NASCAR’s 2025 season took a bold leap, crossing borders to Mexico City for the first Cup Series points race outside the U.S. since 1958. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez buzzed with energy, blending the sport’s raw grit with a vibrant new crowd. Fans packed the stands, waving flags and cheering like it was Daytona, proving NASCAR’s gamble on international expansion was no misfire. From logistical hiccups like delayed haulers to the electric vibe of a new market, Mexico is delivering a fresh chapter for stock car racing, with the Viva México 250 catching all the eyes and headlines.

Daniel Suarez, Mexico’s hometown hero, lit up the weekend with a storybook Xfinity Series win in the Chilango 150. Starting last in a half-painted backup car after a qualifying crash, the 33-year-old charged through chaos, dodging spins and a late tussle with Taylor Gray to lead 19 laps and win by 0.598 seconds. As the first Mexican to claim a NASCAR national series title in 2016, Suárez’s triumph in front of his home crowd was pure magic, cementing his role as the face of NASCAR’s Mexican push. But it looks like Bubba Wallace is a popular personality in Mexico, as he was swarmed by fans for autographs and photo requests.

Bob Pockrass captured the meetup where Wallace was seen surrounded by security and making his way to the racetrack. But every step of the way, he was signing caps, gloves and whatnot. “Bubba Wallace headed to a suite appearance …” Michael McDowell from Spire Motorsports received a similar treatment, but seeing the 23XI Racing star warmly greeted in Mexico caught the NASCAR fans by surprise.

A Reddit post titled “Bubba Wallace is very popular in Mexico” captured the madness, showing a video of fans mobbing the 23XI Racing star for autographs. One fan marveled, “I’m starting to think nascar may be more popular in Mexico than in America.” While NASCAR’s roots run deep in the U.S., with the NASCAR Mexico Series thriving since 2004, the electric crowds at Mexico City’s Xfinity and Cup races hint at a growing fanbase south of the border. No hard data says Mexico’s outshining the States yet, but the passion’s undeniable, with fans treating Bubba like a rock star.

More fans joined in the conversation, sharing their thoughts on why Wallace was so popular among the Mexican fans.

Bubba Wallace’s personality garnered him attention in Mexico

A fan gushed, “He’s easily one of the most relatable drivers to me. Whenever he talks he just sounds like a down to earth, regular dude. He actually has some dimension, unlike a lot of monotone drivers. He should be popular. His Larson incident was obviously pretty bad but it was Larson, he mighta had that one coming if we’re honest. Outside of that what bad can you say about the guy?” Bubba’s charm shines through his chill vibe, whether he’s gaming in his “man cave” or opening up about his 2019 depression diagnosis. His TikTok posts and candid interviews make him feel like a buddy, not a distant star, and fans thank him for destigmatizing mental health struggles.

“Well, he did turn into a Mexican rather quickly over the course of 3 days in MC and won the xfinity race yesterday. Kinda comes with the territory,” a fan added. Wallace has been active on social media and collaborated in a funny video with Suarez where in three days time he the American version of Wallace turns into Mexican Suarez on the third day. Given how the Trackhouse Racing driver is popular in his homeland, all Bubba needed was a collab video on social media to win over the Mexican fans.

Finally, a fan noted, “Bubba’s personality, Prime, and continued good races. This is a very successful season so far.” Prime Video’s slick coverage, a step up from Fox’s, has drawn new eyes to NASCAR, showcasing Bubba’s three top-fives and six top-10s in 15 races. Strong runs at Michigan and Nashville, plus his road course growth, have him 10th in points with 383. His lighthearted press conference, rocking a lucha mask (despite a cultural fumble when he dropped it), kept the good vibes rolling, even if he starts 25th in the Viva México 250.

This incident is proof that NASCAR with their big bold plan to take Cup racing outside of US is getting popular among the fans. “Not gonna lie, seeing drivers being welcomed so openly by fans all weekend is dope. Definitely help building the bridge to create new fans and a connection with long term fans that never had this kind of opportunity.” For once, the attention wasn’t just reserved for one driver, and seeing the likes of Wallace and McDowell getting the love from the fans is just wholesome.