NASCAR on Prime will once again make history, presenting the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race from Mexico City at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. This milestone comes just weeks after Prime Video’s historic debut of its first-ever Cup Series Race.  

Ahead of the event, host Danielle Trotta, alongside NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Carl Edwards and current Cup Series Driver Corey LaJoie, present NASCAR Live from Mexico City, beginning at 2:00 PM ET. Joined by NASCAR on Prime analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte for select segments, the all-star announce crew gets fans excited with the following:   

• Celebrity chef and Prime Sports contributor David Chang joins NASCAR on Prime for a tour of Mexico City’s famed food scene with LaJoie and Mexican Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez, who is in the #99 car on Sunday
• Letarte provides his weekly crew chief advice at the local pub with his puppet pals
• The crew celebrates Father’s Day, and recognizes some of the dads competing on Sunday
• We recount the legacy of Mexican racing legends Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez, whose groundbreaking achievements paved the way for Mexico’s motorsport passion, now honored as NASCAR arrives at the circuit bearing their name
• Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson and Shane Van Gisbergenjoin the desk to preview the race

NASCAR’s first-ever Cup Series race in Mexico City is the fourth of five races that Prime Video will exclusively stream to conclude the first half of the season. Adam Alexander serves as race announcer alongside analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte in the booth, with Trevor Bayne, Kim Coon, and Marty Snider patrolling pit road. Danielle Trotta hosts Prime Video’s on-site studio coverage, joined by analysts Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie.

Fans in the U.S. will be able to watch NASCAR live at home or on the go, and across hundreds of compatible devices, streaming from the web, or using the Prime Video app on smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, game consoles, and connected TVs. For a complete list of compatible devices, visit amazon.com/howtostream. If you’re not a Prime member yet, join today or start a free 30-day trial.

NASCAR on Prime Remaining Cup Series Schedule (All times ET).

• Sunday, June 15: NASCAR Cup Series Racing from Mexico City at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez — 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, June 22: NASCAR Cup Series Race at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania — 1:00 p.m.

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NASCAR is going racing internationally for only the third time in NASCAR Cup Series history at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City for the second road course on the schedule.

Through the Gears host Wyatt Watson gets you ready for race weekend with the best bets for Mexico City following a profit of 7.5 units from the Cup race at Michigan International Speedway thanks to the help of some successful prop picks.

Can the odds-on favorite Shane van Gisbergen (+375 odds) use his road course ability to get himself into the playoffs, or could a different road course ringer or the usual suspects take care of business?

Bringing the Heat: Jeff Hammond On What He’s Been Up To Lately

Also, Watson takes a quick look at Sunday night’s NTT IndyCar Series oval race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway and shares his pick to win the race at the 1.25-mile oval.

Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Wyatt Watson on Twitter @WyattWRacing for any updates throughout the weekend.

Wyatt Watson has followed motorsports closely since 2007. He joined Frontstretch as a journalist in February 2023 after serving in the United States Navy for five years as an Electronic Technician Navigation working on submarines. Wyatt is one of Frontstretch‘s primary IndyCar correspondents, providing exclusive video content on site. He hosts Frontstretch‘s Through the Gears podcast and occasionally The Pit Straight.You can find Wyatt’s written work in columns such as Friday Faceoff and 2-Headed Monsteras well as exclusive IndyCar features. Wyatt also contributes to Frontstretch’s social media team, posting unique and engaging content for Frontstretch.

Wyatt Watson can be found on X @WyattWRacing

MEXICO CITY — Shane Van Gisbergen was buckled into his seat ready to head to Mexico City for NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era when a loud “BOOM!” suddenly forced the pilot to abort takeoff.

There was an engine issue with the chartered flight in North Carolina and Van Gisbergen and most of Trackhouse Racing suddenly found themselves stranded. In fact, two NASCAR charters had issues Thursday that delayed the arrivals of crew members and drivers for at least five teams.

They all arrived safely Friday morning — some teams drove to Atlanta to catch commercial flights — while others awaited a new morning charter.

“Yeah, it wasn’t real fun. Yesterday was a long day,” Van Gisbergen said once in Mexico City. “Pretty scary when the plane launched itself on take-off. They stopped and were trying to just get another plane. And then it was first thing this morning, so early start this morning. I think we got up at 3:30 a.m. at home and got on an early flight down here.”

It was a bumpy start to the first points-paying Cup Series race outside the United States as the entire Friday schedule had to be revamped to accommodate the stranded teams. And, with team personnel missing for some organizations, reinforcements were called in to help: the communications director for Trackhouse had to help unload the team cars off the haulers.

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

“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 Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez,” 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 were moved to early Friday instead of their late Friday schedule.

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.

Van Gisbergen was rolling with the delay.

“You can’t predict that kind of stuff happening. There’s so many moving parts,” he said. “Everyone’s down here now. I think it’s all the important people, I guess, needed for (Friday), so I think they’ve done a good job salvaging it.

“I guess it’s a big deal when you think about it, but I’m not really too fussed about it,” he continued. “I’m already focused on (racing). Obviously not ideal, but it happened and we fixed it.”

Truex gets a shot

It’s been 11 years since Ryan Truex raced in the Cup Series but he gets another start Sunday as the replacement for Denny Hamlin in Mexico City.

Truex is a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and has been in a holding pattern the last three weeks as Hamlin awaited the birth of his son. Hamlin didn’t have to get out of the car at Nashville or Michigan, but the baby finally arrived Wednesday and Hamlin opted to skip this weekend to care for his family of five.

Truex got the call the same evening to wheel the high-profile No. 11 Toyota. The younger brother of former Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. has 26 career Cup starts, but none since 2014.

Martin Truex won an Xfinity Series race in 2005 in Mexico City, something he reminded his younger brother of when he told him he got the call.

“I texted him this week when I found out, and he said, ‘You know, the Truexes are 1-for-1 in Mexico,’ so no pressure,” Ryan Truex said Friday. “I’m glad he could throw that at me.”

Hamlin, a three-time winner this year, requested and was granted a waiver by NASCAR officials to retain his eligibility for the Cup Series Playoffs.

Truex does have recent seat time as the 33-year-old was a fill-in option in practice for Tyler Reddick of fellow Toyota team 23XI Racing during Coca-Cola 600 practice. Still, the waiting game to see if he was needed and getting ready for an international trip has been a whirlwind.

“It’s been a crazy few weeks — especially since Charlotte, I’ve been on standby,” he said. “I’m glad it is at a track where I can practice and have time and know what to do to. It has been kind of chaotic getting here and putting all of that together, but I’m just grateful for the experience and grateful to be here.”

By Jenna Fryer

The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY — Shane Van Gisbergen was buckled into his seat ready to head to Mexico City for NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era when a loud “BOOM!” suddenly forced the pilot to abort takeoff.

There was an engine issue with the chartered flight in North Carolina and Van Gisbergen and most of Trackhouse Racing suddenly found themselves stranded. In fact, two NASCAR charters had issues Thursday that delayed the arrivals of crew members and drivers for at least five teams.

They all arrived safely Friday morning — some teams drove to Atlanta to catch commercial flights — while others awaited a new morning charter.

“Yeah, it wasn’t real fun. Yesterday was a long day,” Van Gisbergen said once in Mexico City. “Pretty scary when the plane launched itself on take-off. They stopped and were trying to just get another plane. And then it was first thing this morning, so early start this morning. I think we got up at 3:30 a.m. at home and got on an early flight down here.”

It was a bumpy start to the first points-paying Cup Series race outside the United States as the entire Friday schedule had to be revamped to accommodate the stranded teams. And, with team personnel missing for some organizations, reinforcements were called in to help: the communications director for Trackhouse had to help unload the team cars off the haulers.

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

“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 were moved to early Friday instead of their late Friday schedule.

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.

Van Gisbergen was rolling with the delay.

“You can’t predict that kind of stuff happening. There’s so many moving parts,” he said. “Everyone’s down here now. I think it’s all the important people, I guess, needed for (Friday) , so I think they’ve done a good job salvaging it.

“I guess it’s a big deal when you think about it, but I’m not really too fussed about it,” he continued. “I’m already focused on (racing). Obviously not ideal, but it happened and we fixed it.”

Elevation training

NASCAR drivers will face one of the biggest challenges of their career racing at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, which sits at an elevation of nearly 7,500 feet. The next highest track on the Cup circuit in terms of elevation is Las Vegas Motor Speedway at about 2,000 feet above sea level.

To prepare its drivers for the altitude, Toyota launched a comprehensive training program months ago that had its drivers wearing a mask that simulates less oxygen while training and even sleeping in a hypoxic tent.

Reddick was among those who slept in a tent to adjust to the higher altitude and mitigate potential symptoms of altitude sickness.

“One side effect of it is my wife hasn’t been super happy about me sleeping in a hypoxic environment especially at the later stages of her pregnancy,” said Reddick, whose wife delivered the couple’s second child May 25.

The tent idea was devised after JGR driver Christopher Bell asked Toyota what would be done to help maintain maximum performance in the high altitude.

“We started that early in the season just talking and getting a plan together, making sure we’re prepared for it,” Bell said. “I’m proud of everyone at Toyota, the Toyota Performance Center. Caitlin Quinn has really headed up the department of physical fitness and made sure we’re ready for this challenge. Hopefully, the Toyota drivers are the ones that are succeeding.”

The program was devised by Caitlin Quinn, director of performance for the Toyota Performance Center in Mooresville, North Carolina. She was a strength coach at Florida State University before joining Toyota Performance Center.

Quinn helped drivers learn to perform in a lower oxygen environment when they’re resting, as well as exercise in an environment with less oxygen. Toyota enclosed a space in its center with a bicycle inside it for drivers to ride in a lower oxygen setting.

Quinn said Toyota starting implementing those programs about eight weeks ago for drivers.

“It is different sleeping in a hypoxic environment,” Reddick said. “I’ve noted the changes so far, and I’m excited to see what it’s going to be like.”

Originally Published: June 13, 2025 at 6:25 PM EDT

Michael McDowell was fastest in opening NASCAR Cup Series practice Friday in Mexico City as the series prepares for its inaugural event at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit.

McDowell topped the board at 92.657mph (90.024s). The Spire Motorsports driver ran 19 laps in the 50-minute session.

Since Mexico City is a new circuit for the Cup Series, there will be a second practice later in the afternoon.

Chase Briscoe was second fastest at 92.547mph, Ty Gibbs was third at 92.542mph, Austin Cindric was fourth at 92.528mph and Kyle Larson completed the top five at 92.427mph.

Chris Buescher was sixth (92.427mph), Joey Logano seventh (92.401mph), Ross Chastain eighth (92.349mph), Shane van Gisbergen ninth (92.330mph) and Todd Gilliland 10th (92.276 mph).

Local hero Daniel Suarez was 12th.

Multiple drivers missed corners, locked up the brakes or had solo spins, but two had more significant incidents. Carson Hocevar got loose and slid off the track in Turn 11, damaging his Chevrolet. Noah Gragson damaged his Ford when he hit the wall going into Turn 4.

There are 37 teams entered in the Mexico City event. Katherine Legge, in the Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet, is the sole Open entry.

NEXT: Cup Series final practice at 5:30 p.m. ET.