Hendrick Motorsports driver and 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has proposed a number of international locations for the top series to visit in the future
Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson hopes to see NASCAR race abroad again in the future(Image: Getty)
Kyle Larson has his sights set on a broader horizon for NASCAR after the Viva Mexico 250 in Mexico City, suggesting that the Cup Series should look to broaden its international reach in the years ahead.
The Viva Mexico 250 marked the first time since 1958 that the Cup Series held a points-scoring race outside of the United States. The event wasn’t without its hiccups, as mechanical issues grounded two flights carrying drivers and crew, and many participants fell ill during the trip.
Despite these obstacles and a disappointing 36th place finish due to an early collision with Kyle Busch, Larson reflects positively on the experience. However, fans may have to wait until 2027 for another Cup Series event in Mexico City, with no plans to return in 2026.
Larson, who recently made his feelings clear on an incident with Chase Elliott that left a NASCAR announcer stunned, shared his unique experiences on Julian Edelman’s Games With Names podcast. Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr dropped a major hint of a potential schedule change.
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“Whereas going to Mexico City, it was completely different,” he said. “Teams were chartering big planes and like, I think Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Penske were all in the same plane. So like traveling with other teams would be unique.
“And then for me, like all the drivers were at like a hotel together, sitting there, all hanging out, like sitting at the bar, hanging out, having a good time, going to dinner with each other. So that was unique.
“And then also racing in front of a different fan base was pretty cool. Probably raced in front of a lot of fans that I’ve never raced in front of before in my life. So it was really cool.”
While Larson did later concede that “the traffic sucks in Mexico City,” it appears the overall experience has left him eager for more. The 2021 Cup Series champion hinted at a possible return to Montreal, Canada for NASCAR, saying it would potentially “be fun,” and mentioned how “everybody talks about how that was like a blast, like going out in Montreal and the fans there are crazy.”
NASCAR’s top three series have deep-rooted connections with Canada, with the Cup first racing north of the border in 1952 at Niagara Falls, then Toronto in 1958, and Montreal joining the lineup in 2007 on an annual basis in the Xfinity Series through 2012. Bowmanville later hosted an annual Truck Series race from 2013 to 2019.
Larson finished 36th in Mexico City after being hit early on by Kyle Busch(Image: Getty)
Larson also suggested venturing to Australia or New Zealand, having participated in dirt track races there earlier in his career, praising the fans there as “incredible”.
“So I’d like to go to like Australia and do it in Cup, but then I think going to a European country would be pretty sweet,” he added. “I just don’t know how well we would be received, you know, American auto racing.”
While New Zealand has yet to host a NASCAR race, in 1988, the Cup Series did travel to Australia for the Goodyear NASCAR 500 – a one-off exhibition race. As for Europe, none of the top series has yet made the journey across the pond, although the NASCAR Euro Series has been held annually since 2009, with races taking place in Italy, Czechia, Croatia, England, France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany.