Ben Kennedy, the executive vice president of NASCAR and chief officer of venue and racing innovations, shared his excitement, saying, “This event has been on our radar for a long time.
After our first street race in downtown Chicago, we’re now embarking on another major first. This is going to be a monumental event for us as we head south of the border for the first time.”
NASCAR has some history in Mexico, having previously held four Xfinity Series races at the Autodromo between 2005 and 2008. Additionally, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix has been hosted at the same venue on and off since 1962.
The last time NASCAR’s Cup Series ventured outside the U.S. was in 1958, during the Jim Mideon 500 in Toronto. Notably, that race marked Richard Petty’s first-ever Cup Series appearance, with his father, Lee Petty, claiming the victory.