Motorsports
Dale Jr Wants This Iconic Track Kicked off the NASCAR Xfinity Series Schedule
What’s Happening? On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. proposed a schedule change for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He cited the series’ “embarrassing” racing at Martinsville Speedway as a reason to add North Wilkesboro Speedway to the schedule. “For the Birds” Since the track’s revival in the early 2020s, Dale […]
What’s Happening?
On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. proposed a schedule change for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He cited the series’ “embarrassing” racing at Martinsville Speedway as a reason to add North Wilkesboro Speedway to the schedule.
“For the Birds”
Since the track’s revival in the early 2020s, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been outspoken in his support of North Wilkesboro Speedway. Not only does his late model series, the CARS Tour, host two race weekends at the track a year, but he has also gone out of his way to vouch for the track getting an Xfinity Series date.
In his pursuit of this, Earnhardt, who, for the first time since 2018, has no one-off NASCAR races on his schedule, has gone as far as to claim that if the track got an Xfinity Series date, he would participate. The NASCAR Hall of Famer has also suggested schedule swaps, such as dropping the series race date at Circuit of the Americas to add a race at Wilkesboro.
Now, Earnhardt is suggesting that NASCAR cut at least one of the two dates held by the iconic Martinsville Speedway so that Wilkesboro can get its Xfinity Series date.
“I’d rather have an Xfinity race there [North Wilkesboro] than Martinsville. That s*** we’re doing at Martinsville is for the birds. I don’t love taking my cars over there and watching them get destroyed and watching our drivers destroy each other. So I’d love them to not go to Martinsville.” — Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The Pitch to Switch
Some NASCAR fans have shared a similar consensus about the Xfinity Series races at Martinsville. Most feel that this issue is not the track’s fault. Instead, the small confines of the facility, combined with the Xfinity Series drivers’ inexperience, often lead to an overload of aggression. In its short time on the schedule since 2000, all 11 races in the 21st century have called ten or more cautions.
When his take on the state of Xfinity Series racing at Martinsville received pushback from his co-hosts, Earnhardt stressed that he has “zero confidence” that the series can put on a good showing at the track.
“I have zero confidence that our Xfinity drivers could have a good entertaining race at Martinsville,” Earnhardt said. “Maybe there was one, and I’ve just forgotten it because of so much destruction has happened.”
However, he stresses that he loves Martinsville, pointing out that, in his opinion, the short stages at the track are hurting the product, leading Xfinity Series drivers to “drive like idiots.”
“I like Martinsville. The stage breaks are killing Martinsville because the runs are so short,” Earnhardt said. ”It makes people drive like idiots and there’s no comers and goers, there’s no tire fall off, there’s no struggle on the drive.”
Chaos in Virginia
For fans who watched the chaotic spring Xfinity Series race at the narrow 0.526-mile paperclip, this take is probably no surprise. Though the track had a long history with the Series in the 1980s and 1990s, from 1994 to 2019, Martinsville hosted one Xfinity Series race date: 2006.
However, after years of waiting, the track rejoined the schedule in 2020 and has hosted two annual Xfinity Series races since 2021.
These races have seen wild moments and late crashes, including this year’s spring race, in which one of Earnhardt’s drivers, Sammy Smith, attempted to wreck Taylor Gray for the win, wrecking both himself and JRM teammate Justin Allgaier in the process.
After this incident, on the Apr. 2 episode of the Dale Jr Download, Earnhardt reflected on this race, stating that Sammy Smith’s actions “gave JR Motorsports a black eye.”
Earnhardt’s pitch to switch the track out for a similar track like Wilkesboro, of course, raised questions, specifically from co-host T.J. Majors, who asked if the same issues would rear their head at the slightly larger 0.625-mile track in North Carolina. Majors pointed out the chaos on the final lap of this year’s Truck Series race as an example of the chaos that could ensue should the Xfinity cars head to Wilkes County.
But, in response, Earnhardt compared that finish, which saw Layne Riggs go after leader Corey Heim, to the Xfinity races at Martinsville, in which he claims, “we’ve got 12 f****ing cars on fire smoking, sitting on the front straightaway after every race, TJ.”
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Motorsports
Pudgy Penguins Announce Partnership with NASCAR
Popular NFT collection Pudgy Penguins have announced a partnership with NASCAR to “bring Pengu to NASCAR fans worldwide.” The announcement follows a raft of new partnerships and collaborations in recent weeks with both well-known brands and Web3 darlings, including the likes of PEZ, Random House and My Neighbor Alice. Details on the nature of the […]
Popular NFT collection Pudgy Penguins have announced a partnership with NASCAR to “bring Pengu to NASCAR fans worldwide.”
The announcement follows a raft of new partnerships and collaborations in recent weeks with both well-known brands and Web3 darlings, including the likes of PEZ, Random House and My Neighbor Alice.
Details on the nature of the Pudgy Penguins and NASCAR partnership have yet to be announced.
Key Insights
- Pudgy Penguins have partnered with NASCAR to “bring Pengu to NASCAR fans worldwide”
- This follows recent partnerships with the likes of PEZ, Random House, My Neighbor Alice and many more
- Further details on the Pudgy Penguins and NASCAR partnerships have yet to be revealed
- The announcement video shows the Pengu Clash logo on an advertising board at a racing circuit
- Pudgy Penguins are doubling-down on brand expansion in 2025, including investment into the Lil Pudgys brand
Source: Pudgy PenguinsWhat is Pudgy Penguins?
Pudgy Penguins is a collection of 8,888 NFT penguins on Ethereum, minted in July 2021.
Created by four college students – Cole Villemain (@ColeThereum), Clayton Patterson, MickyJ and Jonah – the collection had a much-hyped launch, with many seeing huge potential in the project – but post-mint, it began a decline.
Luca Netz acquired Pudgy Penguins in April 2022 with the goal to “spread positivity and joy to as many people as possible”, beginning to lay the foundations for Pudgy Penguins character to become a globally-recognised brand.
Since its 2022 acquisition, Pudgy Penguins has partnered with a large number of major brands. This includes Walmart, Target and Walgreens for their popular toy line, TouchMagix for an arcade machine, Random House for an upcoming children’s book, and much more.
As of writing, Pudgy Penguins sits at a floor price of 9.26 ETH – roughly $25,000 USD. Lil Pudgys, a 22,222-piece companion collection on Ethereum, currently sits at a floor price of 1.14 ETH – roughly $3,100 USD.
Source: Pudgy PenguinsWhat can we expect from this NASCAR partnership?
As of writing, details on the exact nature of the Pudgy Penguins and NASCAR partnership have yet to be revealed.
NASCAR is no stranger to high-profile partnerships. Its teams, drivers, races and broadcasts are awash with sponsorships, partnerships and collaborations with a huge number of brands, from world-leading names to more niche companies.
In the animated video announcing the partnership, a Pengu Clash logo can be seen on an advertising board at a racing circuit – which could indicate that sponsorship opportunities and visual promotion may be a part of the deal.
Further details are expected to be revealed in due course.
Motorsports
Samsara Brings Tech Innovation to the Race Track with NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series Sponsorship in Mexico
Samsara sponsors the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series, held for the first time in Mexico, with its technology supporting the Richard Childress Racing team and driver Jesse Love. NASCAR teams travel up to 120,000 kilometers a year transporting cars, engines, tools, and key parts. MEXICO CITY, June 12, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsara Inc. (“Samsara”) (NYSE: IOT), the […]
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Samsara sponsors the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series, held for the first time in Mexico, with its technology supporting the Richard Childress Racing team and driver Jesse Love.
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NASCAR teams travel up to 120,000 kilometers a year transporting cars, engines, tools, and key parts.
MEXICO CITY, June 12, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsara Inc. (“Samsara”) (NYSE: IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations® Platform, today announced its sponsorship of the first-ever NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series race in Mexico, taking place from June 13–15. The company, which contributes to the digital transformation of physical operations worldwide, is bringing this technological innovation to the race track, especially considering that NASCAR teams travel up to 120,000 kilometers a year transporting cars, engines, tools, and key parts.
“In a high-stakes race like NASCAR, everything needs to arrive in optimal condition. There’s a strong alignment between the goals of all participants in this race and the companies that use Samsara’s solutions. For our customers, every trip must leverage the power of artificial intelligence and data to achieve safer, more efficient, and more sustainable operations. Just as with the organizations we serve, real-time monitoring, smart cameras, predictive maintenance, and advanced data analytics allow a team like Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to focus on race strategy while technology handles every kilometer of their vehicles’ transport,” said Brendali Lopez, Marketing Director for Samsara in Mexico.
In addition to being an official sponsor of the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series in Mexico, Samsara has sponsored the RCR team and its driver Jesse Love in the United States since 2023, redefining the role of logistics in professional motorsports. This time, the driver will compete again to achieve a high score that will allow him to move to the forefront of the championship on Saturday, June 14, at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Samsara’s alliance with NASCAR represents a real-time demonstration of the power of operational intelligence to optimize high-performance fleets, reduce risks, and generate efficiencies that also positively impact the environment through more efficient routes and lower fuel consumption.
With this sponsorship, Samsara demonstrates that innovation does not limit to the speed on the race track, but also in every technological advancement that drives the teams.
“Our presence at NASCAR in Mexico isn’t just a bet on motorsports; it’s a declaration of what it means to have total visibility, predictive safety, and intelligent operations in motion,” Brendali Lopez concluded.
Motorsports
NASCAR’s Mexico City race: Daniel Suarez balances racing at home with uncertainty over contract
“Once we get into the race, we don’t want to deal with any of this stuff, and I just want to focus and have fun driving race cars,” he said. “There is going to be more on my plate just by nature, just being the local guy, the very first race ever in Mexico City […]
“Once we get into the race, we don’t want to deal with any of this stuff, and I just want to focus and have fun driving race cars,” he said. “There is going to be more on my plate just by nature, just being the local guy, the very first race ever in Mexico City in the Cup Series. I have to accept that. With that being said, I have to protect my space for the competition stuff because if we don’t do the competition stuff right, everything else doesn’t really matter. So we have to put a balance on everything.”
Motorsports
Dorman Products Joins Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports for Pocono
Dorman Products, Inc. will continue its long-standing relationship with NASCAR Cup Series operation Spire Motorsports, serving as a primary sponsor for the June 22 event at Pocono Raceway. The company, which provides professionals, enthusiasts, and owners with more freedom to fix motor vehicles, will serve as the primary sponsor of No. 7 Chevrolet in the […]
Dorman Products, Inc. will continue its long-standing relationship with NASCAR Cup Series operation Spire Motorsports, serving as a primary sponsor for the June 22 event at Pocono Raceway.
The company, which provides professionals, enthusiasts, and owners with more freedom to fix motor vehicles, will serve as the primary sponsor of No. 7 Chevrolet in the event, driven by 26-year-old Justin Haley.
“Our sponsorship with Spire Motorsports is something we put a lot of value in — not just for the exposure, but for what it represents,” said Steve Gisondi, Vice President of Marketing. “It’s a connection to a passionate community that shares our love for cars, performance, and problem-solving. Partnering with Spire Motorsports allows us to celebrate that shared spirit and be part of incredible events like the Pocono race.”
Haley returned to Spire Motorsports for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series campaign after spending the first portion of his career at NASCAR’s top level with the organization.
The Winamac, Indiana-native is the only race-winner for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series, capturing a victory in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway — in what was his second Cup Series start.
Through the opening 15 events of the 2025 campaign, Haley sits 29th-place in NASCAR Cup Series points on the strength of a single top-10 result, a tenth at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Haley has made four career starts at NASCAR’s top level of Pocono, with a best finish of 21st coming in 2022 with Kaulig Racing. The driver has been paired with Spire Motorsports once at the 2.5-mile racetrack, finishing 27th in 2021.
“This is our fifth year partnering with Spire Motorsports and the No. 7 car at Pocono,” said Justin Hall, Director of Marketing Communications for Dorman Products. “This race delivers top-tier brand exposure, and we’re excited to be a part of this year’s event with Spire.
Despite this partnership being five years old, Pocono will mark the first time that Dorman Products has served as the primary sponsor for a NASCAR Cup Series event with Spire Motorsports.
The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA.COM is set to take place on Sunday, June 22 at 2:00 PM ET on Prime Video, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and the Motor Racing Network (MRN).
Motorsports
Acura & Katherine Legge Return to Pikes Peak with Hopes of a Record-Setting Run; HRC Prototype Integra to Pace the 103rd Hill Climb Running
Following her rookie debut in 2024, Katherine Legge returns with goal of setting a new front-wheel-drive record U.S. Olympic speed skater Rusty Smith will pilot the official pace vehicle – an Integra Type S HRC Prototype Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) developed performance parts featured on both vehicles, leveraging the technical […]
- Following her rookie debut in 2024, Katherine Legge returns with goal of setting a new front-wheel-drive record
- U.S. Olympic speed skater Rusty Smith will pilot the official pace vehicle – an Integra Type S HRC Prototype
- Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) developed performance parts featured on both vehicles, leveraging the technical knowledge and expertise of HRC race engineers worldwide
Acura and Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) today announced a return to “America’s Mountain” for the 103rd running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, on June 22. Acura and HRC US will enter the highly competitive Time Attack 1 (TA1) division with the Integra Type S DE5 race car. Driving the #93 Integra is INDYCAR and IMSA veteran Katherine Legge who also returns to the ”Race to the Clouds” following a top-five finish in the TA1 category in 2024. Her rookie outing resulted in a time of 10:51.359, just a few seconds shy of the current front-wheel-drive record of 10:48.094 – set by Acura engineer and Pikes Peak veteran Nick Robinson with a 500-horsepower TLX in 2018.
“It was an honor to compete in Pikes Peak for the first time in 2024, as I had always dreamt of being among the famous drivers who have tackled the mountain,” said Katherine Legge, driver of the #93 Acura Integra Type S DE5. “At Pikes Peak, you’re always competing against yourself, the mountain and the other drivers. It’s my goal to leave my own legacy, setting the front-wheel drive record in the Integra Type S DE5.”
Additionally, Acura will supply the official pace car for the 103rd running of America’s longest running hill climb. The custom-wrapped Indy Yellow Acura Integra Type S HRC Prototype will pace the field on the challenging 156-turn, 12.42-mile mountain course, demonstrating a new line of HRC Performance Parts being developed by championship-winning HRC race engineers. Behind the wheel will be U.S. Olympic bronze-medalist speed skater, Rusty Smith.
Rusty Smith has made Team USA three times, competing in short track at the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998, Salt Lake City 2002, and Turin 2006. On the podium, Smith captured a 500-meter bronze medal in 2002 and a relay bronze medal alongside his teammates in 2006. Smith also shares a passion for high-performance Honda and Acura vehicles; he owns several enthusiast models from each brand, including a rare first-generation Acura NSX-T finished in Spa Yellow with a Vivid Yellow interior.
Smith’s stint in the Integra Type S HRC Prototype follows Honda’s announcement as a Founding Partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Honda will also serve as the Official Automotive Partner of Team USA, supporting the United States Olympic and Paralympic Teams during the LA28 Games and upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. LA28 plans for Honda and Acura vehicles to act as the official pace vehicles for all LA28 endurance events.
Motorsports, including the premium performance brand’s Pikes Peak efforts, is a critical component of Acura Precision Crafted Performance. This is the 15th consecutive year Acura is competing at Pikes Peak, with the Acura team amassing an impressive 12 first place in-division finishes, over 30 podiums and multiple course records.
Known as the Race to the Clouds, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado is one of America’s longest running motorsports competitions. Since 1916, drivers from all over the world race against the clock, in a wide variety of vehicles and from multiple motorsports disciplines, as they take on the grueling mountain course, starting at 9,390 feet and climbing to the 14,115-foot summit.
HRC Performance Parts
Based on strong interest generated by the Acura Integra Type S HRC Prototype, which was revealed at Monterey Car Week in August 2024, HRC announced that it will create a new business to produce authentic performance parts for customer use for street, track and off-road applications at the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Southern California-based HRC US has been winning races and championships on and off-road for three decades and is applying this extensive know-how to a new line of authentic performance parts focused on enhancing all elements of the driving experience—
engine, suspension and braking performance—along with significant weight savings. As a successful racing brand for decades, HRC US is uniquely positioned to offer parts to retail customers in North America to enhance the performance of their own Honda and Acura vehicles.
Acura Integra Type S DE5
Eligible for competition in multiple racing series and sold directly to racers, HRC’s Integra Type S DE5 is designed, developed, and assembled inside Honda’s state-of-the-art North American facilities employing groundbreaking technologies in weld, body construction, painting, final assembly and quality confirmation to ensure the highest levels of precision and craftsmanship.
HRC developed the DE5 from the production Acura Integra Type S premium sports compact, and it is the latest in a line of highly successful, championship-winning, HRC-developed touring cars, including versions of the 10th generation Honda Civic Si and Type R and the 11th generation Civic Si FE1.
The competition version of the Integra Type S, which participates in the top class of SRO TC America racing where it won six races in its debut season, is powered by a modified version of the factory 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder K20C8 engine. The racing version of the engine, co-developed by HRC US and HRC Japan, produces in excess of 360hp. That power is then directed to the wheels via a 6-speed sequential, paddle-shift transmission to HRC US developed suspension and brakes.
The purpose-built body shell removes all unneeded street vehicle components – such as soundproofing, underbody coating and seam sealers – and is fitted with a safety roll cage, aerodynamic components and cooling upgrades.
About Acura
Acura is a leading premium auto brand committed to delivering expressive styling, innovative engineering and engaging dynamics, all built on the brand’s Precision Crafted Performance DNA. The Acura lineup consists of two sport sedans, the Integra and TLX, and four sport-utility vehicles, the first-ever ADX, RDX, MDX and all-electric ZDX. High-performance Type S variants further demonstrate the virtues of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.
More information about Acura is available here: https://acuranews.com/en-US.
About Acura Motorsports
Acura motorsports programs in North America have been integral to the brand since its launch in 1986. The rich legacy of Acura sports car racing includes multiple GT and prototype wins and championships across Camel Lights, the American Le Mans series, SRO, and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition. In current IMSA competition, Acura swept the 2019, 2020 and 2022 IMSA manufacturer, driver and teams championships.
In 2023, Acura made its successful racing debut with the electrified ARX-06 prototype sports car in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and claimed Acura’s third consecutive Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona victory at the Daytona International Speedway. In 2025, the electrified Acura ARX-06 returns with Acura Meyer Shank Racing running the #60 and #93 cars. Honda Racing USA will be strategizing and race engineering the #93 for the first time in the company’s history, while Acura MSR will continue to do the same for the #60 as Acura seeks its first championship title in the electrified era of sports car racing.
About Honda Racing Corporation USA
Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US), has a rich heritage creating, manufacturing, and supporting Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports customers since its founding in 1993 as Honda Performance Development (HPD). In January 2024, HPD became HRC US, combining with HRC Japan to strengthen the company’s overall motorsports capabilities. From pinnacle racing in INDYCAR and IMSA sports cars to commercial racing programs, HRC US leads all Honda and Acura high-performance racing programs in North America and will be involved in Formula One power unit development and race support related to the next phase of Honda starting in 2026.
HRC US specializes in the design and development of powertrain, chassis, electronics, and performance parts, as well as technical and race support. The company also offers parts and race support to Honda and Acura amateur and professional motorsports racers; and is continually expanding its palette of racing programs that make Honda racing products available to all racing styles, from karting and quarter midgets to the highest levels of professional racing.
https://hondaracing-us.honda.com
About LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
The LA28 Games will mark Los Angeles’ third time hosting the Olympic Games, previously hosting in 1984 and 1932, and first time to host the Paralympic Games. Los Angeles will host the world’s most elite athletes in 2028 as it welcomes Paralympians and Olympians from around the world to compete on the biggest stage in sports. The LA28 Games are independently operated by a privately funded, nonprofit organization, with revenue from corporate partners, licensing agreements, hospitality and ticketing programs, and a significant contribution from the International Olympic Committee.
About Team USA
Team USA is the world’s largest and most diverse team of athletes from across the United States who compete at the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, founded in 1894, serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and is responsible for protecting, supporting and empowering Team USA athletes. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.
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Motorsports
NASCAR National Series News & Notes – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – Speedway Digest
NASCAR Cup Series Next Race: Viva Mexico 250 The Place: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Track Length: 2.42 Mile Asphalt Paved Road Course The Date: Sunday, June 15 The Time: 3 p.m. ET The Purse: $12,561,250 TV: Amazon Prime, 2 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90) Distance: 242 miles (100 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on […]
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Viva Mexico 250
The Place: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Track Length: 2.42 Mile Asphalt Paved Road Course
The Date: Sunday, June 15
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
The Purse: $12,561,250
TV: Amazon Prime, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 242 miles (100 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 45), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 100)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: The Chilango 150
The Place: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Track Length: 2.42 Mile Asphalt Paved Road Course
The Date: Saturday, June 14
The Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $2,151,939
TV: CW, 4 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 157.3 miles (65 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 65)
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: MillerTech Battery 200
The Place: Pocono Raceway
Track Length: 2.5 Mile Asphalt Paved Tri-oval
The Date: Friday, June 20
The Time: 5 p.m. ET
The Purse: $782,900
TV: FS1, 5 p.m. ET
Radio: NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 200 miles (80 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 80)
Where To Watch NASCAR This Weekend:
Friday, June 13
NCS Practice 1 (Amazon Prime at 1 p.m. ET)
NXS Practice 1 (CW App at 2 p.m. ET)
NCS Practice 2 (Amazon Prime at 3 p.m. ET)
NXS Practice 2 (CW App at 3:30 p.m. ET)
Saturday, June 14
NXS Kennametal Pole Qualifying (CW App at 10:30 a.m. ET)
NCS Busch Light Pole Qualifying (Amazon Prime, MRN, SiriusXM at Noon ET)
NXS Race: The Chilango 150(CW Network, MRN, SiriusXM at 4:30 p.m. ET)
Sunday, June 15
NCS Race: Viva Mexico 250 (Amazon Prime, MRN, SiriusXM at 3 p.m. ET)
NASCAR Cup Series
Mexico City Storylines and Insights:
· This is the first NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race held in Mexico and the third held outside of the continental U.S., the other two were held in Canada.
· Mexico City is the first NASCAR Cup Series point-paying race held outside of the continental United States since July 1958, when the Cup Series raced in Toronto, Lee Petty won the race, and Richard Petty made his Cup debut.
· Mexico City is the 16th different road course to host a NASCAR Cup Series race.
· Including Mexico City, six of the last 10 new tracks to host a Cup race were road courses.
· Mexico City is only the 13th new track added to the Cup schedule this millennium.
· The NASCAR Xfinity Series competed in Mexico City between 2005 and 2008.
· Chase Elliott (three), Ryan Blaney (two) and Joey Logano (two) combined have won seven of the last 11 Cup Series point-paying races hosted at new tracks.
· It takes 36 hours to drive the 2,167 miles from Michigan International Speedway to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and 31 hours to drive the 1,975 miles from Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez to Charlotte Motor Speedway (all 15 teams are based within 53 miles of Charlotte Motor Speedway).
· Four of the 11 races remaining in the regular season are on road courses.
· Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams in poles, wins, top fives, top 10s, laps led and average finish on road courses in the Next Gen era.
· Hendrick Motorsports won at eight different road courses, more than any other team in Cup history.
· Hendrick Motorsports won five of the last eight road course races with three different drivers winning: Byron (twice), Larson (twice) and Bowman (once).
· The last six road course poles were won by six different drivers, the last five were won by five different teams.
· The driver leading the most laps failed to win four of the last five road course races after winning the prior four.
· The driver earning the most points won 13 of the 18 road course races in the Next Gen era.
· Five of the last 10 road course races were won by drivers getting their first road course win.
· A stage winner is winless in the last seven road course races.
· Chris Buescher has the best average finish on road courses in the Next Gen car (8.7) but ranks 21st in stage points earned, fourth in overall points scored.
· Hendrick Motorsports has led 1,824 laps this year, the third most through a season’s first 15 races in team history, the most for the organization since 1996, and the most for any Cup team since 2016 (Joe Gibbs Racing – 1,892).
· William Byron will make his 268th Cup start with Hendrick Motorsports this weekend, passing Ken Schrader for seventh most all-time with the team.
· In the Next Gen, winless drivers above the cutline after Race 15 have made the Playoffs without a win only 50% of the time.
· Six of the 14 road course regular season races in the Next Gen were won by a driver ranked 16th or worse in the Playoff standings.
· Five of the 13 drafting track regular season races in the Next Gen were won by a driver ranked 19th or worse in the Playoff standings (not including the Daytona 500).
· Chase Elliott leads all active Cup Series drivers in road course wins with seven. If he were to win this weekend, he would tie Tony Stewart for second-most on the all-time Cup Series road course wins list with eight each.
· Only three drivers entered in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Mexico competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Mexico from 2005-2008 – Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski. Busch (2008) and Hamlin (2006) each won at Mexico in the NXS.
Understanding the In-Season Challenge:
· The top 32 in driver points following the Nashville race are eligible (Shane van Gisbergen, Cole Custer, Riley Herbst and Cody Ware failed to qualify among full-time drivers).
· Three races (Michigan, Mexico City, Pocono) establish the seeding for the challenge based on the best driver finishing positions over those races. Tiebreakers are decided by the second-best finish and then the third-best finish among those races. If needed, the final tiebreaker is points standings after Pocono.
· The first of five races for the In-Season Challenge is Atlanta, with drivers competing in a bracket-style tournament until the final two drivers face off in the finale at Indianapolis with the best-finishing driver winning $1 million.
· Select this link for the In-Season Challenge Infographic & Bracket
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Mexico City Storylines and Insights:
· This weekend will mark the fifth running of a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez all-time, and the first since the series last competed there in 2008. NASCAR didn’t race at Mexico City between 2009-2024.
· 6,264 days between races is the second-longest gap all-time, the longest was 7,728 at Rockingham which ended earlier this season.
· Mexico City is the second of seven road course races this season.
· NASCAR added an International Provisional at Mexico City, so all 39 cars can race, but the 39th qualifier will not be eligible for prize money, points or Playoff benefits.
· Mexico City is at an elevation of 7,315 ft, more than 5,300 feet higher than any other NASCAR track.
· Five drivers celebrated birthdays between Nashville and Mexico City: Josh Bilicki (June 3), Sammy Smith (June 4), Justin Allgaier (June 6), Nick Sanchez (June 10) and Thomas Annunziata (June 14 – race day).
· There are 12 races left in the regular season and six Playoffs spots remain open.
· The first four drivers below the cutoff are all rookies.
· Justin Allgaier won at Nashville, his third win of the season.
· Nashville was the 28th career win for Justin Allgaier, he is ninth on the all-time wins list and one away from tying Matt Kenseth.
· This is the fifth time Justin Allgaier won 3+ races in a season, all in the last eight years.
· Justin Allgaier is eight top 10s away from 300 in his career, he would be the first driver with 300 top-10 finishes.
· Justin Allgaier leads all drivers with 10 top-five finishes and 638 laps led in 2025.
· Justin Allgaier’s 10 top-five finishes in 2025 are his most ever after 14 races in a season.
· Justin Allgaier has won Fastest Lap Award five times this season, no other driver has more than two.
· JR Motorsports placed all five cars in the top-10 at Nashville.
· JR Motorsports is six wins away from 100, only three other teams won at least 100 NXS races (Joe Gibbs Racing-217, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing-138, Richard Childress Racing-100).
· Daniel Suarez (#9 JRM), Ty Gibbs (#19 JGR) and Christopher Bell (#24 SHR) will be in the field this weekend.
· Daniel Suarez is from Monterrey, Mexico and won three times at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in NASCAR Mexico Series.
· Daniel Suarez won the 2016 Xfinity Series championship, making him the first international driver to win a NASCAR national touring series championship.
· Ty Gibbs won the 2022 Xfinity Series championship and four of his 12 career NXS wins have come on road courses, his most on any track type.
· Truck Series rookie and 2024 ARCA champion Andres Perez will be making Xfinity Series debut in DGM #91.
· Daniel Suarez, Ruben Rovelo & Andres Perez are the only drivers in the field with experience at Mexico City.
· Four different drivers won the four races at Mexico City from 2005-2008: Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Juan Pablo Montoya and Kyle Busch.
· Denny Hamlin and Juan Pablo Montoya earned their first career Xfinity Series win at Mexico City.
· Drivers who led the most laps won three of four Mexico City races.
· Sam Mayer and Ty Gibbs lead active drivers with four career road course wins.
· Nine of the last 11 road course races were won by just three drivers: Sam Mayer, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch.
· JR Motorsports and Kaulig Racing won the last six road course races, with JRM winning the last three.
· Ten of the last 18 road course races were won from pole.
· Sam Mayer is the only driver to finish top-15 in 12 of 14 races this season.
· Five races this year ended with a last lap pass. Three of the last four races this season had a pass for the win in the final two laps.
· Seven of the 14 races this season went to overtime.
· Three crew chiefs got their first NXS win in 2025: Adam Wall at Bristol, Sam McAulay at Darlington and Chad Haney at Atlanta.
· Chevrolet led 2,061 of 2,636 laps this season.
· Chevrolet has won 12 of the first 14 races, the most all time by a manufacturer through 14 races in series history.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Looking Ahead – Pocono Storylines and Insights:
· Next weekend will mark the 16th running of a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway.
· Stages for Pocono: Lap 20, Lap 40 Lap 80.
· Matt Crafton is the only driver to compete in all 15 of the previous CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races held at Pocono Raceway.
· Truck Series qualifying has been cancelled at Pocono Raceway five times, the other 10 qualifying events have produced 10 different pole winners, no repeats.
· Only one of the 10 previous Truck Series Pocono pole winners is fulltime this season – Ben Rhodes (2017).
· The Truck Series has produced six different winners in the last six Pocono races.
· Kyle Busch leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in wins at Pocono Raceway with three.
· A total of 13 different drivers have won in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Pocono Raceway, and two are fulltime Truck Series regulars this season – Corey Heim (2024) and Chandler Smith (2022).
· Toyota has won eight of the last 10 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Pocono (2015-2024), the two exceptions were won by Chevrolet (2019, 2023).
· Corey Heim led 55 laps of the 70-lap Pocono race last season, the most of any Truck Series winner at Pocono.
· Nine of the 15 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Pocono were won from a front row starting position.
· Two of the last five Pocono Truck Series races were won with a last lap pass (2020, 2023).
· Of the 15 Truck Series races at Pocono Raceway only two have been won by active organizations in the series – Niece Motorsports (1) and TRICON Garage (1). Kyle Busch Motorsports leads the series with eight Pocono wins.
· Five organizations have won in 2025, four have won multiple races: Spire (4), TRICON (4), Front Row (2), McAnally-Hilgemann (2) and Halmar-Friesen (1).
· The driver who has led the most laps has won seven of the 13 CRAFTSMAN Truck races in 2025.
· The last five races of 2025 were won by different drivers.
· Stewart Friesen’s win last weekend was the second winless streak of 70+ races to end this year (Tyler Ankrum: 130 – Rockingham)
· Ty Majeski holds the 10th and final Playoff transfer spot on points, up +4 points on Jake Garcia in 11th.
NASCAR & Mexico City, Etc.
Historical & Significant Events at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez:
· The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a racetrack located within the large Ciudad Deportiva Magdalena Mixiuhca sports complex in the southeastern part of Mexico City, near the city center and just a couple of kilometers from the airport.
· The track was designed in 1955 by engineer Oscar Fernández Gómez Daza as his thesis project, due to the lack of a racetrack in Mexico City at the time.
· Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was built in 1959 and is owned by the Government of Mexico City.
· Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is the fastest circuit in Formula 1, as Felipe Massa reached 364 km/h during the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix.
· 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 track sits at an elevation of 2,285 meters (7,500 feet), which causes a significant loss of engine power and makes breathing difficult for drivers.
· The Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix was held at this track from 1962 to 1970.
· For safety reasons—following an accident in which a spectator died—the race was discontinued in this category until 1986. 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. To accommodate the heavy stock cars, a temporary chicane was constructed on the main straight and a new ‘stadium’ curve 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 2005-2008.
· In 2015 in order 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, the construction of new stands and a complete repave of the track, all this 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 Pricipale straight runs from turn 15 to turn one and is 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) long.
· This weekend marks the first time the NASCAR Cup Series has raced in a point-paying international event in the modern era (1972-2025), and also the first time the series has competed at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
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