NASCAR has revealed a 2025 Cup Series schedule packed with new twists. The series will visit four road-course venues and a downtown street circuit this year. The calendar includes a return to Circuit of The Americas (Austin, Texas) on March 2, a first-ever points race at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on June 15, the third annual NASCAR Chicago street race on July 6, and a mid-August date at Watkins Glen International. (The schedule also still features the usual road courses at Sonoma and the Charlotte Roval.)
These changes continue NASCAR’s recent push to reach new fans and markets. NASCAR Executive Ben Kennedy said the 2025 schedule — “complete with international flair,” as the league put it — is a key step. “It’s no secret we’ve been bullish about growing NASCAR beyond our borders,” Kennedy said. The Mexico race will be the first points-paying Cup Series event held outside the U.S. since 1958. Kennedy added that international growth is “one of the first things that comes up” when the sport’s leaders discuss expansion.
Schedule Highlights
The new 2025 Cup schedule has 36 points races and two specials (the Busch Light Clash exhibition and All-Star Race). Key dates include:
- March 2 – Circuit of The Americas (COTA): The Cup Series opened its road-course slate at COTA in Austin, Texas. (This was the third round of the season.) COTA’s 14-turn road course mixed fast straights with tight corners – a big change from NASCAR’s traditional ovals.
- June 15 – Mexico City (Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez): For the first time ever, NASCAR’s top series will race in Mexico. This race will be run on the famous road course in the capital city and will count toward the championship points.
- July 6 – Chicago Street Race: The Grant Park 165 will again take over downtown Chicago streets for a Sunday road-course race. (It’s currently a three-year deal through 2025.) The street race, first held in 2023, is a temporary course winding past landmark buildings.
- August 10 – Watkins Glen International: Known as “The Glen,” this 3.4-mile permanent road course returns in mid-August. (In 2024 Watkins Glen had been a playoff race; now it reverts to its traditional late-summer slot.)
These are in addition to Sonoma Raceway (July 13) and the Charlotte Roval (October 5), giving at least five road-style races in 2025. NASCAR says adding these varied venues aims to spice up the schedule and attract wider interest.
First NASCAR Cup Race in Mexico
The June 15 Mexico City race is historic. NASCAR announced it on August 27, 2024, as the Cup Series’ first points race outside the United States in 67 years. The organization described it as an important and thrilling milestone. NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy noted that the series has long eyed international expansion. “We’ve been talking about the continued iteration of our schedule,” he said. NASCAR has tried new markets in recent years (such as Nashville and Austin) and even ran a street race in Chicago; Mexico City is the latest bold move.
The Mexico race is on a permanent road course with 17 turns. Current Cup drivers have some history there: the Xfinity (second-tier) series ran at Hermanos Rodríguez from 2005–2008. NASCAR’s only Mexican-born Cup driver, Daniel Suárez, called the news a dream come true. “This, for me, is like a dream,” Suárez said at the announcement. He recalled winning at the track in the old NASCAR México series and said he always hoped “some year to race the NASCAR Cup Series … in my country.” Suárez’s reaction shows how the race could energize local fans.
Chicago Street Race and Other Road Courses
NASCAR’s Chicago street race will continue in 2025. The Grant Park event (scheduled July 6) is the third running of the downtown race. NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell said the sport is focused on making the 2025 Chicago event “as successful as it can be.” Fans, city leaders, and NASCAR hope the vibrant city setting will draw new viewers. NASCAR first staged a street race in Chicago in 2023 as an experiment to broaden its appeal; it proved popular on TV and with some downtown fans despite weather challenges. O’Donnell noted the series has learned lessons each year of the Chicago race.
Circuit of The Americas (March 2) was another road course many fans were excited about. Located in Austin, COTA featured high-speed straights and a famous uphill section. It hosted its first Cup race in 2023. Drivers enjoy the change of pace. Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman called winning in Chicago “special” and said “it means a lot to win … and finally get a win at a road course.” Bowman also listed COTA among his favorite tracks for its variety of turns. Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott — both multiple road-course winners — said tracks like Sonoma and Watkins Glen are highlights. (Watkins Glen, another classic road course with fast, sweeping turns, returns August 10.)
In all, NASCAR’s 2025 slate will have more non-oval races than ever before. Series officials say this mix helps introduce the sport to fans who like road racing. By racing on a famous global track in Mexico and on city streets in Chicago, NASCAR hopes to reach new audiences. Kennedy noted that international events and unique venues are “big growth opportunities” for the sport.
What Officials Are Saying
NASCAR officials emphasize growth and innovation. In announcing the schedule, Kennedy said the Mexico race is “our first step of really taking the Cup Series internationally,” which could open future new markets. He described NASCAR’s strategy as looking for growth opportunities “beyond our borders.” By adding the Mexican race and keeping a Chicago street event, NASCAR is clearly pushing into new regions. Officials say the goal is to showcase NASCAR in big cities and other countries, not just traditional oval-speedway towns. As Kennedy put it, expanding to Mexico City is “a monumental event for us” – the first Cup race ever south of the U.S. border.
Drivers generally welcome the variety. Many road-course specialists say they enjoy races like COTA and Watkins Glen. Alex Bowman praised the challenge of Chicago’s street course and COTA. Other drivers, like Tyler Reddick, acknowledged the tough learning curve on a new street course. But overall, the consensus is that variety can help the sport grow. As Elliott — a Sonoma and Watkins Glen winner — said in a year-end media session, road courses have significant meaning for his career.
The expanded 2025 schedule is thus both a racing challenge and a marketing play. By going to Mexico City, winding through Chicago’s cityscape, and racing at historic road courses, NASCAR leaders are hoping to introduce stock car racing to new fans. It’s a straightforward strategy: more types of tracks in more places means more eyes on NASCAR. And as officials note, attracting a broader range of fans is the ultimate goal of this “international flair” on the 2025 calendar.
ALSO READ: NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race in Jeopardy: Will It Follow the LA Clash’s Fate?
