Did NASCAR Take A Step Backward in the Goal to Take the Sport International?

NASCAR is a sport of momentum, both on and off the racetrack. You would think that after this year’s successful Cup Series debut in Mexico City that returning south of the border in 2026 would be an automatic renewal, so to speak. But that won’t be the case, as Mexico is not on next season’s schedule, although NASCAR executive vice president Ben Kennedy said this week that Mexico could be back on the schedule in 2027.

However, Kennedy also said that the Cup Series could be going to Canada in 2027, most likely Montreal, although other venues north of the border such as Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton and even Halifax have been suggested by various groups or diehard Canadian NASCAR fans.

“We’d love to be both north of the border and south of the border in the future and potentially beyond that at some point,” Kennedy said. “We’ve had a handful of conversations with a few groups north of the border interested in a national series race. We haven’t been able to deliver that yet.

“But I would say that is something that we’re taking a look at as we think about 2027 and beyond. We have some good relationships up there. I think the good news is we have experience bringing both our O’Reilly Series and our Craftsman Truck Series north of the border with a handful of promoters. Nothing to report today, obviously, but something that is high on our consideration set for ’27.”

NASCAR continues to explore other international venues as well. South America, most notably Brazil, is on the radar. More long-range, Europe is also reportedly under consideration.

But given that NASCAR is essentially land-locked with its current schedule of 36 regular points-paying races and two exhibition events, it would likely limit significant international expansion. Or perhaps current tracks, particularly those who host two races in a given season, may have to be cut to only one event to open up the possibilities of adding races in new venues.

Another possibility that has reportedly been floated is alternating venues every other year. In other words, perhaps there’d be a race back in Mexico in 2027 and not 2028, while Canada would not be on the 2027 schedule but would be in ’28, essentially taking Mexico’s spot on the schedule.