NASCAR star Denny Hamlin got an early Father’s Day Gift.

Round 16 of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season takes the top level of the sport to a place where they’ve never been before — Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. It will also be the first points-paying Cup race outside of the United States since 1958.

William Byron leads the regular season standings, 41 points clear of Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Denny Hamlin is the most recent winner, claiming victory at Michigan. The Xfinity Series raced in Mexico City for a few yers between 2005 and 2008 and Hamlin is just one of three active Cup drivers who took part in at least one of those events.

News of the week

This week, Ram confirmed its highly anticipated return to the NASCAR Truck Series. NASCAR officials also indicated that they are “very close” to securing a fifth manufacturer, but discussions are ongoing.

It was also revealed that the Xfinity race in Mexico City will feature three Mexican-born drivers. Along with Daniel Suarez, 2024 ARCA champion Andres Perez De Lara and 2020 NASCAR Mexico Series champion Ruben Rovelo will be making their debut.

Denny Hamlin will skip the race following the birth of his son, reporting in a statement that “everyone is doing well.” It will be the first Cup race he misses in over 11 years with Ryan Truex replacing him behind the wheel of the No. 11 Toyota.

NASCAR also adjusted the weekend schedule on Thursday evening due to travel challenges including a grounded aircraft that adversely impacted several drivers and teams.

What is the NASCAR at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez her schedule?

(Schedule is tentative and subject to change)

Friday, June 13th

1:30pm EST — NASCAR Mexico Series race #1 (50 laps) – YOUTUBE

4:05pm EST — NASCAR Cup practice #1 – PRIME VIDEO

5:30pm EST — NASCAR Cup practice #2 – PRIME VIDEO

Saturday, June 14th

11:05am EST — NASCAR Xfinity Series practice – CW APP

12:10pm EST — NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying – CW APP

2:05pm EST — NASCAR Cup Series qualifying – PRIME VIDEO

7pm EST — NASCAR Mexico Series race #2 (50 laps) – YOUTUBE

Sunday, June 15th

3pm EST — NASCAR Cup Series race (100 laps) — PRIME VIDEO

Daniel Suarez fans with Mexican flag

Photo by: Chris Williams Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

How can I watch the NASCAR Cup Series in Mexico?

• Date: Sunday, June 15th
• TV start time: 3:00 p.m. ET
• Laps/Miles: 100 laps / 241 miles
• Green flag: 3:23pm EST 
• TV channel: PRIME VIDEO | TSN (Canada) | Other international viewing options
• Live stream: In-car cameras on MAX
• Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Who is racing in Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez?

There are 37 entries for the Cup race with one open entry. That will be Katherine Legge, driving the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet. Legge will be making his second Cup start of the year, following her Cup Series debut at Phoenix. To learn more about the Cup field or see the 39 drivers competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, CLICK HERE.

NASCAR Cup Mexico City entry list

Jesse Love has made an impressive start to his NASCAR Cup Series career after joining Richard Childress Racing, but the youngster is already attracting interest from rival teams

Richard Childress Racing might struggle to keep talented driver Jesse Love, as he’s on the radar of other teams that see him potentially leading races in the Cup Series by 2026.

Love, only 20 years old, made waves with his Cup Series debut earlier this year as Kyle Busch’s new teammate. After running just three races in NASCAR’s top tier, Love is drawing attention; he’s taken to Bristol and Kansas with RCR and had a race at Texas Motor Speedway thanks to Beard Motorsports.

Busch, the 40 year old veteran, is already praising the youngster for his notable confidence and self-assurance. Nonetheless, FOX Sports reports that Legacy Motor Club is considering snapping up Love next year as Richard Childress risks losing the in-demand talent.

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Although Love has been racing full-time in the Xfinity Series starting in 2024, his standout performances have quickly marked him as a young driver to watch. In his inaugural season, he snagged the title of Sunoco Rookie of the Year, garnered a victory, and secured a series-best five poles, following it up with a win right out of the gate in the opening race of the 2025 season.

Ahead of taking to the track for his Cup Series debut, Love diligently practiced with over 2,000 laps on a simulator and sought Busch’s advice extensively. Speaking to the media, Love said: “It’d be dumb of me to not go ask him questions and pick his ear when I can or pick his brain, rather, and he’s been helpful, for sure. I’ll always feel like Kyle’s been an open book.”

While Busch did offer Love some valuable insights, his competitive nature meant he kept a few tricks up his sleeve. “I will say, Kyle’s probably the toughest competitor in the garage, and I do notice a little bit of a difference when I’m asking him questions when I’m not racing against him and when I am racing against him,” Love shared. -year-“Again, picking a guy’s brain like that is cool. Been able to ask a lot of people questions.”

Love’s admiration for Busch was clear, and the seasoned pro also had high praise for the 20 year old. When quizzed about what impressed him most about Love, Busch told reporters: “Just that he picked up the phone and asked and called. I think that’s the first thing, right?

“A lot of drivers, they don’t do that anymore these days. So if you call I’m willing to talk to you, and help you, and give you as much as you asked, and try to give you what I can to get you started and be ready to go when you get here.”

Busch then touched on Love’s confident approach to his Cup Series debut, adding: “I guess it’s just the way you’re raised. I’ve seen a lot of young drivers come in and they’re just kind of wet behind the ears. Maybe a little quiet, things like that, a little more reserved. But they all figure it out eventually and then they feel they have their own star power.”.

Love currently sits fourth in the Xfinity Series standings, one spot ahead of fellow rising star Connor Zilisch. Through 14 races this season, Love has one win, three top-fives, and nine top-tens.

So it’ll be one more year for IndyCar’s Dallara DW12 chassis, which has already been in service for 14 years, certainly making it the oldest platform used in a major auto racing series.

IndyCar had promised that a new car would debut for the 2027 season, but that has been postponed until at least 2028, according to the Indianapolis Star and Racer.com. Why? Not so much because the car itself couldn’t be ready, but because engine suppliers Honda and Chevrolet need more time to develop upgraded powerplants, which include a new engine and energy recovery system.

According to Racer, the two companies need at least 18 months to build and test 50 new engines each, the quantity that is required to supply the series. Apparently, the Roger Penske–owned IndyCar series has yet to give Chevrolet and Honda a final draft of the rules governing the new engines.

The current formula—a 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6, used by both Honda and Chevrolet—dates back to 2012. A hybrid system was added late last season and has earned mixed reviews from drivers and teams.

Current supplier Dallara will also build the new car, currently called the IR-27. It’s unclear if it will be renamed the IR-28 … or beyond.

The 2025 Viva Mexico City 250 will take place at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City on Sunday. The 17-turn, 2.674-mile track has hosted Formula 1 races and was previously a stop on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. Road racing savant Shane Van Gisbergen, who further exemplifies NASCAR’s growing global reach as a New Zealander, is the +330 favorite in the 2025 Viva Mexico 250 odds, while Christopher Bell is at +700 after winning the only previous road race of the year in Austin.

The green flag drops at 3 p.m. ET and the race is scheduled for 100 laps around the famed Mexico City circuit. This will be the second of six road races on the NASCAR schedule this season. Before entering any 2025 Viva Mexico 250 picks, NASCAR DFS lineups on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, or locking in NASCAR props on sites like PrizePicks, Sleeper Fantasy, and Underdog Fantasy, be sure to see the latest 2025 NASCAR at Mexico predictions from SportsLine’s proven projection model.

Developed by daily Fantasy pro and SportsLine predictive data engineer Mike McClure, this proprietary NASCAR prediction model simulates every race 10,000 times, taking into account factors such as track history and recent results.

The model began its 2025 season by calling Chase Elliott to win for a +300 payout at the Clash at Bowman Gray and was also high on Byron as a +2000 longshot at Daytona. Then it predicted Kyle Larson’s win in Miami for a +350 payout, Christopher Bell’s +600 triumph in the NASCAR All-Star Race and Denny Hamlin’s +650 victory in Michigan. In 2024, it nailed Larson to win in Las Vegas for a 21-5 sports betting payout and predicted Denny Hamlin’s wins in Bristol at 5-1 and Richmond at 17-4.

It also impressively nailed five of Larson’s wins during his historic season in 2021. All told, the model has nailed a whopping 22 winners since 2021. Anyone who followed its lead on betting apps and sportsbooks on those NASCAR picks could have seen huge returns. New users also have the opportunity to take advantage of the latest Bet365 promo code, Caesars Sportsbook promo code and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Now, the model simulated the 2025 Viva Mexico 250 10,000 times. Head to SportsLine to see the complete projected NASCAR at Mexico City leaderboard.

Top 2025 Viva Mexico 250 predictions

For the 2025 Viva Mexico 250, the model is high on Michael McDowell, even though he’s a +2200 longshot in the latest 2025 NASCAR at Mexico odds. He’s a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. The 40-year-old is in his 18th season racing in the NASCAR Cup Series and he has two victories under his belt, including a win in the 2021 Daytona 500 and a road race triumph in the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

McDowell began his racing career as an open-wheel driver and his comfortability on road courses has helped him stay competitive in NASCAR. Of the 45 career top-10 finishes that McDowell has recorded, 11 have come in road races. Earlier this season in Austin, he led three laps on his way to a solid 11th-place finish and he’ll be looking to Mexico City to jumpstart his season after only recording one top 10 over the first 15 races of the season. BetMGM is offering the best odds here for McDowell and you can also build in first-bet insurance with the latest BetMGM promo code.

The model has also revealed one of its surprising NASCAR prop bets for Sunday: Daniel Suarez finishes top five for a +200 payout. It might be difficult to hear over the roar of his Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, but Suarez will be the prohibitive fan favorite as the only Mexican driver in the field. The 33-year-old has made the NASCAR playoffs in two of the last three seasons, thanks to wins at Sonoma in 2022 and Atlanta in 2024.

He is 28th in the NASCAR standings and likely in a position where he’ll need to win his way back into the postseason this year and Mexico City looks like a perfect opportunity. Suarez finished 36th in Austin after a crash, but he qualified fifth for that race so he has documented speed in a road setup this season. He’s also managed six career top-five finishes on road courses and that’s why the model sees this +200 offering from FanDuel (check out the latest FanDuel promo code too) as an incredible value. See which other drivers to avoid and the rest of the projected NASCAR leaderboard at SportsLine.

How to make 2025 NASCAR at Mexico picks

The model is also targeting three other drivers with Mexico NASCAR odds of 12-1 or longer to make a serious run at the checkered flag. Anyone who backs these drivers could hit it big. You can see all of the model’s NASCAR picks, props, and projected leaderboard over at SportsLine.

So who wins the 2025 Viva Mexico 250, and which longshots are must-backs? Check out the latest 2025 NASCAR at Mexico odds below, then visit SportsLine now to see the full NASCAR Mexico projected leaderboard, all from the model that has nailed 22 winners, and find out.

2025 NASCAR Mexico odds, drivers, lineup

See the full NASCAR at Mexico picks at SportsLine

Shane Van Gisbergen +330
Christopher Bell +700
William Byron +800
Tyler Reddick +800
Kyle Larson +800
Chase Elliott +1000
AJ Allmendinger +1200
Kyle Busch +1400
Daniel Suarez +1400
Chris Buescher +1600
Ross Chastain +1800
Michael McDowell +1800
Alex Bowman +2500
Carson Hocevar +2800
Chase Briscoe +3000
Ty Gibbs +3000
Austin Cindric +3500
Denny Hamlin +4000
Ryan Blaney +4000
Joey Logano +5500
Todd Gilliland +15000
Bubba Wallace +15000
Brad Keselowski +15000
Noah Gragson +20000
Ryan Preece +20000
Justin Haley +20000
Austin Dillon +20000
Zane Smith +25000
Cole Custer +25000
Josh Berry +30000
Riley Herbst +30000
Erik Jones +30000
Ricky Stenhouse +40000
John Hunter Nemechek +40000
Ty Dillon +100000
Katherine Legge +100000
Cody Ware +100000

MEXICO CITY — NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina.

At least one chartered flight to Mexico City was grounded Thursday with an engine issue, leaving teams scrambling to find alternative routes to get to Mexico. Some drove to Atlanta to catch a commercial flight.

But when the track opened Friday, many were not at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Trackhouse Racing was among them — Daniel Suarez arrived Tuesday with some support personnel so he was not affected — but the communications director for the Cup team had been summoned to help unload the Trackhouse cars off the truck because no crew members were available.

The trucks came directly from last Sunday’s race in Michigan and arrived at the Mexico City track on Thursday.

NASCAR said only “a select few” teams aren’t on site Friday morning. But, it seems most are Xfinity Series teams based on a revamping of the weekend schedule.

“Due to two aircraft issues that grounded multiple race teams in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, NASCAR has adjusted the on-track schedule for this weekend’s activities at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez,” NASCAR said in a statement.

NASCAR delayed Friday’s originally planned Cup Series practice to later in the afternoon. NASCAR also pushed all Xfinity Series practice sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of two NASCAR Mexico Series races will run earlier than originally scheduled on Friday.

The Xfinity Series will lose some practice time, with just one 50-minute session on Saturday morning, right before qualifying. There are other slight adjustments as well, but Cup teams will not lose any practice.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing