Members of the NASCAR industry have responded differently to the Mexico City trip. Some have expressed concerns while Front Row Motorsports driver Zane Smith has just showcased his excitement. He gets to go to his favorite place on earth.
Smith is no stranger to Mexico. He has gone there numerous times throughout his life, albeit for different reasons. Now, he will head south of the border to compete for a win and a spot in the playoffs. Sure, the travel will be more difficult this week than when he heads to Pocono next week, but it's a pain Smith is willing to experience.
"That's probably the most frustrating thing of I wish I had my own flight because this would be a whole lot easier, but I know once we're there it's gonna be cool and a cool experience for everyone," Smith told media members on Wednesday.
"And it's great to have this style of fan base, just a new generation of fans and some new faces. Like I said, I know how great the fans are down in Mexico and I'm so excited to see them and so excited for the sport to see their passion around motorsports. I'm ready for it."
All paws on deck for Mexico City 🇲🇽🐾@ZaneSmith | @mybenebone pic.twitter.com/o7p7L5BNVT
— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) June 10, 2025
Vacations are only one reason why Smith has headed to Mexico. Another is for motorsports competitions. Smith hails from a family that is heavily involved in a different form of racing, one that requires heading across the border multiple times.
"My dad (Mike Smith) has run the (Terrible Herbst) off-road race team, which races in Baja and Mexico pretty much a majority of their races or at least their big races, and that's for the Herbst family," Smith explained. "That's why Riley and I are best friends and have been pretty much all of our lives.
"So right after my championship in 2022 (Truck Series), we vacationed with Riley and some friends in Cabo San Lucas and it's honestly my favorite place on earth."
Granted, just because Smith loves Mexico doesn't mean that he is using the trip to go out and have some fun. His goal is to score points and contend for a race win. It's all business this week.
As such, he will follow a strict plan regarding what he eats and drinks. He will lean more on the side of "being safe than sorry."
As Smith explained, he's just frustrated with some of the noise surrounding this international date on the schedule. He believes some people are blowing everything out of proportion, including the safety concerns.
"It somewhat reminds me of Chicago," Smith said about the Mexico City trip. "It's like, 'Oh my gosh. This is gonna be a train wreck.' And then we go to Chicago and they're like, 'Oh my gosh, this is like the most fun weekend ever.'
"You just have to know what to expect a little bit in Mexico City and Mexico in general. There are good and bad areas, just like there is everywhere."