NASCAR will reportedly not return to Mexico in the 2026 season despite the fans’ reception to the Viva Mexico 250, which Shane van Gisbergen won in dominant fashion.

The Viva Mexico 250 was NASCAR’s first international points race since 1958, with the race proving that there is a demand for NASCAR is some parts of the world. However, some drivers made it known that while Mexico was a breath of fresh air, there were some aspects of the race that needed to be changed in future iterations.

That said, the 2026 season will not feature a return to Mexico due to various factors, the most prevalent of which is the scheduling aspect of the race.

It was reported by The Athletic that NASCAR will not have a race in Mexico after the teams, track, and NASCAR could not find a date that worked for all parties. Part of what makes it difficult is the fact that Mexico City will host World Cup games from June 11 to July 5, making a potential race in the city difficult.

At one point, NASCAR even floated the idea of having a potential NASCAR-IndyCar event in Mexico before ultimately deciding that the sport will return to Mexico City in 2027 instead, according to the outlet.

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The news comes after a handful of stars shared their comments on racing in Mexico. Three-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano explained that there are a myriad of logistical issues that have to be addressed if NASCAR wants to continue expanding internationally.

“What I’m saying logistically, it’s a little harder for us, because we’re not just taking the team—we’ve got to take the car and all the parts and the pieces, and it’s just a lot,” Logano said. The star also admitted that going to Mexico and racing the Viva Mexico 250 was “uncomfortable.”

“There is risk involved. But there is also high reward for our sport by doing this – stepping out of what we typically do in America and going international,” he continued.

“It’s kind of a scary thing to do, let’s be honest. I think everyone … probably has some concerns of how are we going to get there? Where are we going to go? What do we do?”

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Bubba Wallace, the 23XI Racing star, also noted how dangerous Turn 1 was at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, where the Viva Mexico 250 was held. In particular, Wallace shared how he believed NASCAR didn’t “give a damn” regarding driver safety at that particular turn.

Fans were also perturbed knowing just how much security was needed to have each driver’s car and equipment arrive safely in the country. Despite the criticism, the Viva Mexico 250 appeared to be a success from all sides.

In Mexico City’s place, NASCAR is finalizing a plan to have a race at Chicagoland, the 1.5-mile oval, which used to be part of the schedule from 2001 to 2019. The Chicagoland race could also stand in place of the Chicago Street Race, which will not return for the 2026 season after three successful seasons.