfinity Series events were still being worked on.
Kennedy announced that NASCAR will collaborate with OCESA, the organization behind the Mexico City Grand Prix for Formula 1 and other major entertainment events in Mexico.
Alejandro Soberón, Founder and CEO of OCESA, emphasized that the company's commitment to providing entertainment has established it as the leading live events platform in Mexico and Latin America, and a key player on the global stage. He highlighted the significance of the NASCAR Cup Series coming to Mexico as a testament to the rapid expansion of motorsports in the country, with Escudería Telmex playing a pivotal role in promoting the NASCAR Mexico Series and backing drivers such as Daniel Suárez.
Kennedy also verified that Richmond Raceway will reduce its number of annual NASCAR race weekends from two to one in 2025 in order to make room for the Mexico City race.
Kennedy affirmed our dedication to Richmond, emphasizing its significance as a track and market for our NASCAR fans. Over the years, we have witnessed thrilling developments at the track and look forward to hosting another successful event next year, channeling our energy and resources into making it a memorable experience for our fans.
Kennedy praised the positive response from the national media and dignitaries regarding the energy generated by Tuesday's major announcement. While the complete lineup for the 2025 NASCAR calendar has not been fully disclosed yet, the sport has consistently introduced new venues to the schedule for the past five years.
Kennedy now states that the preparation for logistics, transportation, and set-up is commencing, with on-site assistance for an event that is less than a year ahead.
Kennedy expressed confidence that this is only the beginning. With 10 months of planning ahead and numerous opportunities for announcements before the event, he is eager to sustain the momentum leading up to June next year.
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