Questions have continued to circulate about a NASCAR Cup Series race in an international market. The 2025 schedule is not set yet, but the possibility of a race in Mexico or Canada seems to be on the way.
"I don't think it's an issue of, 'Are we going to eventually get the Cup Series outside of the US,'" Chad Seigler, vice president and chief international officer at NASCAR, said Tuesday at the NASCAR Production Facility.
"It's more of a matter of when. ...We had seven different countries in Daytona this year that were just wanting to learn a little bit more."
International races are nothing new for lower-tier series. Xfinity teams competed in Mexico City and Montreal during the Nationwide days. Craftsman Truck Series teams raced at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2013-19.
Cup teams also took part in exhibition races in Japan in 1996-98.
NASCAR has an interest in taking its top series to an international market in full force, especially considering the spikes in interest when Daniel Suarez and Shane van Gisbergen perform at a high level. However, there are some logistical issues to work through.
As Seigler explained, the first hurdle is finding a spot on the schedule for an international race. There are 38 race weekends, so where would an international race fit so that the extra travel does not become an issue?
Mexico and Canada alleviate some of these concerns as North American countries. The teams can transport cars and equipment with haulers like normal. Other destination markets like Brazil or countries in Europe are a different matter entirely.
"Brazil, it's a long trip, but the positive of a place like Brazil is you've got water access and the time zone is only one hour difference than the US," Seigler said. "So there's some positives, but I think it's more of us looking at the North America stock first before you expand somewhere."
Taking on an international market is not a simple challenge, but it is one NASCAR will embrace. There is an understanding within the sanctioning body that it needs to reach other markets around the world while still keeping its core domestic audience happy.
NASCAR simply sees a big opportunity based on the response to the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, the NASCAR Mexico Series, the NASCAR Canada Series, and the NASCAR Brasil Series.
"We raced at Brands Hatch which is an obviously historical venue right outside of London," Seigler said. "And two years ago, we set an attendance record there for 43,000 people. And you start to look at those numbers and you say, 'Look, that's some Cup-level numbers at some tracks.
"...Last year, we were around 40,000 people at Interlagos (in Brazil) so what that tells us is there's a passion and an interest and an excitement for our style of racing."