Street Races and Global Hopes: Is NASCAR’s Growth Plan Built to Last?

Folks, if we’re being honest, the NASCAR race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is looking like a lot more trouble than it’s worth at the moment. Sure, we always knew there would be challenges involved when NASCAR ventures south of the border. But perhaps teams and sponsors had underestimated just how ‘unprepared’ they were for the first point-paying Cup Series event being held on international waters since 1958, if the ongoing chaos is anything to go by.

From logistical challenges to sponsorship issues, the race in Mexico City is becoming quite a headache for everyone involved. But that’s just a part of NASCAR’s bid to expand the sport, right? With Amazon Prime targeting ‘younger audiences’, the Viva Mexico 250 is looking to tap into a whole different set of motorsports enthusiasts, and potentially pave the way for more such international races in the future.

NASCAR deals with sponsorship woes

With the race in Mexico on the horizon, sponsors are being forced to reassess their marketing strategies for a new country. After all, the laws are different south of the border, which includes a lot of advertising restrictions. And for a sport where sponsorship dollars are essentially the bread and butter for teams, that’s a pretty big deal. Especially because the upcoming race weekend is arguably the biggest one on the calendar this year, and some companies will be forced to take a backseat.

In a tweet shared by FOX’s Bob Pockrass, the journalist wrote, “For Mexico, RCR haulers and haulers from other teams have covered up most alcohol (if less than 6% alcohol content, possible to have it through a permitting process), and all CBD, nicotine/tobacco logos. Casino only OK if licensed in Mexico. No firearms/ammo advertising allowed.”

This means that teams such as Richard Childress Racing will be forced to cover up some of their sponsorship logos. As things stand, Rebel Bourbon signed a sponsorship agreement with Kyle Busch’s No. 8 team for select races in the 2024 and 2025 seasons. But according to local laws in Mexico City, alcohol branding is restricted unless it meets a strict under-6% alcohol content rule and goes through a permitting process, and even then, there’s no guarantee.

Apart from that, logos for CBD products, nicotine, or tobacco companies are not allowed either, as well as companies advertising firearms or ammo. Casino sponsorships are only given the green light if they are licensed in Mexico. Such sponsorship hurdles are raising questions about NASCAR’s expansion plans, but it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Companies knew for months that the sport was heading to Mexico for a one-off event, and according to Pockrass, “some of these deals were completed after Mexico was on the 2025 schedule.”

If NASCAR wants to host such international events regularly, then teams will need to have their sponsors on the same page. Adaptability is key to sustainability, and the sport’s plan to expand beyond the continental United States will only prove to be effective if such hurdles don’t prove to be insurmountable. While one can say the ongoing situation is nothing more than ‘teething troubles,’ time will tell if more such races take place in the future, perhaps in Canada or even in Europe.

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Teams plagued by logistical crisis ahead of Mexico race

Going into the double-header at Michigan International Speedway, teams knew they had their work cut out for them. They weren’t just preparing for a race weekend at the 1.9-mile oval. The garage was also working overtime to ensure everything was in place for the Mexico race. It’s a 72-hour driver from Michigan to south of the border, and as you’d probably expect, there was full-blown chaos behind the scenes.

NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck shared an update on X, saying, “Bell 19 car? Larson car being pushed by the 48 team? What’s going on here? Well, this morning is the great swap-out. Teams are taking their Michigan backups off the haulers to clear room and then loading the Mexico cars. Haulers leave tonight and must be at the border tomorrow.” 

NASCAR Vice President of Racing Operations Tom Bryant has been preparing for this moment for almost a year. He has been working alongside U.S. Customs and Mexican officials to ensure everything goes smoothly, saying, “It’s been a ton of coordination moving lots of people and lots of stuff safely and efficiently across a great distance and an international border.” Everything needs to go like clockwork, and the sanctioning body is taking no chances.

They’ve hired ‘Rock-It Cargo’, professionals who were involved in Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, to smooth the process. But in the long run, NASCAR needs to nail its logistics if international races become a regular occurrence. While the sport can consider the Viva Mexico 250 to be a one-off this time around, expansion to international waters means dealing with unprecedented challenges, ones they will have to nail to avoid the chaos once and for all.

Well, the travel from Michigan to Mexico City is a long route, as Michigan is geographically one of NASCAR’s northern-most races, while Mexico is obviously as far south as they will travel all year. So, maybe NASCAR could have planned that a little better, but Tom Bryant seems to be confident in their planning. He added, “We’re anticipating no issues. Those guys [Rock-It Cargo] 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.”

Are you excited about NASCAR’s trip to Mexico City? Let us know in the comments!