Why NASCAR should continue returning to Mexico

That may seem relatively insignificant on the surface. Drivers are often surrounded by crowds whenever they do appearances at races in the United States. But seldom do such crowds follow a driver such as Gilliland, who is yet to win a race in his career and is 26th in the Cup Series standings, as fervently as they did. 

Gilliland's resume couldn't have mattered less to those who were asking for autographs and pictures. For a fan base that had never seen a Cup Series race in Mexico, he may as well have been Richard Petty. 

Few crowds at races can match the enthusiasm and excitement seen from the fans at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 90 percent of whom were from Mexico, per NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy. 

Call it a product of novelty, but the weekend proved that if NASCAR wants to race in Mexico, it will be welcomed with open arms. 

The logistics of international travel for a professional sports league that has to get personnel and equipment over the border aren't ideal, but the end result is well worth it if NASCAR continues to pursue it. 

Growing NASCAR's international reach is, after all, the main point of taking a sport rooted in the American southeast to new markets. Unlike Formula 1 or IndyCar, NASCAR isn't a form of motorsports that has an inherent global reach. 

But this trip, and others like it to international markets, have the opportunity to be the catalyst for NASCAR's international growth. 

NASCAR Hall of Famer and Prime Video analyst Carl Edwards summed up how NASCAR's visit to Mexico City changes the way the sport is looked at both domestically and internationally.

"What stood out to me more than anything was yesterday, as we listened to the American national anthem being sung by this wonderful group of kids," Edwards said during the Prime Video telecast. "When we sit in the United States and think about Mexico, we think about all sorts of things. We've got (the border) and we've got all sorts of issues and concerns. But to know those children are here, practicing our national anthem, and to deliver it in such a beautiful way and welcome us, it's the biggest thing."

If NASCAR's trip to Mexico City proved anything, it's that the sport has enough of a fan base in Mexico to justify not just a return in 2026 but a long-term relationship. 

Take it from Suarez, who notched perhaps the most meaningful win of his NASCAR career in Saturday's Xfinity Series race. 

"Every single thing about this weekend exceeded my expectations," Suarez said in a post-race news conference on Sunday. "The people, the fans, the sponsors, the energy."

"We're very hopeful to be back here in the future," Kennedy said in a news conference on Sunday. "We've been bold and we've been innovative. This was the next milestone moment for us, bringing a race internationally. We're very bold about continuing to bring the NASCAR Cup Series internationally. Mexico is a great place to do it. This weekend is a great example of that. I would say we're very hopeful to be here long-term."

If NASCAR does choose to return to Mexico, it has the opportunity not just to grow the sport in the short term but to foster a relationship that builds NASCAR's international reach for decades to come.