“So It’s Not Safe” – Fans Raise Alarms Over NASCAR’s Mexico Gamble After New Revelations

Just days before NASCAR’s high-stakes return to international racing, team haulers began their trek across the U.S.–Mexico border under the protection of an armed convoy. The trucks—massive, meticulously branded, and carrying millions in equipment—moved through tight city streets and expansive highways alike. Leading and trailing them were pickup trucks loaded with heavily armed security personnel. In one moment, captured on camera, masked officers in bulletproof vests stood alert behind steel bars of their convoy vehicle as red-and-blue lights flashed under overcast skies. On a sunlit highway stretch, another image showed six members of Mexico’s National Guard riding open-air in the back of a truck, rifles slung and gear packed, following just feet behind the haulers.

The destination was Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, where NASCAR’s Cup Series is set to race for the first time since 1958. This isn’t uncharted ground, NASCAR ran Xfinity Series races here in the mid-2000s, but the scale, stakes, and logistics this time are entirely different. Haulers are traveling hundreds of miles away from the sport’s Charlotte-based core. Every resource, cars, parts, crew members, had to be shipped in advance. And every detail, from timing to transportation, had to be tightly choreographed. NASCAR may be prepared on paper, but the execution in unfamiliar territory has made safety an unavoidable part of the conversation.

Tom Bryant, NASCAR’s Vice President of racing operations, knows that the stakes are high. But Bryant is confident that NASCAR has dotted its i’s and crossed every t. Speaking with Hauler Talks last week, he reassured the NASCAR Community that the track had undergone serious scrutiny.

“Literally every hour from Sunday morning until about noon Tuesday is planned and there are events tied to it,” Bryant said of the crossing. “And by gosh, it better happen on time,” Bryant emphasizes that NASCAR safety protocols aren’t just being applied—they’re being amplified. NASCAR has tapped Rock-It Cargo, which handled 200 haulers during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and has even worked with Formula 1 and FIFA. “We’re anticipating no issues… they’ve been doing it for 45 years and haven’t had an issue.”

Moreover, just two days ago, Bryant told NASCAR.com, “We’re responsible for everything. It’s people. It’s equipment. It’s all the logistics to support all that. It’s security. It’s a ton of contingency planning because, hey, we are going to be way far away from our home base here, right? We’re not at North Wilkesboro, where we can run back down to Charlotte and grab pieces and parts. That’s not possible. So every aspect of the event weekend has to be planned for, coordinated, resourced, and ready to go.”

Still, NASCAR has not visited since 2008, when Kyle Busch won the race, and returning after such a long hiatus brings its own set of challenges. However, Tom Bryant brought in everyone from top security services to Top Gear medical staff—but the fans still aren’t sold. They aren’t buying it, not yet.

Fans panic about safety en route to Mexico

As news of NASCAR’s extensive safety protocols made the rounds, fans wasted no time lighting up social media, and let’s just say they are not exactly reassured. A person wrote, “NASCAR teams ain’t f—-n around,” coupled with a picture of the convoys. But the other person cut right to the chase: “so, it’s not safe.” Just five words, but they captured the unease that’s been simmering beneath the excitement. Another chimed in with patriotic urgency: “USA only, please!!!!” A sentiment echoed across tons of replies from fans who believe stock car racing should stay planted on American soil.

And then came the bigger questions, the kind NASCAR can’t brush off with a few press releases. “If they gotta do all this then they probably shouldn’t be there,” one user wrote, pointing to the extraordinary lengths being taken just to host the event. Fans also zeroed in on the reports of armed escorts and tight federal-level coordination. “Maybe they shouldn’t be racing in a country that requires armed?” One comment read, pulling no punches. Others echoed the vibe with posts like: “Idk, maybe we shouldn’t be racing in a country that requires such extreme measures.”

It’s not that the fans are rooting against international expansion; many are excited to see NASCAR go global. But when words like “armed security” and “secret service” start getting tossed around in the same breath as “pit road” and “green flag,” it’s bound to raise some eyebrows. For long-term fans who grew up on all tracks and tailgate Sundays, this kind of high-security atmosphere feels worlds away from the sport they know and love.

Whether it’s fair or not, perception is everything. NASCAR might have dotted every i and crossed every t for safety in Mexico, but right now, the court of public opinion is still very much in session.