Photo illustration / Henry Frederick / Headline Surfer
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
MEXICO CITY -- Nobody is more excited about the arrival of NASCAR in Mexico than perhaps Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez, who has made multiple visits to his home country in support of the event, and is excited to show the world-class facility NASCAR’s brand of Cup racing.
The NASCAR Cup Series has arrived in Mexico City for the series’ first points-paying international race in seven decades, with Sunday’s aptly-named Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (3 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The industry has long been preparing for this inaugural visit to the renowned 2.42-mile, 15-turn road course in the middle of bustling Mexico City.
“I’m super excited, regardless of what happens on Sunday,” said NASCAR driver and Monterrey, Mexico-native Daniel Suarez, who has competed – and won three times – on the track’s oval configuration while racing in the NASCAR Mexico Series, which will also be competing this weekend.
“I’m super excited for the event," Suarez continued. I’m super excited to live in the moment because the first time is going to only happen once. I’m really trying to be as present as possible; enjoy the moment and try to execute the best possible weekend that we can. We know that we are capable of winning the race, but that’s not the goal. The goal is the execution of the entire weekend, and hopefully, the win is the result of the execution part.”
“I’m super excited, regardless of what happens on Sunday,” said NASCAR driver and Monterrey, Mexico-native Daniel Suarez, who has competed – and won three times – on the track’s oval configuration while racing in the NASCAR Mexico Series, which will also be competing this weekend. “I’m super excited for the event," Suarez continued. I’m super excited to live in the moment because the first time is going to only happen once. I’m really trying to be as present as possible; enjoy the moment and try to execute the best possible weekend that we can. We know that we are capable of winning the race, but that’s not the goal. The goal is the execution of the entire weekend, and hopefully, the win is the result of the execution part.”
Suarez, who scored his first NASCAR Cup Series win on a road course at Sonoma, Calif., in 2022, has been a vital supporter of this initiative. For months, the popular driver has starred in NASCAR commercials promoting the Mexican race, the script depicting him trying to teach fellow racers how to speak in Spanish.
“At first, I thought, man, I don’t know if this is going to work out, like, I don’t think this is going to be funny,” Suarez said, smiling. “And honestly, it turned out amazing. I give a lot of credit to NASCAR for trying all these different things. I think people are liking it. Drivers are embracing it. And, obviously, I’m having fun with it. I’m teaching the language, so for the first time, I feel like I’m in my zone, so that’s good.”
The driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet is ranked 28th in the championship with 11 regular-season races remaining to set the 16-driver Playoff field.
Multimedia Video: Full Circle: Daniel Suárez’s Journey Back to Mexico
Headline Surfer YouTube download / NASCAR video / June 11, 2025 / The NASCAR Cup Series is heading to Mexico for the first time, and Daniel Suárez is going home. This short film follows Suárez’s final preparations before the race, as he reflects on his journey, the meaning of racing in his home country, and what it will take to perform on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Others traditionally considered road course aces similar to this and see this as a significant opportunity to punch a playoff ticket. Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger, Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell, and Suarez’s Trackhouse teammate Shane Van Gisbergen are all some of the most talented road racers in the sport, and all are still looking to earn a victory this season. Many are still well below the 16th-place Playoff cutoff line.
Interestingly, six of the 14 regular-season races in the Next Gen Era have been won by drivers ranked 16th or worse in the standings at the time of their victory.
“Everyone expects us to perform on road courses,” said the New Zealand-native Van Gisbergen, who made the ultimate NASCAR debut, winning at the Chicago street race two years ago in his first start.
“Not that we have been hanging out for it (road courses), but the ovals have been a big learning process the last couple of months. It will be nice for sure to have a bit of a break and races on the types of courses I’m used to which means turning right.”
Hendrick Motorsports has won at eight road courses – the most in NASCAR history. And four of the remaining 11 races will be on road courses.
Hendrick’s William Byron continues to lead the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings – up by 41 points on his teammate Kyle Larson heading to South of the Border – and both are also considered favorites this weekend.
Hendrick drivers – Byron (two), Larson (two), and Bowman (one) – have won five of the last eight road course races. If Elliott wins this weekend, he would tie a NASCAR Hall of Famer for the second-most road course wins (eight).
Last week’s race winner, Denny Hamlin, claimed his first Xfinity Series win at the Mexico road course in 2006. He, Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (who won the 2008 Xfinity Series race), and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s Brad Keselowski are the only drivers to have raced at the circuit, competing in the Xfinity Series there.
RFK’s Chris Buescher, who finished runner-up to Hamlin last week at Michigan, boasts the best road course average finish (8.7) in the Next Gen cars.
Busch Light Pole Qualifying is set for Saturday at noon ET (Amazon Prime, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
NASCAR Great Jeff Gordon the official commander of 'Viva México 250'
Photo for Headline Surfer/courtesy of NASCAR/NASCAR racing icon Jeff Gordon will give the official command on Sunday, 'Drivers, start your engines.'
American racing icon Jeff Gordon has been confirmed as the Official Commander of the “Viva México 250,” the main event of the 2025 NASCAR Mexico City Weekend, which will be held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this Sunday.
Gordon, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, and current vice president of Hendrick Motorsports, will take a leading role during the event, giving the official command “Drivers, start your engines” at one of the most anticipated races of the 2025 calendar.
His presence will mark a historic moment for motorsports in Mexico.
Gordon's visit will be one of the highlights of the NASCAR Mexico City Weekend, which will bring together drivers, fans, and celebrities for a true motorsports celebration.
With his legacy on and off the track, the multi-time champion represents an ideal figure to spearhead this unique experience in the country.
With a career that redefined the modern era of NASCAR, Jeff Gordon amassed 93 NASCAR Cup Series victories, ranking him the third-winningest driver in the sport's history. A four-time champion (1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001), he won the DAYTONA 500 three times and is a key player in the national and international expansion of American motorsports. His legacy as a driver and now as an executive at Hendrick Motorsports makes him one of the most influential figures in motorsports.
NASCAR Xfinity Series is set to return to Mexico
The NASCAR Xfinity Series marks its return to Mexico with Saturday afternoon’s The Chilango 150 (4:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The series has held four previous races at the famed Autodrome Hermanos Rodriquez, the last of which was won by Kyle Busch in 2008.
This is the second of seven road course races on the schedule. Series rookie, JR Motorsports’ Connor Zilisch, won at Circuit of The Americas from pole position.
Reigning series champion JR Motorsports' Justin Allgaier earned his third win of the season in the series’ most recent race, two weeks ago at Nashville. It marks the fifth time in the last eight years that the veteran has scored at least three victories in a season. He holds a 92-point advantage in the championship standings over fellow three-race winner Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill.
The Illinois native has answered his first career title run with another top-shelf season in the No. 7 JRM Chevrolet. He leads all drivers in laps led (638) and top-10 finishes (10). He’s only eight top-10 finishes from 300 in his career – a feat never before accomplished in the series.
With 12 regular-season races remaining and six Playoff spots still to be claimed, Mexico City certainly presents all the makings of an ultra-competitive weekend.
Sam Mayer and Ty Gibbs have the most road course wins (four) in this weekend’s field. Interestingly, nine of the series’ last 11 road course races have been won by just three drivers (Mayer, Shane Van Gisbergen, and Zilisch). And Mayer, who is ranked third in the standings, is still looking for his first win of the year.
Gibbs (No. 19 Toyota) is among three NASCAR Cup Series regulars – also Suarez (No. 9 Chevy) and Christopher Bell (No. 24 Toyota) – racing Saturday. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie, Andres Perez De Lara, will be making his Xfinity Series debut.
Kennametal Pole Qualifying is slated for 10:30 am ET on Saturday (CW App) and has historically proven very significant on road courses, with the polesitter winning 10 of the last 18 road course races.
Multimedia Video: Previewing NASCAR’s New Challenge | Inside the Race
Headline Surfer YouTube download / NASCAR video / June 12, 2025 / The NASCAR Cup Series is heading to Mexico City for the first time — and there’s a lot to unpack. In this mid-week edition of "Inside the Race," Steve Letarte is joined by Michael McDowell to break down what makes this track unique, how teams are preparing with little to no Cup Series data, and what to watch for when the green flag drops. From corner layout and elevation changes to strategy and setup challenges, here’s everything you need to know before NASCAR’s international debut at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Historical & Significant Events at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez:
• The track was named in 1973 in honor of brothers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez, considered the best Mexican Formula 1 drivers of the 1960s.
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is known for its very bumpy surface, primarily because Mexico City is located in a geologically active region.
• The Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix was held at this track from 1962 to 1970.
After the circuit was upgraded with improved safety measures, it was raced again from 1986 to 1992. In 2015, it rejoined the Formula 1 calendar.
>• The racetrack has also hosted prestigious international motorsport events such as the World Endurance Championship, Formula E, Champ Car, NASCAR Xfinity Series, A1 Grand Prix, and the IMSA WeatherTech Championship.
It also hosts rounds of NASCAR Mexico Series, Super Turismos, Copa TC2000 México, GT Pro Series, Super Copa Telcel, Racing Bike México, Night Drags, and the traditional 24 Hours of Endurance.
• At the end of the track, there is a very fast corner (the Peraltada) leading into the main straight toward the finish line, very similar to the Monza circuit.
• After the last Mexican Grand Prix in 1992, a large event venue (Foro Sol) was built inside that corner.
• When the Champ Car World Series began using the track in 2002, the Peraltada was partially bypassed with a series of tight corners that pass through the Foro Sol, rejoining the Peraltada halfway through.
• The circuit is operated under concession by the Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento, S.A. de C.V. (CIE), through OCESA, one of CIE's subsidiaries.
• In 2005, the NASCAR Xfinity series raced for the first time in Mexico City. A temporary chicane was constructed on the main straight to accommodate the heavy stock cars, and a new 'stadium' curve was added in place of the Lake esses. For the 2007 event, the slightly clumsy chicane on the start/finish straight was removed. The series raced there from 2005 to 2008.
In 2015, to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix once again, the racetrack had to be rebuilt almost in its entirety, with the construction of a new race control building, a VIP area, a hospital, new stands, and a complete repave of the track. All this was done so that the FIA (International Motoring Federation) considered it suitable in terms of safety and logistics.
The NASCAR Mexico series has run the oval layout which measures just under one mile in length and incorporates the Peraltada curve outside the Foro Sol and the Curva Plana.
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez has multiple track layouts. The Grand Prix Circuit Formula 1 uses is a 2.67-mile, 17-turn course. NASCAR will use the National Circuit, which includes the Foro Sol. This layout is 15 turns and 2.42 miles long. The Recta Principal straight runs from turn 15 to turn one and is 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) long.
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