NASCAR has announced that the Cup Series will debut in Mexico City next year. Moreover, it is the same racing track used by Formula 1 which obviously builds fan excitement. The Xfinity Series will also return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, a track they previously raced on from 2005 to 2008. June 14-15 will see the Cup Series race, which will be the first international Cup race since 1958. Following that, only Japan and Australia hosted exhibition races during the 1980s and 1990s.

The announcement of the Mexico City race wasn’t unexpected. It had been widely known that NASCAR was actively pursuing an international points race. The Mexican track along with the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (another F1 venue and former Xfinity Series race site) located in Montreal, was also a contender. However, it seems like Mexico won that race. While NASCAR is trying to grow the viewer base, an insider is trying to scare off the current one. Brett Griffin claims it’s not safe to race in Mexico!

Is racing in Mexico not safe?

The expansion of the Series has come as NASCAR tries to ramp up the entertainment value and enable more opportunities for upcoming talent from other countries. Over time NASCAR has had many drivers from Mexico, among which, the most popular name has to be Daniel Suarez, who has achieved remarkable success. Notably, he became the first foreign driver to win a national-level title in NASCAR and the only non-American to win an oval race in the Cup Series.

NASCAR wants to give a stage to more international drivers. Therefore, NASCAR Executive Vice President Ben Kennedy said, “Certainly, U.S. is always going to be kind of our mainstay. … It’s important [to be here] as we certainly think about our fan base, but then also think about the future pipeline of drivers, crew chiefs, engineers, making sure that we give them a pathway from the NASCAR Mexico Series into our national series and potentially even our Cup Series, to create the next generation of our sport.”

Apart from the amazing food, Mexico is infamous for its crime and other complications. Recently, on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Brett Griffin discussed the safety concerns of racing in Mexico. He said, “I’m all for diversifying our fan base. I’m all for that. Here’s what I don’t like as an American-built sport. I want to see us going to places where Americans can go and know that they’re safe.” Griffin expressed his concerns based on his personal experience at the 2005 Xfinity race.

“Mexico City’s fuc–ng dangerous and if you don’t realize that, then I tell you what, go! Here’s a couple of stories. Actually, I’m not going to tell you any stories. Well, I don’t want to get in trouble for telling you a story. But the US Embassy told us point blank when we went to Mexico City don’t leave the hotel,” Griffin added. Well, until we know those stories that Griffin is hiding, we can’t judge why it’s not safe to go racing in Mexico. Whatever the case, hopefully, NASCAR will ensure safety as the drivers are stoked to go international!

Cup drivers on racing in Mexico

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In the three years that Xfinity raced there, some Cup drivers like Martin Truex Jr, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch raced on the track. While Martin Truex Jr is set to retire after this year, Hamlin and Busch are bound to have a nostalgic experience. Also, Michael McDowell did not race in any NASCAR Series but has previously raced in Mexico City in 2005. He participated in a doubleheader weekend that included both IMSA and IndyCar races. Other drivers too are excited by the unknown elements the track provides.

For obvious reasons, the most pumped-up person is the native racer, Daniel Suarez, who said, “I remember thinking what a dream it would be for me to race the NASCAR Cup Series one day in my country. I remember thinking that, and fast forward now nine years later, and here we are in Mexico City.” Defending Champion Ryan Blaney has raced internationally before, and is excited to do it again.

Reiterating this, he said, “I ran trucks up in Canada more than a handful of years ago, and it was great. The fans there were awesome, and I think that Mexico’s going to be no different. I think the fans are going to be super dedicated to us coming there, and that’s what happens when you bring a sport to a country that doesn’t normally have that type of sport.”

McDowell speaks from experience when he says the atmosphere in Mexico is electric. “When you watch a soccer World Cup or something like that, that’s the kind of feel that you have there. The fans are very loud, they’re into it. If there’s a hometown driver, you can hear when he crosses the start/finish line, right? It’s amazing.” Let’s hope the races are safe and thrilling in Mexico. Are you excited about the Mexico race? Let us know in the comments below.