NASCAR has been bold with its schedules for a few years, and the 2025 season won’t be an exception. NASCAR will bring the Cup and Xfinity Series to Mexico City for a race weekend in June while the Busch Light Clash moves to Bowman Gray Stadium. The race in Mexico is the biggest move, but will it be the only international race in NASCAR’s future?
On the final weekend of the 2024 season, NASCAR held its annual “State of the Sport” address at Phoenix Raceway. NASCAR President Steve Phelps was asked about the possibility of more international races, specifically in Canada.
“We kind of typically look at a three-year deal and see how that works, and if it’s continuing to work, we go to year four or five or six or whatever that might be,” Phelps said. “Have we had discussions with folks in Canada? We have. Would I like to see us go to Canada? I would.”
Our sport’s next great story will be written in Mexico City!
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez welcomes NASCAR in June 2025.
¡Nuestra próxima gran historia se escribirá en la Ciudad de México!
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez le dará la bienvenida a NASCAR en junio del 2025. pic.twitter.com/V4eSSXcHor
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 27, 2024
“I think schedule variation works, and it’s proven that it works. It works from an attendance standpoint. It works from a ratings standpoint. Not insignificantly it works from kind of a brand standpoint, what it means to be bold and innovative and do things differently and change things up. That drives success. I think that’s what we’ve tried to do as a sport is do those things. And not just schedule innovation, but other things as well. So I anticipate further expansion.”
NASCAR was in discussions with Montreal for the 2024 season, but the talks didn’t bring a deal across the finish line. Instead, the sport will go to Mexico City in June 2025. It doesn’t mean NASCAR will move away from the possibility of racing in Canada, and as Phelps said, fans should anticipate further expansion for the sport.
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