NASCAR returns to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this weekend for the first Cup Series points race outside the United States in nearly 67 years.

The Mexico City road course played host to the Xfinity Series from 2005-08, but its layout has changed significantly since then.

The track virtually was rebuilt before the return of Formula One in 2015, adding a new race control, VIP section, hospital and grandstands. The circuit, which features various configurations, also was repaved.

Some exercised in an oxygen-deprived setting, as seen by Tyler Reddick on a bike at the Toyota Performance Center, and a few slept in hypoxic tents.

Aside from F1 (which is in its third stint at the track after racing there from 1962-70 and 1986-92), Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez also has played host to the World Endurance Championship, Formula E and various motorcycle and sports cars series.

Its multiple layouts include an oval just under a mile that the NASCAR Mexico Series has used. The National Circuit, a 15-turn, 2.429-mile layout, will be used by NASCAR this weekend.

William Byron ranks first for the season in speed and restart rankings, according to Racing Insights.

The track was renamed in 1973 in honor of Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez, a Mexican pair of siblings who drove in F1 during the 1960s.

This will mark the third international points race in the Cup Series, which raced twice in Canada. The most recent event outside the United States was held July 1958 in Toronto and won by Lee Petty with Richard Petty making his Cup debut.

Mexico City weekend schedule

(All Times Eastern)

Friday, June 13

Garage open

• 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. — Cup Series
• 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. — Xfinity Series

Track activity

• 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. — NASCAR Mexico practice and qualifying
• 1:05 – 1:55 p.m. — Cup practice (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
• 2:05 – 2:55 p.m. — Xfinity practice (CW App)
• 3 – 3:25 p.m. — Cup practice (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
• 3:30 – 3:55 p.m. — Xfinity practice (CW App)
• 4:30 p.m. — NASCAR Mexico race (50 laps, 121 miles, 90-minute time limit; NASCAR Mexico YouTube channel, MRN)

Saturday, June 14

Garage open

• 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. — Cup Series
• 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 a.m. — Xfinity Series

Track activity

• 10:35 – 11:30 a.m. — Xfinity qualifying (CW App)
• 12:05 – 1 p.m. — Cup qualifying (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
• 1:45 p.m. — NASCAR Mexico race (40 laps, 70-minute time limit, NASCAR Mexico YouTube channel, MRN)
• 4:30 p.m. — Xfinity race (65 laps, 157.3 miles; Stage 1 at Lap 20, Stage 2 at Lap 40; CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, June 15

Garage open

• 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. — Cup

Track activity

• 3 p.m. — Cup race (100 laps, 242 miles; Stage 1 at Lap 20, Stage 2 at Lap 45; Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR)

Weekend weather

Friday: Cloudy with a high of 75 degrees, winds from the east at 10 to 15 mph and a 24% chance of rain.

Saturday: Partly cloudy and a high of 75 degrees with winds from the east at 10 to 15 mph and scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. It’s expected to be 74 degrees with a 21% chance of rain at the start of the Xfinity race.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a high of 73 degrees and winds from the east at 10 to 15 mph. It’s expected to be 71 degrees with a 16% chance of rain at the start of the Cup race.

NASCAR is set to race in Mexico City for the first time, marking a significant step in the sport’s global expansion. Despite logistical challenges, including border transport and safety concerns, NASCAR executives view this race as essential for growth. The event aims to engage a new fan base in a city with over 20 million people and showcase the sport to a demographic that has been largely untapped. Racing in Mexico not only provides exposure for teams but also enhances potential sponsorship opportunities, positioning NASCAR as a sport ready for international markets.

By the Numbers

• Mexico City has a population of over 20 million, presenting a vast potential audience.
• NASCAR is chartering planes to ensure the safe transport of teams and equipment across the border.

State of Play

• NASCAR faces logistical hurdles, including complex hauler manifests and security concerns.
• Tracks in the U.S. are vying for races, but Mexico City offers a unique opportunity to grow the sport’s audience.

What’s Next

The success of the Mexico City race may pave the way for future international events within NASCAR, encouraging a broader global presence. Observations from this race could influence other racing series, like INDYCAR, to consider racing outside the U.S.

Bottom Line

NASCAR’s venture into Mexico City is a bold move aimed at expanding its reach and attracting new fans. Embracing discomfort and logistical challenges can ultimately lead to growth and increased interest in the sport.

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The NASCAR Cup Series is heading to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The Viva México 250 will take center stage, and ahead of all the action, Kevin Harvick and the Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour crew are locking in their predictions.

First, Kaitlyn Vincie got the fun started. She’s riding with a veteran road course savant to get his first win of 2025: “This is going to be interesting, because we don’t really know who could win this weekend,” Vincie prefaced. “I’m going to go with AJ Allmendinger.”

Allmendinger is certainly a contender. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, he’s +1500 to get the dub. If he does, he’ll lock himself into the playoffs, which would be huge for Kaulig Racing.

In response, Harvick was slightly surprised with Vincie’s pick. It opened up the door for him to go with the favorite in Shane van Gisbergen: “That’s a big surprise,” Harvick responded. “I thought you’d take the favorite. SVG.”

While van Gisbergen is thought of as a threat on road courses, his performance at intermediate tracks has left a bit to be desired. However, he turned in a solid showing in Michigan this past weekend, finishing P18 when the checkered flag waved. 

With Mexico City on the docket, van Gisbergen is currently P33 in the overall point standings. He only has one top ten on the season, so a win is more important to him at one of these road courses than anything. He’ll be going for broke at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, and Harvick thinks he’ll get it done.

Meanwhile, Mamba Smith is thinking of a different Trackhouse Racing wheelman when it comes to this weekend’s race. He thinks Mexico native Daniel Suarez can rise above and win in heroic fashion.

“I was going to take AJ. You know what? Because I just feel like there’s some magic in the air, and he needs it anyway. I’m going with the hometown boy. Just give me Daniel Suarez,” Smith predicted. “Why not? Home cooking.”

Like his teammate SVG, a win would mean the world to Suarez. He’s back in P28 in the overall point standings, only nothing one top five in 2025. He needs it if he’s going to make the playoffs, and Smith is hoping it comes to fruition.

All told, it’s anyone’s guess who gets to Victory Lane during the NASCAR Cup Series’ trip to Mexico. It should be a fascinating event at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. We’ll see who makes history and takes the checkered flag.

Katherine Legge has raced anything and everything. Her storied career includes four Indianapolis 500 starts, most recently in 2024. She found success in sports cars, competing in multiple endurance classics, such as the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

With last month’s Indy 500 not on Legge’s racing radar in 2025, she switched her attention to NASCAR. It’s a move that happened by chance, though she first felt the adrenaline of stock car racing in 2018, making four Xfinity Series starts for JD Motorsports.

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She fell in love with stock cars immediately, with a best finish of 14th at Road America.

“I loved it and wanted to do more, I just didn’t know how to go about it,” Legge told NASCAR.com about her move to NASCAR. “I’m lucky that my sponsors pivoted with me and we’re all in on NASCAR.

“It was something that I felt incredibly passionate about doing. I have so much fun doing it and am so motivated. I’m working hard at it. I really want to make this home.”

RELATED: e.l.f. Cosmetics to sponsor Legge for multiple Cup, Xfinity races

The joy for Legge in her first go-around was jostling the heavy cars around road courses. Her oval debut in NASCAR came at Richmond Raceway in 2018, finishing 28th in a 40-car field.

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“It’s super fun to drive the cars; you were wrestling with them the whole time,” Legge reflects on her initial voyage. “It’s like Champ Car — we had to wrestle those beasts around the track.

“[NASCAR is] not easy. It’s one of the hardest championships to chase in the world because of the strength and depth. There are so many good drivers over here that are widely versed in stock car racing.”

Legge began hunting for rides in February when the 2025 season began. She made her Cup debut for Live Fast Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway, though she was initially eyeing Circuit of The Americas one week prior as her first attempt. Her initial race didn’t go as planned as she was involved in multiple incidents and contacted Daniel Suárez in the process, ending his day.

“It was a big uphill battle, but I respect the challenge and am not blind that it is a challenge going in with a team that wants to set out to be a entry to people like me into Cup,” Legge said. “They know where they are at and what they want to achieve. It was going to be my first foray and fly under the radar and that didn’t happen. I wanted to use it to gain experience.”

After bowing out of full-time competition, Live Fast team owner BJ McLeod wants to turn his part-time entry into a developmental ride to help rising talent. He’s aware of Legge’s credentials and hopes to get her acclimated, with their next opportunity slated for Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City (3 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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MORE: Mexico City schedule | Cup Series entry list for Mexico City

“It’s the toughest thing that she’s ever come across,” McLeod said of Legge adapting to the Cup Series. “I don’t know that she would tell you that, but I can tell you that the group of drivers that get to do [Cup] every week are truly some of the best drivers in the world. All of them are that good. Not one, not 20, not 30, all 36 or however many are there. They truly are that good, and it makes it extremely difficult for her because even if she’s equally as talented, she doesn’t get to race every week. She is the only part-timer that’s trying to get out there, get up to speed and she has very limited stock car experience.”

Chevrolet paired Legge with Jordan Anderson Racing in the Xfinity Series following her introduction to Cup racing. The goal was to get the England native more starts.

In addition to full-time drivers Jeb Burton and Blaine Perkins, Anderson occasionally fields a third entry. With limited on-track experience, he believes Legge has done a masterful job getting up to speed, even though the results would indicate otherwise.

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“I know she’s been baptized through fire coming in this way,” Anderson said. “With [25] minutes of practice, it’s hard enough to learn a track, let alone a new car.

“The speed is there if we make her comfortable. I’ve been impressed with her time in the sim and how she adapts and the things she picks up, the time she has spent studying. This isn’t a fly-by-night project for her; she’s wanting to prove her worth and come in here and learn and do the right things.”

It was key that Legge diversified her schedule. She also wanted to run consecutively, beginning with NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway. She failed to qualify, but the team struck a deal with Joey Gase Motorsports to field her. She led a lap in her second start at Talladega Superspeedway and was running midpack when she was collected in a multicar incident that began towards the front of the field. She has DNF’d in three of four starts and failed to qualify in the series’ most recent race at Nashville Superspeedway.

“It’s been good, bad and indifferent,” Legge said. “I have been taken out in every race in some form or another. The only one that I think was down to me was Phoenix, which started it all. After that, it’s been a lot of carnage.”

Legge is delighted that her two car owners are fellow racers with McLeod and Anderson. She has leaned on them, along with AJ Allmendinger, whom she’s known for two decades, and Xfinity veteran Justin Allgaier.

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Compared to other racing series, Legge believes breaking into NASCAR is the hardest. She has limited oval starts and is going to new venues. The divisions are also stacked with established talent.

“NASCAR is especially challenging for the sheer number of good drivers,” Legge added. “It’s a tough beast to tame, but I’m up for the challenge.”

While overcoming multiple hurdles in Legge’s short NASCAR stint, she has learned plenty about herself. She is up for any racing task, though she believes she was humbled in some ways.

“I thought that I was a lot better than I am,” Legge admitted with a chuckle. “I have no doubt that I’ll get there. But how quickly? I thought I would drive the car a couple of times and then be up at the sharp end, but it’s taking a little longer than I anticipated.”

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The next beast for Legge to tame is the Cup Series’ international debut at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this weekend, again competing for Live Fast. Her second half of the season continues filling up, with Cup starts at the Chicago Street Race, Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Richmond Raceway on the docket. She has a pair of Xfinity Series races left in the No. 32 car at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, though she is trying to bulk up her racing allotment.

MORE: Cup Series schedule | Xfinity Series schedule

The goals for the upcoming events are to log laps and gain experience.

“Bottom line, I’m not going there looking to outpace anyone,” McLeod admitted. “What I’m expecting is to go there and give her a solid car so that she can learn and develop her skills and try to get her closer to reaching her goals.”

Legge hopes to go full time at some point in NASCAR, though she isn’t shutting the door on running the Indy 500 again.

Kevin Brannon wins 18 straight rounds at the Sean Serra Memorial race to lead the DragChamp Top 10 List, presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance

06/11/25 – We’ve accumulated the best performers from the past week for the Top 10 List presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance. Read below to see how they ranked.

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Want to check out previous Top 10 Lists, click here.

DragChamp Top 10 List

1 – Kevin Brannon

KB was doing KB things at the Sean Serra Memorial race this past weekend. Kevin turned on 18 straight win lights to sweep the weekend winning $20,000 on Saturday and $31,390 on Sunday! His unbelievable run over the weekend also earned him the MVP title.

2 – Spencer Lacy

Spencer Lacy enjoyed a big weekend at Norwalk which included two wins, a runner-up, and a semifinal finish. Lacy won the Box Gamblers race on Friday while also posting a semifinal finish in No Box. He added a runner-up in Super Pro on Saturday and finished the weekend with a victory in the Pro class.

3 – Mason Fix

Mason Fix sits in the #3 spot this week after an impressive weekend at the Line Up Triple 10K’s. His weekend included a Gambler runner-up, two No Box wins, and a Main Event runner-up and semi.

4 – Devin O’Brien

Devin O’Brien makes a Top 10 appearance after winning the Ultimate 64 Shootout main event.

5 – T.G. Paschal

T.G Paschal earned a Top 5 spot after cashing for $20,000 Friday night at the Sean Serra Memorial race.

6 – Darian Boesch

Darian Boesch makes another Top 10 appearance after driving to two final round appearances in Bristol. Running the rain-delayed Gatornationals, Darian made 11 rounds between his Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Camaro to find himself in both finals. While he came up short in the Top Dragster final, he still has another shot at a Wally when the Top Sportsman final is completed at a future event.

7 – Scott Dugdale

Scott Dugdale doubled up in the Stock/Super Stock Combo class winning 10 straight rounds at Brainerd International Raceway.

8 – Charlie Lockhart

Charlie Lockhart lands in the #8 spot after making three final round appearances in the last two weeks. A week ago Charlie won No Box and was runner-up to his brother Wesley in Super Pro at Gleason. This past weekend, Charlie won the No Box class at Beacon to lock in a Top 10 spot.

9 – Michael Pliska

Michael Pliska took home a $5,000 victory and the weekend MVP award at the Woodburn Dragway Summer Showdown. Pliska won the most rounds at the event while also posting the most dead-on laps. As a matter of fact, Pliska used the same 5.70 dial-in all three days of the event!

10 – Pat Debottis

Pat Debottis had a great day on Saturday at the Rockin Super Shootout at Mid Michigan. He made his way to both the Super Gas and Super Comp finals taking the win in Super Gas and a runner-up in Super Comp.

Let us know what you think about the DragChamp Top 10 List. We want to hear from you. Check us out on Facebook and share it with your friends.

And remember, look for our DragChamp Top 10 List nominations Facebook post every Monday evening. You can nominate your favorites in the comments of the post for consideration on the list.

DragChamp is your online source for sportsman drag race results, news, and updates.