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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 […]

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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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Motorsports

Jim Campbell Appointed General Motors VP For Performance And Motorsports

Jim Campbell (pictured) was named Vice President, Performance and Motorsports Commercial Operations by General Motors, including oversight of the Cadillac F1 team. Campbell had been the longtime motorsports head at General Motors focusing on IndyCar, NASCAR, Sports Cars and NHRA. Under his new role, Campbell will oversee commercial operations for GM’s motorsports programs, with a […]

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Jim Campbell (pictured) was named Vice President, Performance and Motorsports Commercial Operations by General Motors, including oversight of the Cadillac F1 team.

Campbell had been the longtime motorsports head at General Motors focusing on IndyCar, NASCAR, Sports Cars and NHRA.

Under his new role, Campbell will oversee commercial operations for GM’s motorsports programs, with a strategic focus on leveraging the Cadillac Formula 1 Team to elevate the Cadillac and GM brands.

Cadillac F1 Rendering
Cadillac F1 Rendering

Campbell’s job before his new appointment was Chief Product Officer for GM China and President of the Durant Guild. Previously, he’s held various leadership roles in General Motors, some of which have been in motorsports operations. His motorsport resume spans NASCAR, INDYCAR, IMSA, NHRA, FIA WEC, and off-road racing, making him well-suited for his new role.

“Jim’s experience and leadership will be invaluable as we prepare to join the Formula 1 grid in 2026 with the Cadillac Formula 1 team, a uniquely American venture,” GM President Mark Reuss said. “While racing is deeply rooted in our history, F1 marks a bold new frontier, on a worldwide stage, and is the pinnacle of motorsports. Having Jim in this position working with our collective team makes me feel even more confident in our capabilities and plans to succeed, and to win.”

Although General Motors is giving a lot of hype to the Cadillac Formula 1 team, Campbell will presumably also be working with GM’s other motorsports operations. These include Cadillac and Corvette’s presence in IMSA and WEC, as well as Chevy’s participation in NASCAR and as an INDYCAR engine supplier.



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Denny Hamlin Responds to Kyle Busch’s NASCAR Rule Change Proposal

Before Sunday’s race at Dover Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch proposed a NASCAR rule change that would give drivers the choice between having a rearview mirror camera in their car or having a spotter. After a camera-aided win at Dover, Denny Hamlin weighed in on Busch’s idea. In Monday’s episode of Actions Detrimental, Hamlin said he […]

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Before Sunday’s race at Dover Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch proposed a NASCAR rule change that would give drivers the choice between having a rearview mirror camera in their car or having a spotter. After a camera-aided win at Dover, Denny Hamlin weighed in on Busch’s idea.

In Monday’s episode of Actions Detrimental, Hamlin said he would support removing the rearview cameras because of how much of an advantage leaders have with the Next Gen car.

“Cameras, I’d be okay with getting rid of those….Especially with Next Gen, there is such an advantage by moving your car in the wake of the car behind you…You don’t want to make it easier for the drivers to do that.”

Denny Hamlin on kyle Busch’s proposal for getting rid of rearview mirrors/cameras

Related: NASCAR Predictions for Brickyard 400, including Denny Hamlin

As Hamlin’s last two wins at Dover have shown, mirror driving gives the leader an added advantage with the Next Gen car. This effect is more pronounced on certain tracks, but the current Next Gen build gives a massive edge to the leading car in clean air.

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It has made passing even harder, reducing the number of lead changes during races. Drivers noted during the hour-long rain delay at Dover that the car that got ahead on the restart and had clean air was likely to win well before the checkered flag waved.

Related: NASCAR Rule Change Helps Denny Hamlin’s 23XI Team

Technically, Busch left the door open for some peers to keep the rearview camera if they gave up their spotter. However, no driver is willing to sacrifice everything a spotter brings at oval tracks.

Currently, drivers in the Cup Series leading the field should use their rearview cameras to aero-block, as it increases their chances of protecting the lead and winning. Since NASCAR is unlikely to make changes to the Next Gen car that would make passing easier, removing the rearview cameras would at least reduce the effectiveness of aero-blocking somewhat.

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Kyle Larson Racing Special Zac Brown Band Scheme at Las Vegas

Zac Brown Band and HendrickCars.com will be teaming up with Hendrick Motorsports for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 12, in order to promote their upcoming performances at Sphere Las Vegas. The collaboration will feature a special paint scheme for Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet […]

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Zac Brown Band and HendrickCars.com will be teaming up with Hendrick Motorsports for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 12, in order to promote their upcoming performances at Sphere Las Vegas.

The collaboration will feature a special paint scheme for Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet team at Las Vegas, which will feature the band’s signature “Stone Skull” logo on the hood with a matte black and gold chrome color palette.

“Hitting the track with Hendrick Motorsports and Kyle Larson is a badass way to get the word out about our shows at Sphere,” said Zac Brown, frontman and lead vocalist of Zac Brown Band. “Mr. H has been an awesome friend for many years, and we’re thrilled to have this opportunity with his team. These performances are going to be unlike anything we’ve ever done – and this car is just a preview of the spirit we’re bringing to Vegas.”

Zac Brown Band will be performing at Sphere Las Vegas on December 5, 6, 12, and 13, which will coincide with the release of their seventh full-length studio album, “Love and Fear”. The band is known for fusing country, rock and Southern roots, and are a multi-platinum, GRAMMY Award-winning group.

The band’s immersive live shows will only be further elevated by the Sphere’s state-of-the-art technology and storytelling capabilities that deliver a concert experience like no other.

“Zac and the band are great friends of our organization,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “They always put on an incredible show, and I personally can’t wait to see what they come up with at Sphere – it’s going to be unbelievable. There’s a natural connection between the energy of rock and roll and the intensity of NASCAR. Las Vegas is one of Kyle’s best tracks, and we hope to deliver a performance for our fans that matches what the band brings to theirs.”

The 32-year-old driver has been strong at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the past, collecting three victories at the 1.5-mile racetrack, along with eight top-five and 13 top-10s in 18 career starts, where he has an average finish of 9.4.

“It’s always cool when two different worlds come together like that,” Larson said. “The paint scheme has a killer edge to it. I’m pumped to take something to Vegas that our No. 5 team fans and Zac Brown Band fans will all be excited about. I love that HendrickCars.com wanted to make this collaboration happen and is going all in. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

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NASCAR intern talks storytelling through sports – The Badger Herald

Keyla Pillacela is a rising junior at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin. She has experience working in video production for Wisconsin Athletics during the school year and is spending this summer interning with NASCAR. Read below to hear from about Keyla about her experiences in sports communication and […]

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Keyla Pillacela is a rising junior at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin. She has experience working in video production for Wisconsin Athletics during the school year and is spending this summer interning with NASCAR. Read below to hear from about Keyla about her experiences in sports communication and her campus leadership.

Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background?

I am an incoming junior. I am originally from Chicago, born and raised. I remember when I was looking for colleges, I really wanted a Big 10 school, a lot of school spirit, a big football team. So, I went to visit Madison junior year of high school, and I completely fell in love. I realized that I really enjoyed talking to people, being super creative, and doing everything with a lot of intention. After talking to an advisor from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, I was completely sold. In school, I am pretty involved. I work video production for Wisconsin Athletics during the school year. Right now, during the summer, I am interning with NASCAR, so that has been a whole other experience on its own. I am very family-oriented, so when I come back home, I spend time with all of my siblings. And I am the oldest of five, so that is also important to “who Keyla is.”

What got you interested in sports communication?

I remember watching my first World Cup in 2014 when it was in Brazil. I remember just the emotions that you can feel through the screen and the impact that soccer has on the world. It’s one of the most watched sports in the world — especially when it comes to the World Cup. My parents are from Ecuador, and I remember seeing my team play and how proud I felt. And I knew that I wanted to be part of that storytelling of a country and bring all of this spotlight to the beautiful country of Ecuador. I remember I wanted to do that through sports, because soccer is such a big part of the Ecuadorian culture. Wherever I go in sports, I want to be able to tell a story with intention in order to spotlight these beautiful countries and what they have to offer.

Can you tell me about your experience in Big 10 video production?

When I’m working with Wisconsin Athletics, it’s an overlap with the Big 10 Network and Wisconsin Athletics. We put on any show that you’ve been able to see. From the football games to the softball games, it’s a wide array of sports. As soon as I make a graphic or replay for the video board or for Big 10, I am immediately able to see my work. I think it’s been really rewarding because I know a lot of people are looking at it and every time I do it, I know I’m getting better.

What were your responsibilities in Big 10 video production?

Keeping track of, for example, the advertisements that go up in the suites when it’s a football game and showing them at the necessary time. In football games, there’s many breaks, so it’s important you are accurately displaying the advertisements during those breaks. The audio is a big part of video production and brings so much energy to the games, so we worked a lot on audio. I also worked on “the bug” or the scoreboard, adjusting anything if needed. We look at a game from multiple screens, so we are able to accurately write down the points, fouls and everything that is missed.

What is your role at NASCAR, and how does it compare to your Big 10 role?

It’s very different ends of sports. One is video production and one is external or communications. I’m an intern with the communications department for the Chicago Street Race for NASCAR … I’ve been able to write press releases, media advisories, attend media days with drivers and spend a lot of one-on-one time with them. This role is very hands-on. Just last week, I was on a media day with Ryan Blainey, who is one of our drivers. I started off at O’Hare, and immediately, we were doing radio hit after radio hit until we got to NBC5, Fox, WGN  or where we’re supposed to be for the day … it’s very rewarding. It’s different from video production with Wisconsin Athletics, because it’s more of a media facing role rather than a back-of-the house role. At Wisconsin Athletics, you are displaying something for an audience. In media, you’re working on what that display is and trying to be true and intentional in your storytelling.

Can you tell me a little bit about your leadership here on campus?

I remember freshman year, I joined a club on campus and I learned so much, like networking, resume building. Being surrounded by so many driven individuals that have strong work ethics propelled me. I knew that I wanted to make an impact on the incoming class. Now that I’m going into junior year, four of my friends and I are undergoing the process of founding a new club called Bloom Street. We are doing that with the intention of landing students in very competitive internships and clubs. For me, it’s been really important to see representation across campus and highly selective roles. I know the way I can do that is by giving back to what helped me my freshman and sophomore year, which is why we decided to found Bloom Street. It’s been keeping us very busy, but I think it’s very rewarding because we know that at the end, we are going to form a community for people. People could come [up to] us with questions, such as resume or networking questions. I think we forget that going into college, not a lot of people come with social capital. I came in with no social capital, which meant not knowing how to network, optimize my resume or to join clubs with intention. Being able to plant that seed early on in people’s academic career is enough for me, because I know I will be giving back. We want to see representation across the leaderboard. We want to see people who look like us in high finance, corporate and sports.

Can you tell me about your experience with the Association of Latino Professionals for America and about your leadership with the organization?

I was introduced to ALPFA in high school, and I thought it was such an amazing opportunity for Latinos to network, learn more about each other, corporate, resume building, etc. The UW-Madison chapter of ALPFA was created a few days before the start of my freshman year. This past year, they created a mentor-mentee buddy system. Like how I started, my mentee had no idea how to start with internships, job search or how to fix her resume. I was able to show her and walk her through what I had learned and what had helped me. She has an internship this summer, right after her sophomore year, so I am very proud of her. My leadership definitely comes from being exposed to so many different people. It’s grown empathy, cultural awareness and social and emotional intelligence in me.

What are your career aspirations?

If any position has these words, I would go for it: storytelling, intention and creativity. Whatever I do, I need it to have storytelling. Storytelling is the core of who I am. Being able to tell a story with intention has been another thing. I see myself in sports, at NASCAR, in FIFA, in soccer. Soccer has always been a big part of who I am and of my culture. Even being in the room at NASCAR and telling a little about who I am and being able to bring those unique, creative ideas to the storytelling and communications in NASCAR for the Chicago Street Race has meant so much. It means bringing representation into a bigger scope. If I am able to do that in a company, I would be happy.

Do you have any advice for students who want to join your field?

For my fellow Badgers, I want to give more of a motivational advice and then a technical advice. For motivation, I remember waking up at 4 a.m. during recruitment season, setting up recruitment chats or doing homework — whatever had to get done because either grades or an internship were at stake. It’s hard to time manage when there is so much going on around you, and I remember waking up at 4 a.m. thinking, “I don’t want to do this.” I had to ask myself, “how badly do I want to do this? To be in sports? To work in my dream job?” That question got me up every morning and pushed me through days of recruitment and schoolwork. The epitome of why I am here is because my parents came here for a better future for me and my siblings. So, I also had to ask myself, “why did my parents come to this country?” My technical advice is to network. Talk to anyone, not to get something from them but with intention and show who you are. Stay honest to who you are — people don’t want to hire robots!



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Championships on the line this Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park

Home Sports Championships on the line this Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park Championships on the line this Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park (Photo Submitted) Information Submitted ELIDA — With a summer full of wheel-to-wheel racing behind them, the top drivers at Limaland Motorsports Park will square off for one… Previous Post Matt’s Take – The […]

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Championships on the line this Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park

Information Submitted ELIDA — With a summer full of wheel-to-wheel racing behind them, the top drivers at Limaland Motorsports Park will square off for one…



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NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin At No. 1 Is Concrete After Dover Win

Bob Pockrass FOX Motorsports Insider Denny Hamlin doesn’t just have two wins in his last six starts, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has five top-four finishes in his last seven starts. That type of consistency is hard to beat. And that has put him back atop these power rankings. Denny Hamlin after winning the NASCAR […]

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Denny Hamlin doesn’t just have two wins in his last six starts, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has five top-four finishes in his last seven starts.

That type of consistency is hard to beat. And that has put him back atop these power rankings.

Denny Hamlin after winning the NASCAR Cup Series AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover 

The race at Dover featured many of these drivers jockeying for spots in the final laps and in overtime, making this list probably even more debatable than normal.

As the Cup drivers head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, these are the 10 drivers that seem to have momentum:

Dropped out: 9. Ryan Preece (Last Week: 9) 

On the verge: Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Preece

10. Ty Gibbs (Last Week: Not Ranked)

A fifth for Gibbs at Dover was his third consecutive top-10 finish, with two of those being top-five runs. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is also in the championship for the in-season tournament against Ty Dillon.

9. Tyler Reddick (Last Week: 6)

Reddick ran in the top 10 for much of the race at Dover but finished 12th after the two overtimes. That snapped a streak of three top-10 finishes for the 23XI Racing driver.

Tyler Reddick drives during the NASCAR Cup Series at Dover

8. Ryan Blaney (Last Week: 7)

Blaney placed eighth at Dover after starting 31st, thanks to the metric when qualifying was canceled. It was a solid day for the Penske driver at a track where it was hard to pass.

7. Alex Bowman (Last Week: 10)

Bowman placed fifth in the first stage, second in the second stage and finished third. That’s a great day for a driver who doesn’t have a win and is fighting for a playoff spot on points. The Hendrick driver has three top-fives in his last six starts.

Alex Bowman waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover

6. Christopher Bell (Last Week: 5)

A couple of spins ruined Bell’s day. Actually just the one when battling Hamlin for the lead with less than 10 laps to go. The JGR driver finished 18th.

5. William Byron (Last Week: 3) 

Byron was a victim of a crash after the late red flag for rain. The 31st-place finish wasn’t indicative of the Hendrick driver’s day, as he was fourth in the first stage and sixth in the second stage.

William Byron pits during race at Dover 

4. Kyle Larson (Last Week: 4)

Larson finished top 10 in both stages and ended up fourth after having a shot to battle Hamlin for the win in overtime. It was the Hendrick driver’s first top five since Michigan, as he may have stopped a slump where he had just one top 10 in the previous four races.

3. Chase Briscoe (Last Week: 8)

Briscoe had a shot to win as he battled Hamlin in the second overtime and had fresher tires. But battling a teammate sometimes requires a little more give and a little less take, and Briscoe gave his JGR teammate Hamlin the room he needed and settled for second.

2. Chase Elliott (Last Week: 1) 

Elliott gave up track position when he pitted for tires after a caution for rain, a decision that ended up not working out as he finished sixth. It was a frustrating end to a race where the Hendrick driver led 238 of the 407 laps.

Chase Elliott waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to green flag at Dover

1. Denny Hamlin (Last Week: 2)

Hamlin did a masterful job defending his lead over the final 67 laps, as he earned his fourth win of the season. The JGR driver made it the second consecutive year at Dover where he outdueled drivers in the waning laps.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.



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