NASCAR Rumor: Cup races planned for Mexico & Canada in 2025 (2nd Update)

This rumor is upgraded to ‘fact’ today. For the first time in its storied history, the NASCAR Cup Series will see cars hit the track for a points race in Mexico. On Sunday, June 15, 2025, the world-class Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course in vibrant Mexico City will host the milestone event as part of the 2025 schedule.

The monumental weekend will also include the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Mexico Series competing on the road course.

The new international NASCAR event was announced today as part of a press conference at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City with Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President & Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer, Federico Alaman, Head of Commercial Partnerships for OCESA, Jimmy Morales, CEO of NASCAR Mexico Series, and Daniel Suárez, driver of No. 99 for Trackhouse Racing.

“This is a historic moment for our sport, and specifically for the NASCAR Cup Series, in being able to expand our footprint to Mexico,” said Kennedy. “We’ve been bold about our intentions to grow on a global scale, and there isn’t a better place to take the next step in that journey than at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course in Mexico City.”

“At OCESA, we are dedicated to entertaining people, and this has positioned us as the most powerful live events platform in Mexico and Latin America, as well as one of the most important globally,” said Alejandro Soberón, Founder and CEO of OCESA. “The arrival of the NASCAR Cup Series to our country reflects the significant growth that motorsports has experienced in Mexico, an achievement in which Escudería Telmex has played a major role by promoting the NASCAR Mexico Series and supporting drivers like Daniel Suárez.”

The historic road course is 2.674 miles long, boasts 17 turns and sits at an elevation of 7,342 feet. Built in 1959, the track was named in honor of racing brothers Ricardo Rodríguez and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit was remodeled back in 2015 and has hosted eight Formula 1 Grand Prix´s since then, becoming one of the most popular international racing circuits and a spectacular destination for NASCAR fans to experience.

While the race will be a first in the Cup Series, there is a storied relationship between NASCAR and Mexico. In 1950, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and Curtis Turner participated in La Carrera Panamericana road race across Mexico. Between 2005-2008, the Xfinity Series competed at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with current Cup Series stars Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex, Jr. all earning a victory there during the four-year stretch.

Additionally, the NASCAR Mexico Series has been the premier stock-car racing series across Mexico with 17 seasons under the NASCAR name, developing future talent along the way — including Cup Series winning driver Daniel Suárez and current Drive for Diversity rising stars Eloy López, Andres Pérez de Lara and Regina Sirvent. The series competed in the United States earlier this year when it joined the Cup Series for the Busch Light Clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum event weekend in February.

The Cup Series first competed internationally on July 1, 1952 at Stamford Park, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada in a race won by Buddy Shuman. The last Cup Series international points race was on July 18, 1958 at Canadian Exposition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NASCAR also held three exhibition races at Suzuka Circuitland in Suzuka City, Japan in 1996-1998.

The action at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will begin with the Mexico Series and Xfinity Series as part of the June 14-15 race weekend. The NASCAR Mexico race weekend will culminate with the first international points event in Cup Series modern history on Sunday, June 15. The Cup Series event will air live on Prime Video while Saturday’s Xfinity Series tilt to air live on The CW.

While information on tickets has not been announced, fans can register online to receive event and ticket information at www.nascarmexico.com.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) NASCAR will announce they will hold a Cup race in June 2025 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – the same circuit F1 races on.

It is the same circuit that F1 races on, except a chicane will be added on the main straight.

Because of the inferior brakes of a Cup car compared to a F1 car, there is not enough runoff area in Turn 1, so the chicane will be used to slow the lumbering taxi cabs.

It seems more likely than not that the NASCAR Cup Series will feature races both in Canada and Mexico in 2025, while also remaining in the coveted Southern California market in some capacity.

It’s expected that NASCAR will pursue taking the Clash to Mexico in 2025.

NASCAR president Steve Phelps appeared on the Daytona 500 pre-race show on Monday and teased two international Cup Series races for next season.

“I have nothing to announce today, but I would be surprised next year from the 2025 schedule if we didn’t go north of the border and we didn’t go south of the border,” Phelps said.

He also anticipates the series remaining in Southern California in some capacity.

“The southern California market is extremely important to NASCAR, in fact, it’s the second most popular market we have right next to New York. Racing in southern California, we’re not gonna miss a year,” Phelps said. “And then I think the other piece too because we are committed there, where Auto Club Speedway is out in Fontana, we kept a 100-acre parcel, to build a track there.” Sportsnaut.