NASCAR’s 2025 Mexico City race marked its first international, points-paying event. But it wasn’t the sport’s first trip abroad. From Canada in 1952 to Australia in 1988, Japan in the ’90s, and non-points races in Mexico from 2005–2008, NASCAR has tested international waters before. This time, though, it’s official and controversial.
And, while NASCAR sees global growth as the next step, old-school fans argue the sport belongs at home, rooted in American tradition. In September 2024, NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy told Newsweek, “We think about NASCAR as a company, we think about our broadcast partners, we think about our teams, we think about our drivers, and all the different stakeholders in the industry.” But no one talked about the fans, and, is what is dividing opinions at the moment.
Old-school fans, especially, feel differently. We are talking about the ones, who watched Dale Earnhardt during the 1984 Talladega 500, and saw through his ability to read the nature of the superspeedway. They experienced the first major sporting event at Dover in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks on the United States, where drivers carried American flags and fans cried during the anthem. Now if they feel the sport belongs to USA, it’s easy to understand, why. That day, even drivers felt the true national spirit.
“What was amazing when we got to Dover was the American spirit…,” said Jeff Gordon.
“To go back and race at Dover — it was magical. … Everyone yelled from the top of their lungs on what it meant to be an American. It was like we were all there ready to go to war together,” said Kurt Busch.
So, to fans, NASCAR is more than just a racing series; it’s a piece of American heritage. For them, very V8 roar isn’t just horsepower; it’s a salute to the red, white, and blue. And for many of them, taking the sport global feels like losing a part of its soul.
However, something fans don’t know is, it has been in talks since forever. In 2018, executive Steve O’Donnell revealed NASCAR’s interest in expanding internationally, citing talks with groups in China and potential series in Brazil, Japan, and Russia.
“NASCAR wants much, much more and figures it is positioned to get it. O’Donnell also noted, he has “20 groups” in China that have approached NASCAR mostly about one-off event and noted that those no longer hold appeal to stock-car racing’s sanctioning body, which is thinking bigger picture. O’Donnell also said that “he sees Brazil, Japan and Russia as more likely countries where a lower-level series could take hold and hopefully have a long-term, positive impact on the sport.”
And, that vision took shape with the 2025 Mexico City race. While it marked progress, the event wasn’t without issues; logistical hurdles delayed sessions, crews worked longer hours, and parts of the fan experience fell short, with empty grandstands and scaled-back activations. And, there were security issues as well across the border.
NASCAR teams ain’t fuckin around pic.twitter.com/hl7iiPoyKQ
— Moonhead (@itsmoonhead) June 11, 2025
Still, there were big wins: over 300 journalists on-site, 2.1 million Prime Video viewers, and the youngest NASCAR audience since 2017. The push for global growth may be bumpy, but NASCAR is clearly thinking long-term, and they are counting every small win.
“If there’s one word that I would use to describe this weekend, it’s proud….. One of the coolest parts about this weekend is seeing the reaction from the fans… The energy and the passion of the fans here are unmatched and we had a lot of fans come in from the United States. We had a ton of fans from Mexico. 90% of the people that came to this event were from Mexico, 44% from Mexico City,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Executive VP.
But the Lucky Dog on Track readers said otherwise. Even social media was lit up with gripes about costly multi-day packages and a lack of that grassroots vibe fans crave. And, these hardcore fans can’t stomach NASCAR straying from its U.S. roots, and they’re not shy about letting it rip.
Old school NASCAR fans unleash fury
The Lucky Dog On Track became a battleground for fans unloading their frustration with NASCAR’s venture.
A fired-up fan went all out in all caps to present his discontent. “NASCAR NEEDS TO GO BACK TO GRASSROOTS RACING.” The comment hits at the heart of fans longing for the days when NASCAR felt like a local short-track showdown. Tracks like North Wilkesboro, revived in 2023 for the All-Star Race, or the Bristol Dirt Race tap into that raw, authentic vibe of NASCAR’s early days. Fans want more of that small-town soul, not glitzy international experiments that feel disconnected from the sport’s core.
“Keep Nascar where it belongs, in the USA, period. You have ruined NASCAR enough already. Remember when you used to have to get tickets a year in advance, no, you can get tickets the day of any race?” This fan’s fed up, for sure, and is pointing to NASCAR’s fading glory days when Daytona 500 tickets were gold dust. To him, the Mexico move feels like another step away from the sport’s heartland, alienating fans who already feel the sport’s lost its edge.
Another fan chimed in saying, “Stay in the U S A – utilize the tracks you either eliminated or reduced the runs- no reason to go to Mexico – you’re already short changing your fans by going to prime.” It looks like they are still sore about losing tracks like Rockingham and Chicagoland, staples of NASCAR’s golden era. Mexico’s race feels like a slap when beloved U.S. venues are sidelined. Pair that with races streaming on Amazon Prime instead of traditional TV, and it’s no wonder fans feel shortchanged.
“Mexico City is a S__T H__E.. and it’s one of the worst for safety!! Can you say Sinaloa Cartel?? Why are All the banks guarded by military if it’s so safe?” a fan wrote bluntly. Safety fears, though exaggerated, echo real concerns. Mexico City hosted Formula 1 and NASCAR Mexico Series races with solid security, but the military presence at events spooks some fans. The Sinaloa Cartel’s far from the capital, but the perception of danger fueled by high costs and limited access didn’t help NASCAR’s case. Even the drivers and teams were scared; some of their haulers even had security guarding them during the race weekend.
“I was smacked in the face with all your Mexico mess this time… NASCAR is an AMERICAN sport. You are insulting your AMERICAN fans Tell the sponsors that MANY AMERICANS did not see their commericials because we were NOT watching that race.” This fan’s rage captures the boycott vibe, with some refusing to watch the Mexico race on principle. And, it’s not new!
We’ve seen how fans pushed back during Bubba Wallace’s activism or when races went to streaming platforms like Peacock. The Mexico experiment, with its empty seats and corporate feel, feels like a betrayal of NASCAR’s blue-collar, American soul.
Finally, a fan rounded it up saying, “National is first part of NASCAR’s name not Mexican!… You have no idea how many people do NOT want Mexico on schedule.”
The nod to Virginia’s Martinsville, a fan-favorite short track that’s lost its night-race luster, stings. Fans see NASCAR chasing global markets while cutting races at traditional strongholds, and the Amazon Prime streaming, which alienates the older audience who are still used to cable broadcasts only, deepens the divide.
However, the change is the need of the hour, maybe something that the sport needs. While changes are obvious, what old school fans need is being ability to watch the races without paywalls.
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