It’s fast. It’s loud, and it’s got history in every corner. The NASCAR Cup Series is packing up and heading south of the border. For the very first time, it’s racing in Mexico City at the legendary Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez. This place isn’t just any other racetrack—it’s hosted the world’s biggest racing series, from Formula One to Formula E to endurance giants. Now, NASCAR’s rolling in with its own brand of American horsepower. And it’s clear they’re not just showing up—they’re looking to make a statement.

But pulling off a race this big, this far from home, isn’t as simple as unloading the Haulers and firing up the engines. There’s a whole production behind the scenes. Planes, freight, sponsorships, international logistics—the kind of global show that Formula One has been fine-tuning for years. And now, it looks like NASCAR has taken a page from that playbook. They’ve jumped on the international bandwagon. The question is, how will they pull it off, and who is helping them do it?

NASCAR returns to Mexico, backed by a global giant, 20 years later

When NASCAR first traveled to Mexico City back in 2005 with the Xfinity Series, the journey across the border was anything but routine. Veteran broadcaster Mike Bagley brought up that very memory in a recent Hauler Talk interview with NASCAR’s VP of Racing Operations, Tom Bryant. Bagley recalls stories of how a hauler driver from RCR navigates a foreign land with the help of local “fixers,” or, as he put it, “ Sherpas” who helped teams overcome language barriers and navigate unfamiliar roads. However, not having UPS around is going to be a problem, so NASCAR had to dig deep, literally pulling out all documentation from 2000 to guide the strategy. This time around, Bagley asked, would NASCAR lean on the same kind of local expertise?

Bagley didn’t dodge the question. “20 years ago, we had UPS as a partner who did all the logistics to get us down to Mexico City. That was way easier than having Tom Bryant, Steve Barris, and Alan Taylor do. But that wasn’t an option this time. So. But yeah, there were. We dug up all those old documents and looked through that stuff and looked through the lessons learned from those races back in the early 2000s, and certainly our planning was informed by that.” But the real game changer?

Is the new partnership with Rocket Global, a heavyweight in the world of global event logistics. The reach and accuracy of Rocket very impressed Bryant Global. He goes on to mention, “Literally, when they took Taylor Swift, she had- there were 200 haulers for that concert. They move F1 all over the place. They’ll be moving the soccer World Cup from all over the world to the US. So these guys are absolutely when you talk about Sherpas. They are the Sherpas of Sherpas when it comes to navigating international borders and moving stuff on the ground.” With the new partnership, NASCAR isn’t just looking for transportation.

It is also looking for security and precision. These haulers are packed with gear down to the last wrench, and every piece of equipment has to be accounted for. “And when you think about a NASCAR race team hauler, the amount of equipment on that hauler, the tools, the vehicles themselves, like everything associated with. Has to be included on the manifest. They are very strict about what we bring into the country, what we take out of the country.” The operation has involved customs brokers on both sides of the border to ensure that not a single bolt gets held up.

Brian also extended his gratitude to a yeoman’s effort, Steve Barris, to get every document squared away. More than anything, Tom Brynat shows full confidence and support in the new partnership to ensure a seamless travel and journey. He applauds them for their years of work, saying, “When it comes to navigating international borders and moving stuff on the ground, they have been a tremendous help for us, and they will also augment our security for all of our trucks. We’re anticipating no issues. Those guys have been doing it for 45 years and haven’t had an issue, so knock on wood, we’re gonna keep that record going for them.” What fans don’t see is just how early this mission started.

Planning for the Mexico City race began nearly a year ago, with Brian and his team making multiple scouting trips to Laredo, the keyboard crossing point. There, they met with the officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and their Mexican counterparts to hash out how to move an entire sport across an international line without missing a beat.

As the Cup Series race at Michigan, they’ll be simultaneously prepping Haulers to head out the moment the checkered flag drops, with a timely, tight 40-hour journey to Mexico City. Bryant, a former Army Ranger, will be boots on the ground at the Laredo crossing to help Xfinity Series haulers clear customs before Cup teams follow closely behind. As NASCAR’s Cup and Xfinity Series drivers geared up for the historic run in Mexico, two young Hometown stars had already made headlines.

Trending

1

Teresa Earnhardt Faces Huge Backlash After $2.23 Trillion Earnhardt Partner’s Exposè

2

NASCAR Leaks: Richard Petty’s Iconic Manufacturer Confirms Return in Leaked Photos, Fans in Disbelief

3

“He’s Lying to You”- Spire Motorsports Boss Drops Damning Truth Bomb on His Own NASCAR Driver

4

“If You Ain’t First, You’re Last”: Fans Divided as NASCAR Announces Controversial Exception for Mexico City

5

“There Aren’t Enough Curse Words”: Teresa Earnhardt’s Name Dragged Through the Mud by Fans Months After Earning Goodwill

Mexico’s rising stars make their mark in ARCA’s big league debuts

Eloy Falcon and Regina Sirvent have made giant leaps in their ARCA Menards national series debut at Michigan International Speedway. Falcon secured a top 10 finish and Sirvent crossed the line in 14th. Against a field of veterans, their performance turned heads and hinted at what could be long and promising journeys to the NASCAR pipeline.

Falcon, on the podium in his ARCAE debut, understands the value of US seat times. He goes on to say, “Here, they have two-mile tracks. That’s something we don’t have in Mexico. And we don’t have these big cars—more speed, different kind of racing. NASCAR Mexico Series is a little bit faster Late Model cars. Our biggest track is a mile and a half. The main goal here is to complete the whole lap. That’s a way to learn about these races.” Committed to running at least four more ARCA events this year, Falcon’s focus is on learning lap by lap. Moreover, she is determined to climb to the Cup series.

Sirvent, piloting the No. 68 for Kimmel Racing, showed no fear in her first national ARCA start. “I think it will be a start to the path to getting into the Cup Series.” Balancing racing with industrial engineering studies, Sirvent has been racing in the US since 2021. She is steadily making her way through the ranks. “I feel like we’re going to start making a name for ourselves. And it will be easier also to find teams to go through the ladder, also sponsorship. Maybe we have a lot of sponsors in Mexico. But here, they don’t know us.” She is determined to put herself and Mexican talent on the map.

However, she understands the uphill task of gaining recognition and sponsorship in the US. As she returns to race in front of a crowd next weekend in the NASCAR Mexico series, Sirvent remains laser-focused. “I think I have what it takes to get up the ladder. I have always said that racing is not for men, it’s not for women, it’s for drivers. And if you get your preparation enough, you’ll become the driver that you want to be.” With her mindset and talent, Regina Sirvent could become the next major force in the sport. And maybe even NASCAR’s next full-time female Cup driver.