NASCAR Cup Series driver Michael McDowell (34) during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Michael McDowell: NASCAR has 'some of the best racing' in the world

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 10:29 PM ET

As NASCAR prepares for a pair of races on the world stage in Mexico City this weekend, NASCAR Cup Series driver and Daytona 500 champion Michael McDowell made it clear where he believes NASCAR stands in the motorsports hierarchy.

When asked what he thought about stock car racing being on a world stage this weekend, McDowell laid out his thoughts.

"We have some of the best racing in the world, if not the best racing, when it comes to side-by-side passes, passing for the lead," McDowell said in a news conference at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Friday. "I think the product that we put on and the race we put on, we should be on a global stage. This is our first step to do that."

"I hope in the future we'll continue to make those advancements, because I feel our sport is cool and big enough and exciting enough to pull that off," McDowell continued. "You see the momentum with Formula 1, you see the momentum with IndyCar - yes, our racing is different, but I believe that when you sit in the stands, we put on a better show."

Sunday's Viva Mexico 250 is the first Cup Series race in Mexico City, while Saturday's Xfinity Series race is the first time NASCAR's second-tier series has raced in Mexico City since 2008.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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