NASCAR is revving up its engines for a global presence—and the rumors of them going to newer venues are coming up strong. Even though the season is still on, no one can stop talking about what’s more to come next year. The interesting schedule, the new TV deals, and streaming partner, and more are exciting fans. Who doesn’t like some modifications?

Two names are coming strongly who are to be hosting the Cup races internationally. The speculation is getting stronger, and it looks like an official announcement is just around the corner. With these potential additions, fans abroad get to experience the thrill and beauty of NASCAR racing!

NASCAR’s push for new horizons: going global?

NASCAR is getting out of the cocoon of ‘normal’ and widening the horizons. While the sport itself is rooted in traditions, now that more audiences have come in through the Netflix show and social media, NASCAR is taking active steps to widen its footprint. Whether it’s the Chicago Street Race or the Busch Light Clash, they all show NASCAR’s efforts to attract fresh eyes. And now that they have tapped the domestic markets, the next step, of course, is an international race. 

As such, two more venues are rumored to be added for the upcoming season. And, it seems like Mexico City and Montreal are in the running to host Cup races in 2025. NASCAR Prophecy through their X account seems to have added more confirmation to the rumors. Their tweet read, “The 2025 NASCAR Schedule should be released in the next few weeks. I’m hearing that the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course in Mexico & Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course in Montreal will be added to the CUP Series Schedule.”

Given that Chad Seigler had mentioned the ongoing progress on the international race schedule earlier, this news seems pretty solid. Seigler had made it pretty clear that NASCAR is almost ready to schedule their first Cup Series race outside the US. He said, “We’re still working on the 2025 schedule. We feel like we are getting closer every day to it. I don’t think it’s an issue of, Are we going to eventually get the Cup Series outside the US? It’s more the matter of when.”

While the official statements are yet to come, at this point, it all looks like a possibility. However, everyone might not be happy with the developments!

New road courses may spell trouble for some drivers

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NASCAR has traditionally always raced in the ovals and most traditionalists prefer it that way. For the most part, NASCAR held just two road courses, but this time they added more road course races and there are five in total now—COTA, Sonoma, Chicago, Watkins Glen, and Roval. And with news of the new road courses internationally, it might not make everyone happy.

Brad Keselowski and road courses, for example, don’t go well together. He struggled this year too and in Sonoma, for example, finished in 13 and in Chicago 18th. However, this wasn’t always the case, because he has had his moments on the road courses with five top-3 finishes in his first 16 races. But since then, things have changed. 

Bubba Wallace has been pretty candid about the fact that he struggles with road courses. He put in an extra effort by racing at the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge to improve his road track skill earlier this year. But this year, unfortunately, has been nothing but unkind. In Sonoma and COTA, he finished at 20 and 15th, and in Chicago, he finished 13th. 

Denny Hamlin, too, has had issues with road courses. Take COTA as an example, where he started in eighth place but, surprisingly, dropped down to 14th position instead of improving. And when his co-host for this podcast, Jared Allen, asked him about his reasons for underperforming at the road course event, he laid the blame on his age!

He said, “I would say it plays a factor because I can’t run in a simulator five days a week, my body will not let me do that… And when you ask is age a factor? absolutely, I mean coming off shoulder surgery, and I can’t overwork myself. My body hurts in a lot of places for a few days after the race.” Then in Sonoma, he finished 38th and in Chicago, 30th!

Not just active drivers now, but even veterans like Dale Earnhardt Jr, for example, in his long career didn’t find himself in the victory lane for even one road course. And his legendary dad himself had only one win at a road course back in 1995! Clearly, road courses are a huge topic of disdain for some drivers and they do seem to struggle with the rumors now coming to reality. This might be a tough pill to swallow for them.