Latest news with #DanielSuárez
New York Times
4 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
NASCAR's Mexico City weekend was largely a success. Will it return in 2026?
MEXICO CITY — One of the main objectives behind bringing NASCAR's Cup Series to Mexico City, which on Sunday hosted the first premier series points race outside the United States since 1958, was introducing the sport to a culture unfamiliar with it. If expanding the fan base is the measuring stick to gauge whether the Mexico City race weekend is a success, then there's ample evidence that NASCAR accomplished it. Across the city, the fifth-largest in the world by population, advertisements promoting the race were everywhere, from billboards to the subway, and many fans expressed excitement about NASCAR racing within their city. Advertisement This enthusiasm was at its peak at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Fans loudly cheered the on-track action, particularly anything involving Daniel Suárez — a native of Monterrey, Mexico — whether it was a pass he made for position, or even when he was briefly shown on a video screen. When Suárez won Saturday's Xfinity Series race, the fans' roar drowned out the cars circling before them. But it wasn't only the native son who generated such a strong reaction, with many drivers finding themselves mobbed by fans when they walked through public areas. Beyond the anecdotal, there is hard data that supports NASCAR expanding into Mexico, something the sport's leadership has attempted for a while but wasn't able to make happen until this year. According to Ben Kennedy, NASCAR's executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovation officer, 90 percent of those who attended Sunday's race — won by Shane van Gisbergen — came from Mexico, and 44 percent of the crowd lived in Mexico City. 'Today wasn't just a race,' Kennedy said. 'This was a historic moment for our sport, for Mexico, and for the global motorsports' community. 'One of the coolest parts about this weekend was seeing the reaction of the fans. I had the opportunity to go into the stands a few times, and the energy and the passion of the fans here is unmatched.' It stands to reason, then, that NASCAR would exercise the option it holds with Mexican promoter OCESA to return to race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez next year. Too much positive came out of NASCAR's foray south of the border, and NASCAR and its teams largely support having an international race on the Cup calendar. Still, while NASCAR usually doesn't leave a track after just a single year (of the new tracks added since 2021, only Road America exited after less than three years), the league has not yet committed to another go in Mexico City. Advertisement 'We're very hopeful to be back here in the future,' Kennedy said. NASCAR has numerous reasons to hedge, and there is no rush to make a call. As it does after every new race, NASCAR's decision-makers will convene to dissect the completed race weekend, what worked and what didn't, while also soliciting industry feedback, primarily from the teams and media partners. NASCAR's discussions with teams will carry significant weight in any decision. From conversations with numerous team leaders throughout the weekend, nearly every one of them sees the benefit in continuing to race internationally and thought the Mexico City race weekend went rather smoothly — once everyone reached the city. And it's this caveat that proved problematic. Hiccups in travel, most of which was coordinated by NASCAR, led to several individuals arriving late to Mexico City. Among them was van Gisbergen, who didn't make it until shortly before opening practice on Friday, along with several members of his Trackhouse Racing team, after their NASCAR-chartered plane was grounded with a mechanical issue. Should Mexico City find a spot on the 2026 schedule, the majority of the teams that spoke to The Athletic would prefer to handle coordinating their own travel itineraries, something they do for every other race weekend. 'We're going to do a postmortem on our side around the event; we're going to collaborate with the teams,' Kennedy said. '… We're going to get together and put our heads together. What works? What will we continue to replicate in the future and where? What changes would you like to see if we do come back? How do we make sure it's as efficient and as effective as we can? Part of that is probably logistics planning. Part of that is probably scheduled.' Then there is the issue of actually getting the equipment to Mexico City, a difficulty compounded by a grinding Cup schedule that sees teams race 37 times over a 38-week span. Almost immediately following the June 8 race in Brooklyn, Michigan, team haulers had to begin heading toward Mexico City, required to be at the United States-Mexico border in Laredo, Texas, 24 hours later. The next day, they continued on to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. This coming weekend, NASCAR races at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, 2,500 miles back the other direction. Advertisement Ideally, teams would like to see an off weekend either before or after any future Mexico City race. 'We can't do this — Michigan, Mexico City, back to Pocono, can't happen, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon said. 'We're doing it and we're excited to take on the challenge, but it's going to wear on us, and I don't think we can do it all back-to-back. So we've got to make some adjustments to the schedule and how do we fit it all in into what's already a very difficult schedule.' NASCAR recognizes the burden placed on the teams, particularly hauler drivers. This was a big ask that required lots of buy-in. Kennedy, primarily NASCAR's chief schedule maker, acknowledged an off weekend would greatly help everyone. But also noted that it's not a straightforward decision given the complexity of putting together the schedule. 'Having it located adjacent to an off week would help quite a bit,' Kennedy said. 'From a travel perspective, the challenge is we don't have many off weeks. We have a couple off weeks, so we do have some options, and we are looking at those options ideally, if we do come back, it will be around an off week, but still have some work to do.' Logistic challenges aside, it's hard not to deem the inaugural race in Mexico City a success. And it's why the expectation within the garage is that NASCAR will again be racing there next year. For NASCAR to truly cash in on its sizable investment in this race, it would be a mistake not to build off the foothold that it has established over the past nine months since first announcing the race. The consensus is NASCAR needs at least one international race each season. And after the past week, Mexico City should be atop that list of options. 'For us, this is more of a strategic move as a sport to expand our footprint globally and internationally, and to a massive fan base,' Kennedy said. 'Just being in a country with 90 million people and over 20 million people in the larger Mexico City metro alone, that in and of itself is a success. That is success for us. Advertisement 'In my opinion, that carries a lot more weight than the economics or financials of the event. Sure, it's a variable we consider, but strategically, it's more important that we focus on those factors as we make those decisions.' (Top photo of race winner Shane van Gisbergen during Sunday's Cup Series race in Mexico City: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Al Arabiya
NASCAR's Mexico City Race: How a Historic Event Overcame Skepticism and Delays
Despite the handful of industry insiders too scared to leave their hotels in Mexico City, NASCAR's first international Cup Series race of the modern era was a cultural experience that brought new fans to the series and provided its competitors with a chance to enjoy a new country. The event had its detractors – rumors persisted for months that it would be canceled over security concerns or the escalating tensions between the US and Mexico – and some NASCAR team members remained critical all the way through Sunday's race. But was it a success? Even with travel delays, hotel room snafus, and confusion over shuttle transportation, it was unequivocally a shining moment for NASCAR. 'Every single thing about this weekend exceeded my expectations,' said Daniel Suárez, the Monterrey-born NASCAR driver who was the face of the three-day weekend. 'The people, the fans, the sponsors, the excitement, the energy. I had expectations for this weekend…and I can tell you that I personally exceeded those expectations.' The idea to try the road course at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez – host of one of the most popular Formula 1 events on that calendar – was the brainchild of Ben Kennedy, executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer. The great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. has been aggressive in shaking up a schedule that went to the same tracks on the same weekends for decades. Bringing the Cup Series to Mexico City – only the third race outside the US in seventy-seven years – was a chance to expose stock car racing to a new demographic and give Mexican fans their first chance to see the series race live. 'This was a historic moment for our sport, for Mexico, and for the global motorsports community,' Kennedy said after Shane van Gisbergen won Sunday's race to lock the New Zealander into the playoffs. 'One of the coolest parts about this weekend was seeing the reaction of the fans. I had the opportunity to go into the stands a few times,' he continued. 'The energy and the passion of the fans here is unmatched.' Kennedy said ninety percent of those in attendance were from Mexico, with forty-four percent from Mexico City. 'Most important, there were a lot of new fans coming out of this weekend.' Will NASCAR return? Even so, Kennedy could not guarantee another race in Mexico City. FIFA has World Cup games scheduled for this same week next year, and there are the logistical issues of finding a date during a packed thirty-eight-week schedule. The cars had to leave Michigan International Speedway immediately after last week's race to make the forty-hour journey across the border and now must get to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania in time for this weekend's race. 'I want to go everywhere in the world – England, Germany, South America, Australia, everywhere we can go,' said Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, the vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports. 'The next thing that makes sense in Canada. But we have to figure out the schedule before we do too much of this. We can't do this. Michigan, Mexico City, back to Pocono can't happen. We're doing it and we're excited to take on the challenge, but it's going to wear on us and I don't think we can do it all back-to-back. So we've got to make some adjustments to the schedule and how do we fit it all in into what's already a very difficult schedule.' Where will NASCAR go next? Nothing is off the table for Kennedy, who is globally exploring where NASCAR can race and showcase its product. One glaring issue: Those in the industry who remain comfortable with the same old schedule of traveling to Bristol, Tennessee, and Martinsville, Virginia, and Darlington Raceway in South Carolina twice a year. While those markets are tied deeply to NASCAR's Southern roots, there isn't room for growth in playing to the same crowds over and over. The pushback on Mexico City didn't come from any high-profile drivers, but Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s spotter had a scathing social media post ripping the city in which he said, 'Screw this place, people can talk it up all they want,' and twenty-two-year-old driver Carson Hocevar had a similar sentiment in derisive comments on a live stream he has since walked back. 'Maybe a kid that had never been out of the country until Thursday should never give an opinion about what any place is like other than (hometown) Portage, Michigan,' Hocevar posted on social media. 'I was skeptical about the trip and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here. Now that I've actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I've ever seen, my opinion has changed,' he continued. 'I am embarrassed by my comments.' This was baffling to some of the more well-traveled drivers, including Kyle Larson, who has raced at two hundred-plus different tracks around the world and makes annual trips to Australia and New Zealand. He also attended the 2021 Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi and then vacationed in Dubai. He likened Mexico City to a field trip for NASCAR because the drivers all stayed in the same hotels and rode buses together to the circuit each day. On a normal weekend they are holed up in their motorhomes at the track and rarely venture out. 'It's honestly really fun and enjoyable to be around your competitors and get to know each other a bit better because on a typical weekend we just kind of lock ourselves in wherever we're at,' he said. 'We don't talk to anybody or anything. So it's nice that, yeah, you're almost forced to hang out with each other. It's cool. You get to know them, so I've enjoyed that.' Even Kyle Busch, who was arrested in Mexico in 2023 for carrying a concealed weapon, was surprised by the few who had a negative response to racing in Mexico City. 'The food is amazing; the city has some of the top restaurants in the world,' Busch said. 'This is a great place to be, and I don't understand the people holed up in their hotels too scared to leave. Live a little.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Shane van Gisbergen Wins Mexico City NASCAR Cup Race in Weekend International Sweep
Shane van Gisbergen has been chasing his second win in the NASCAR Cup Series since he won in his inaugural start in the Chicago Street race in 2023. Sunday afternoon in NASCAR Cup's marathon first race in Mexico City, he secured a win for the second time on a brand-new street/road course for NASCAR. After a strong rookie season in the Xfinity series last year, the New Zealand former Supercars driver was moved up to the Cup Series to race for Trackhouse Racing. The transition has not been easy, and van Gisbergen found himself way back in 33rd position before the win on Sunday. Van Gisbergen found himself violently sick before the race, while the No. 88 trackhouse team also worked short-staffed as their final plane was delayed into Mexico's capital. This was Trackhouse's second win of the season, following a slow start for the relatively new NASCAR team. Van Gisbergen's teammate Ross Chastain went from last to first to win in the Coke 600 Memorial Day weekend, coincidentally, a last-to-first win for Trackhouse was mirrored Saturday afternoon when Daniel Suárez won the Xfinity Series race in Mexico in front of his fellow countrymen. In celebration of van Gisbergen's mix of cultures with Trackhouse, he punted a rugby ball into the stands, a tradition started last year in the Xfinity series and meant to pair with Chastain's watermelon smash and Suárez's piñata tear. Now all three have been used so far this year, with Suárez the only driver without a Cup Series win. NASCAR removed the rule that a driver needed to be in the top 30 in points to make the playoffs with a win after the 2024 season. This rule change greatly helps van Gisbergen, who is now locked into the playoffs even though he's only 33rd in the championship points. The New Zealand driver led 60 of 100 laps, Ty Gibbs, who also had a strong race in the Xfinity race before spinning Connor Zilisch and himself out of contention, led 27 of the remaining 40 before finishing 11th. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Stage 3 melee sinks Xfinity victory bids by Zilisch, Gibbs in Mexico City
MEXICO CITY — Through two stages, Connor Zilisch and Ty Gibbs made strong cases to contend for a cherished victory in Saturday's return of the NASCAR Xfinity Series to Mexico. That strength fizzled when the final stage went green, opening the door for a spirited victory by the host country's stock-car star. Zilisch and Gibbs tangled one last time in the second half of Saturday's The Chilango 150, spoiling their chances at an international win and providing an avenue for Daniel Suárez to score a popular triumph at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The two young drivers combined to lead 33 of the first 40 laps, but carnage at one of the hardest sections of the 2.42-mile circuit involved both front-runners, wrapping up a total of 13 cars in a full-fledged melee. Zilisch, an Xfinity Series rookie for JR Motorsports, rallied from significant damage to place fifth, notching his third consecutive top-five result since returning from injury. Gibbs, a Cup Series regular, settled for 14th for Joe Gibbs Racing in his first Xfinity start of the year. RELATED: | The conflict came in Turn 1, a tight right-hander at the end of the long front straightaway on the 47th of 65 laps, just as Stage 3 set sail. Zilisch's No. 88 Chevrolet entered the corner on the inside of a three-wide battle with Gibbs and Suárez, and the car bounded into the door of Gibbs' No. 19 Toyota after ripping over the curbing. William Sawalich's No. 18 Toyota and others clanged into Zilisch's car as it traveled through the zig-zag second and third turn. Gibbs seemed clear of the fray behind him as Suárez scooted away, but he collided with the No. 1 Chevy of Carson Kvapil. That contact clogged up the exit of Turn 3, where Parker Retzlaff and a host of other drivers piled in. That both drivers were able to continue to the checkered flag was a feat in itself, but the outcomes were far from the win that both hoped would materialize. 'I didn't get a great push down the front straightaway, and Daniel and Ty were able to get alongside me,' said Zilisch, who led the field for the final stage's start. 'Yeah, I just got in a little hot and kind of was bottom three-wide and didn't have a great angle. I think everyone was kind of pinching down on the inside, and yeah, just hit Ty and ended both of our races. So yeah, it's frustrating. I mean, I wish that didn't happen, and if I could have just gotten a better push down the front straight, I think we would have been OK. But yeah, it's tough being bottom three-wide into that first turn. It's so tight with such a big brake zone and you go in a little too hot, it ruins a lot of things.' Gibbs declined comment as he left pit road, but he was more vocal as he radioed back to his No. 19 crew after the incident. 'Did the 88 just bomb it in there or what?' Gibbs asked. When told that his assessment was at least partially correct, Gibbs added: 'The guy did it two times before that, wrecked himself and about 25 other people.' Gibbs led 18 laps — second only to Suárez's 19 — and became the sixth driver to pilot the JGR No. 19 entry this year. The result was less than what crew chief Seth Chavka had hoped for. 'I actually haven't watched the replay yet, so I can't speak on that,' Chavka told 'I mean, it looked like Zilisch got there a little too hot and kind of jacked everybody up. But I mean, like I said, until I see a replay, it's kind of hard for me to say anything about it. We're neck-and-neck with Zilisch. I think we were going to have something for him in Stage 3. I mean, it's all about just managing the gap on the short run. I think we were definitely the best car in the long run. So I mean, I had high hopes that we're gonna come out here; show up here with Ty Gibbs, we expect to win. So a little bummed we couldn't get it done.' The multicar tangle was the final clash in a series of tense exchanges between the two drivers. On Lap 2, Gibbs shoved Zilisch wide through the Turns 1 through 3 area, costing him three spots, and the two also raced closely together into Turn 1 after leaving pit road alongside each other on Lap 38 before the stage break. Zilisch said that the contact was less a byproduct of the tight section of corners, but more attributable to Gibbs. 'It's just Ty,' Zilisch said. 'I mean, he was racing me really hard the whole time, and I was easy to him on the first lap. I kind of let him have it in the first few corners and let him get the lead, and then I was a little bit faster than him. So yeah, when I cleared him down into (Turn) 1, I kind of went in a little bit deep and washed out. … He just got into me and shipped me. So, yeah, I don't think it was just the nature of the corners. I think that was pretty intentional.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Home-country hero Daniel Suárez wins first Nascar race in Mexico since 2008
In all his high hopes and hard work over the last year to promote Nascar's return to his home country of Mexico, even Daniel Suárez could not have imagined the amazing story of his dramatic win in Saturday's The Chilango 150 – coming from last place on the grid in a backup car and charging to Victory Lane. After victory spinouts, the 33-year old from Monterrey, Mexico, climbed out of his No 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, stood on the car's roof, pounded his chest and pointed upward to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez grandstands – shouting to the thrilled crowd in his native Spanish and thanking his loyal fans for their support. 'It's everything I was looking for, just a special day,' said an emotional Suárez, the 2016 Nascar Xfinity Series champion, who led a race-best 19 of the race's 65 laps and beat Taylor Gray to the checkered flag by .598 seconds in a backup car the team rebuilt after he crashed in the morning qualifying session. 'It's a very special day to be here in front of my people, all these people that have supported me for many, many years and known me since my Nascar Mexico days. Now I'm fighting with the big boys,' said Suárez, who was forced to use the 'international provisional' starting position after his incident in qualifying. Even after diligently working his way through the 37-car field, Suárez had to earn this win by every definition. The Nascar Cup Series full-timer went door to door with Gray on a restart with three laps remaining, ultimately pulling away – only to have to fend off a fast-approaching Gray again on the final stretch of the last lap. Suárez first took the lead Saturday in similarly dramatic fashion, prevailing on a three-wide restart with 19 laps remaining. He emerged out front after going head-to-head with the race's early leaders, rookie Connor Zilisch and fellow Nascar Cup Series regular Ty Gibbs. The polesitter Zilisch, who led 17 laps, wheel-hopped taking the opening corner of a crowded restart, spun and then hit his JR Motorsports teammate Carson Kvapil as the pileup behind began. Gibbs, who led 18 laps, moved forward from the initial contact then made contact with Kvapil's Chevy on the next turn. The ensuing pileup affected 13 cars to varying degrees. Suárez drove through the melee, drawing a massive cheer from the crowd. The Mexican fans stood on their feet, arms raised, Mexican flags in the air. Richard Childress Racing's Austin Hill finished third, Kaulig Racing's Christian Eckes was fourth and Zilisch recovered to finish fifth in another of the day's more remarkable efforts. After that incident with 17 laps remaining, Zilisch fell back to 28th place with damage to the right side of his Chevy, only to move through the field at a remarkable pace – up 14 positions in the three laps after the restart. He was in 10th place with 10 laps to go, finishing among the top five. 'I'm proud of my team for their effort,' said Zilisch, who leaned against his car alone on pit road, obviously disappointed with the outcome after such a strong afternoon. 'Obviously the finish isn't what we wanted. We probably had a better car than fifth place, but we got caught up in an incident on that last restart. Just proud to be able to come here and get a decent finish. William Sawalich, Austin Green, Jeb Burton and his cousin, Harrison Burton, and Sammy Smith rounded out the top 10. There were seven lead changes among six drivers, with Kvapil winning the first stage and Smith winning stage two. Nascar Xfinity Series championship leader Justin Allgaier had to take his No 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet behind the wall for repairs before the end of the first stage, ultimately settling for a 34th-place finish, 15 laps down to the winner. Fortunately for the reigning series champion, he held a 92-point advantage over Hill atop the points standings heading into Mexico City. He now leads by 54 points.
