Stock car races in the
Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
have been held at the
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a motorsport race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named after the racing drivers Ricardo Rodríguez (1942–1962) and Pedro Rodríguez (1940–1971). The circuit got its current name in 1979 after Ricardo ...
road course
Road racing is a North American term to describe motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held on a closed circuit—generally, a purpose-built racing facility—or on a street circuit that uses temporarily closed publi ...
in
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
, Mexico from 2005 to 2008, and since 2025.
In its original run as a standalone event, it was notable for being the first points-paying NASCAR national touring series race held outside the United States since 1958. It later became one of three road races on the second-tier circuit (joining races at
Watkins Glen and
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
).
In 2025 it became a support race for the
NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States.
The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...
race at the same track.
Mexico native
Daniel Suárez is the previous race winner.
History
Much attention was directed towards this race, as it was the first NASCAR points-paying race outside the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
since 1958. The only recent international races for NASCAR had been those at the
Suzuka Circuit
The , the , is a long motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka, Mie, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Honda Mobilityland, a subsidiary of Honda, Honda Motor Co, Ltd. It has a capacity of 155,000. It is most well known by i ...
and
Twin Ring Motegi
Mobility Resort Motegi (モビリティリゾートもてぎ) is a motorsport venue located in Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Originally Twin Ring Motegi (ツインリンクもてぎ), the venue's name came from the facility having two race ...
(1996–1998) in
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, but the races were non-points-paying exhibition races. In 1952, NASCAR sanctioned points-paying races on the Canadian side of
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...
.
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez track is a very popular track for open-wheel racing such as
Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
and
Champ Car
Champ Car World Series (CCWS) was the series sanctioned by Open-Wheel Racing Series Inc., a Governing body, sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 2004 to 2008. It was the successor to Championship Auto Racing T ...
. However, some adjustments were necessary to adapt the course for stock cars. The most significant alteration involved the introduction of a chicane on the pit straight. Additionally, a link was incorporated to bypass Curva Héctor Rebaque, instead integrating a sweeping curve between the track's short circuit curve and Ese del Lago. This modification was prompted by the intensified braking demands of the heavier stock cars.
In the
inaugural event, ticket sales were good, and fans packed the track after the announcement that several local drivers would drive NASCAR entries normally driven by other drivers. Among them were open-wheel star
Adrián Fernández
Adrián Fernández Mier (born April 20, 1963) is a Mexican former professional race car driver and co-owner of the Fernandez Racing team.
Racing career
Early career
Fernández was born in Mexico City and began his career in Mexico at the age ...
,
Jorge Goeters,
Mara Reyes (a
female driver),
Carlos Contreras, and
Michel Jourdain Jr. who had just moved to NASCAR from Champ Car. The race also marked the first time that
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
had run a Busch Series race on a road course since 2001. In 2006,
Denny Hamlin
James Dennis Alan Hamlin (born November 18, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also co-owns and op ...
took his first Busch Series win with an impressive performance at the track. Road-course ringer
Boris Said
Boris Said III (born September 18, 1962) is an American professional racing driver. Said has competed in a variety of disciplines including stock car racing, stock cars, sports car racing, sports cars and touring car racing, touring cars.
Said la ...
made another fine visit to take second place after providing Hamlin with his stiffest challenge. In 2007,
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (; born 20 September 1975) is a Colombian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to , IndyCar between 1999 and 2022, and the NASCAR Cup Series between 2006 and 2024. Montoya won seven Formula One Grand ...
took his first Busch Series win.
In the 2008 race, the race was renamed the Corona Mexico 200.
Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation)#ZL1, Chevrolet ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing and par ...
passed
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett (born March 24, 1960) is an American former racing driver who has competed in numerous disciplines of the sport. In the 1980s, Pruett established himself as a top sports car racer, winning two IMSA GTO, and three Trans-Am ...
with 7 laps to go to win the race.
In the return race in 2025, known as the The Chilango 150 Mexico native
Daniel Suárez would survive a huge incident and would hold off
Taylor Gray to earn the win.
Layouts used
File:Mexico City NASCAR 2005.png, The track layout from 2005–2006.
File:Mexico City NASCAR 2007.png, The track layout from 2007–2008.
Past winners
*2007: Race extended due to
NASCAR overtime
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
.
[
]
See also
* Viva México 250
References
External links
*
{{NASCAR Nationwide Series races
NASCAR Xfinity Series races
NASCAR races at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez