A New Endeavor For NASCAR… NASCAR is set to make history this weekend by returning to Mexico City for the first time since 1958 with the inaugural Viva México 250 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The 2.42-mile road course has been a staple on the Formula One calendar since 2015. NASCAR will run a modified 14-turn layout this weekend, and an additional 29 laps compared to Formula One.
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez… Although the NASCAR Cup Series has yet to compete at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Richard Childress Racing heads into the event weekend with a winning tradition in road course competition. RCR has racked up seven victories, 39 top-five finishes, and 80 top-10 finishes in road course competition in the Cup Series. Drivers tallying road course wins under the RCR banner include Tyler Reddick (Road America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, both in 2022), Kevin Harvick (Watkins Glen International in 2006), Robby Gordon (Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International, both in 2003), Dale Earnhardt (Sonoma Raceway in 1995), and Ricky Rudd (Riverside International Raceway in 1983).
Celebrating History… RCR’s first Cup Series victory came on the road course in Riverside, California, in 1983 with Ricky Rudd behind the wheel of the No. 3 Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet. Rudd was just 26 years old and in his second full season for RCR, the eighth full season for the organization. Taking the checkered flag with a seven-second margin of victory over Bill Elliott, Rudd gave RCR the team’s first NASCAR Premier Series win in dominating fashion, leading 57 of the 95 laps. It was Childress’ first win in the Cup Series after 241 starts. You can read more about the race and historic moment in RCR’s history by visiting rcrracing.com.
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez… Although this weekend marks the NASCAR Xfinity Series return to Mexico City for the first time since 2008, Richard Childress Racing has a notable history South of the border, having made eight starts at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez during a four year stretch in which the 2.67-mile road course was a staple on the Xfinity Series schedule from 2005 through 2008. During that span, RCR earned two top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with drivers Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, PJ Jones and Scott Wimmer. Harvick delivered the team’s best result in 2005, finishing second after starting sixth.
Did You Know… This weekend marks the first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race outside the United States since 1958, when the series raced in Toronto, Canada.
Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will be televised live Saturday, June 14, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR Xfinity Series practice and qualifying sessions will be shown for free on The CW App.
Watch Us on Amazon Prime… The Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will be televised live on Sunday, June 15, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, the fourth of five consecutive races this season that will air on the streaming service. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR Cup Series practice & qualifying at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will also be broadcast on Amazon Prime. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez… This weekend marks the NASCAR Cup Series’ first appearance at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, and the Series’ first international points event in modern history. Although Dillon has never raced at the track, he has spent several weeks preparing with his team by racing simulators. Dillon has 38 career road course starts to his credit in the Cup Series, including a pair of top-10 finishes at the Circuit of the Americas and the Charlotte ROVAL, both earned in 2022.
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Boot Barn Ambassadors Join RCR in Mexico City… As part of the race weekend experience at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Boot Barn will have several influencers in attendance as guests of Richard Childress Racing. The fashion-focused micro influencers will participate in a full race day immersion with the No. 3 team, including a meet and greet with Austin Dillon, hauler tour, and the chance to watch Sunday’s race from the team’s pit box.
The Huk Charleston Billfish Cup… Did you know that in addition to driving the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, Dillon is the co-owner of the South Carolina Outcast, a professional angling club in the Sport Fishing Championship (SFC). Now in the inaugural season of competition, the Outcast hosted their first home event this past weekend in one of America’s most iconic coastal cities, Charleston, South Carolina. The Huk Charleston Billfish Cup was hosted at the legendary Saltwater Cowboys on Shem Creek with fishing grounds 65-75 nautical miles offshore, where Golf Stream filaments push in over the wide continental shelf. This unique marine environment makes Charleston one of the only places in the world where anglers can target king mackerel while simultaneously chasing blue marlin.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
You haven’t raced at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but based on what you’ve seen in the SIM, what are your thoughts on the track?
“It’s a pretty standard road course. There’s going to be some tight stadium sections. I would say that the bumper will be used at times. The course has a very long straightaway, so the braking zones will be important.”
How do you prepare for the challenge of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez?
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the elevation affects the engines when we get out there. We have been spending a lot of time on the simulator, working on different setups and getting a feel for the track. My teammate Kyle Busch has a win at Mexico, so I will probably pick his brain a little bit. The track configuration has changed somewhat, but past that, our No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet team put in the work on the simulator, and hope it pays off.”
Are you looking forward to racing in Mexico City? It’s a big moment for our sport.
“Yeah, I haven’t been really focused on all it takes to get to Mexico City. Then this week, I was with a bunch of the Chevy drivers, and in conversations with them, it started to really sink in that this is a big undertaking. It’s a lot just getting to Mexico City, and then with how big the city is itself, and going back and forth to the track, you get a little more anxiety leading into this race weekend. That’s why I don’t like thinking about the traveling part of my job until the last minute, usually, but I am going to prepare a little more this week than I probably would for most race weekends. We’ll be flying home on a Monday instead of a Sunday, so that’s a little different. I’m ready to get there and see what its all about. I just want to get there and get home healthy and safe.”
There’s been a noticeable uptick in performance lately at RCR. What do you attribute the recent success to?
“For our team, we gave away a lot of points the last two weeks from a strategy standpoint, but our cars are driving pretty good. I was really excited at the beginning of the year. I thought we brought some more speed to the track and more competitive cars. Now, it’s been about executing a little better from time to time and we still need to qualify better. We’ve still got a lot of work to go, but we’ve got more pace in our cars than we’ve had the last two years.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Lucas Oil Chevrolet at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez… Kyle Busch will join the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series field in making his first Cup Series start at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Sunday’s inaugural Viva Mexico 250. The 2.42-mile road course is best known for hosting Formula One and the Mexico City Grand Prix. NASCAR has slightly modified the circuit from Formula One’s 2.67-mile layout, and the NASCAR Cup Series will also run 29 more laps than the Formula One race for a scheduled 242.9 miles compared to 189.7. Busch is unique to the rest of the field in that he is a previous winner at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2008).
Previous Winner… Busch scored his first career NASCAR road course victory at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race contested at the track in April 2008. The win was his 27th career victory in NASCAR’s top three Series at that time. He led for 22 of 80 laps, passing Scott Pruett on the 72nd of 80 laps to take the lead for the final time enroute to the win.
Road Course Prowess… Busch has 57 career road course starts at NASCAR’s highest level and has racked up four wins (two at Sonoma Raceway and two at Watkins Glen International), 20 top-five finishes and 30 top-10 finishes. He has additionally earned two poles, both coming at Watkins Glen International, in 2011 and 2017. He has led 472 laps in road course competition in the Cup Series.
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KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
There are a lot of road courses coming up. Does that present an opportunity for you guys to get five points here, three points there and just kind of flip the races that way? “
“Maybe, hopefully, but there’s a lot of really good guys that run really well at road courses as well. So, it’s not like you can outshine in a road race versus an oval. You’ve got Shane van Gisbergen that’s going to be there, AJ Allmendinger that’s going be there. Tyler Reddick is always really fast at those places. Ty Gibbs is fast. Christopher Bell has been fast. So, now you’re already talking about seventh place, right? William Byron as well, he’s been fast at those places. It’s just a matter of putting it all together just as you would on an oval.”
You had arguably your best run of the year at Circuit of the Americas this year. Does that give you confidence heading to Mexico City’s road course?
“A little bit, yeah. I think the tracks are different enough that it’s definitely not the same by any means. But, you turn right and you turn left. So, we’ll see how it goes. It’s primarily a flat course. There’s not a lot of transitions or elevation changes. I would like to think that the COTA stuff will work well there and we can be fast.”
What is the importance of NASCAR going international to take our racing product to fans that aren’t in the United States?
“For me, I feel like going to different venues is always a great thing, whether it’s in the States or whether it’s in Mexico or Canada. Back in the 1990s, I always thought it was cool to tune in late in the year and see NASCAR racing in Japan. I think those opportunities expose different demographics to our sport. A lot of those race fans are probably Formula One fans or fans of different forms of racing that are more native to their country, but bringing NASCAR in exposes them to what we do, who we are, and the characters of the sport. It helps us introduce NASCAR to a new audience.”
As one of the icons of the sport and a multi-time champion, what is it like going to different venues in different countries? And experiencing that stardom and being recognized?
“It’s a lot of fun to go to Mexico. I ran there a couple times in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. It was really cool and unique to see the fans and how different it can be, and the energy that they bring to the track. It’s a lot of fun to check that out. The Mexican fans were very passionate about their particular drivers, most notably Adrian Fernandez. He’s a big name down there. It was a lot of fun to race against him and be a part of that. For me, it was special to win the final race that we had there back in 2008.”
What do you expect out of that track? Have you studied it at all yet or is there anything or you just haven’t looked at it yet?
“I haven’t seen it yet. Obviously, I’ve seen the F1 races there, so I have a good understanding. I’ve raced there before, so not every corner is different, but the stadium section I know is a lot different. It’ll be interesting to see how all that plays out with our cars.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez… Jesse Love will make his inaugural start at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this Saturday. The Menlo Park, California native has never been to the international facility, so Friday’s practice will mark his first laps on the road course asphalt surface. In preparation for this weekend, Love spent hours on the simulator and traveled to Mexico City early to get used to the climate.
Did You Know? Love has roots south of the border. Love’s mother, Elizabeth, was born and raised in Mexico City. The 20-year-old will have multiple family members and close friends at the track on Saturday.
Road Course Stats… The NASCAR Xfinity Series has only had one road course event so far in the 2025 campaign, taking place at Circuit of The Americas in March. Love started from the 11th position, led a total of 13 laps, and crossed the finish line in sixth-place.
Points Check… Through 14 races, Love currently holds the fourth position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – 41 points behind third-place Sam Mayer.
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JESSE LOVE QUOTES:
Describe the preparation that it has taken to go to a new track that you’ve never seen or been to before.
“I’m going to go down to Mexico a couple days early to get used to the climate and elevation. The experience is going to be fun regardless of the outcome. My mom was born and raised in Mexico City, so I have a lot of family that will be at the track this weekend – some that I haven’t even met before and some that I’ll be seeing again for the first time in a long time. There is a lot of prep that goes into racing at a new track, but more so for Mexico with the elevation. I’m doing a lot of work to prep my body with the air being so thin, food differences, etc. I will try to keep things as consistent as possible to life back home. With it being a new track, we can’t go back and look at SMT data from previous years. Your option is to go watch film from 2009, which looks older and has less quality.”
Have you run laps on the simulator to prepare for Saturday’s race? If so, have you identified where the passing zones may be or what areas of the track will be the trickiest?
“Going to Mexico with an open mind is the most important thing. We can do as much prep as we want beforehand, but once we get there, you don’t want to be too married to one thing. You want a mindset of knowing what you like when you arrive but being open to all the different possibilities and equations that can come throughout the weekend. It’s all about going to Mexico with having an idea of what to do, a good feel for the tire, a good idea of where the passing zones could be and what the line will probably be. But nothing is concrete until we get on track.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez… Austin Hill will make his inaugural start at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this Saturday. The Winston, Georgia native has never been to the international facility, so his first laps on the road course asphalt surface will be during Friday’s practice. In preparation for this weekend, Hill spent time on the simulator and reviewed old races from the 2000s.
Road Course Experience… The lone NASCAR Xfinity Series road course race so far this season took place at Circuit of The Americas in March, with Hill qualifying in the 12th position, leading six laps, and finishing in the fourth position.
Holding Second… With 14 races complete, Hill currently sits in the second position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – 92 points behind leader Justin Allgaier. Hill is tied with Allgaier for the series-best 21 Playoff points.
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AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
Describe the preparation that it has taken to go to a new track that you’ve never seen or been to before.
“The biggest preparation we can do is in the simulator at the GM Tech Center. We have done sim work to not only get acclimated to the course itself, but to help determine our shift and lift points. Every time we go to a road course, I try to paint the picture in my head of how the track ebbs and flows. There are still a lot of unknowns that won’t be determined until we get to the track and make our first laps. Physically, making sure my body is prepared for the elevation change has been a focus of mine. Mexico City is significantly higher than our average weekend. Once I get down there, I will get acclimated to the air more than anything. As long as I can drink a lot of fluids and do a lot of the same things I do to prepare for a normal weekend, we will be good come Friday and Saturday.”
