Critical Path Security 6 Drivers to Watch: Mexico City

For the first time in 67 years, the NASCAR Cup Series will be holding a points paying race in a foreign country. NASCAR is heading south of the border this weekend to host a race in Mexico City. 2008 was the last time NASCAR hosted a national series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The Xfinity Series was the sole series to compete in Mexico. Now, the Cup Series will venture down along with the Xfinity Series. This weekend will see the teams face numerous challenges. Not only are they racing on a new track, but the elevation and logistics will factor into the weekend. Out of any race this season, Mexico City might offer the biggest challenge to these drivers and teams. Will the Critical Path Security 6 Drivers to Watch be able to overcome the challenges of Mexico City?

Mexico City is kicking off a strange section of the schedule for NASCAR. With the regular season drawing closer to the end, road courses will be featured heavily. Including Mexico City, 4 of the next 9 races for both series. For the road course ringers, this will be their opportunity to snag a win for the playoffs. However, the regulars have proven to be worthy challengers for those specialists. After Shane van Gisbergen won his debut race, he has failed to find victory lane again on a road course. The closest he got was losing a duel with Chris Buescher at Watkins Glen last year. Before penciling in the road course aces into the winners column, make sure to give the usual suspects some consideration.

Viva Mexico 250

Daniel Suarez

Of course Daniel Suarez is featured in this article. The driver from Monterrey, Mexico should be coming home to a hero’s welcome. If the competition is smart, they will take the advice from Ryan Blaney: do not wreck Suarez. You can beat him, but do not use your bumper to move him unless you want the entire motorsport fandom of Mexico to be after you. As for Suarez, the trip home needs to be a shot in the arm for his season. It has been a brutal season for the 99 team. With his contract status up in the air, this was a poor time to have this bad of a season.

Entering this weekend, Suarez sits 28th in points with only 3 Top-10s. Outside of his one season with the Gaunt Brothers, 2025 is on pace to be the worst season of his career. His average finish currently sits outside the Top-20. What is helping to inflate that number is his 40% clip of finishing off the lead lap. At this point, only a win could turn the season around. What better place to get that win than Mexico City. Suarez has been solid on road courses in his career. He picked up his first Cup win at Sonoma. However, Suarez has been subpar at COTA, which is this track’s best NASCAR comp. Can Daniel Suarez give the Mexican fans something incredible to cheer this weekend?

AJ Allmendinger

For some, AJ Allmendinger has been a pleasant surprise in his return to fulltime Cup Series action. Through 15 races, Allmendinger sits 19th in points, only 18 points below the cutline. The expectation is that the cutline will continue to push up the standings with new potential winners, which could put Allmendinger in must-win territory. Luckily for him, road courses are the main track over the next few weeks. Starting off with Mexico City, Allmendinger should be a favorite. Not only because he is a road course ringer, but the novelty of a new track. When a new road course is introduced to the Cup Series, the veterans of the road racing seemingly have the edge. If Shane van Gisbergen is the first favorite, Allmendinger should be number 2.

Now, AJ Allmendinger has not won a non-oval turned road course race since Watkins Glen in 2014. Since his return to NASCAR, Allmendinger has made 22 road course starts in the Cup Series. Outside his 2 wins, the Kaulig Racing driver has not made too much noise battling for wins. Usually, he finds himself with solid runs around the Top-5. However, Allmendinger has been a far cry from a guaranteed winner on a road course. In theory though, he will have an advantage based on his background with this being a new track. That said, do not count on him to pull out the win this weekend.

Ty Gibbs

In the midst of a trying season, Ty Gibbs put together a strong run at Michigan last week. It was Gibbs’ first Top-5 since Bristol. Between the two good finishes, Gibbs was averaging a 24.6 finish. Despite the positives from a good result, the young Joe Gibbs Racing left the track frustrated. After seeing Denny Hamlin win on the same fuel strategy, the constant coaching to save ruffled his feathers. Why save fuel for a third place finish when this team needs a win to make the playoffs?

Ignoring that frustration, it is difficult to deny that it was a much needed strong result. With some momentum on their side, the 54 team will have their sites set on winning this weekend. Gibbs has proven to be a solid road racer, especially in the Xfinity Series. At the Cup level, the results have been less impressive. Through 15 races, Gibbs has collected 4 Top-5s and 6 Top-10s. His best performances have come on the Chicago Street Course though. That likely will not translate to potential success down in Mexico City. What Chicago’s success could help Gibbs with this weekend is driving in the rain. The forecast looms with potential storms. As long as the track does not flood, the Cup Series might be driving through wet weather. That might play into Gibbs’ hand though.

The Chilango 150

Sam Mayer

Currently sitting third in the Xfinity Series points, Sam Mayer is still chasing his first win as a Haas Factory Team driver. He has racked up an impressive 7 Top-5s through the first 14 races thus far. Only Justin Allgaier has more (and Austin Hill is tied with him). While Mayer’s chances to win this year have been steady, this weekend might mark his best opportunity. Yes, Connor Zilisch and the Cup Series drivers Busch-whacking will be hurdles to overcome. But, Mayer has proven his capability on road courses. Out of his 7 career wins, 4 have been on road courses.

Thus far, 2025 is Mayer’s strongest season to date. Outside of his 2 DNFs, Mayer’s worst finish on the year is 14th (twice). Prior to the year, the newly minted Haas Factory Team was a question mark for both Sam Mayer and Sheldon Creed. However, this team has not lost a step from the transition away from Stewart-Haas Racing. Mayer currently sits as a championship favorite. With this next stretch of road racing on the horizon, this could be an ample opportunity for Mayer to rack up wins and playoff points.

Parker Retzlaff

The last time the Xfinity Series hit a road course, Parker Retzlaff was on the outside looking in. After a tough practice session, Retzlaff put down a clunker of a qualifying lap at COTA. This marked his first DNQ of his career. Since the DNQ, Retzlaff has been making the most of his equipment. Most notably, he scored a Top-5 at Rockingham. However, the recent string of races demonstrates a bit of bad luck for the young driver. In 3 of the past 4 races, Retzlaff has not finished the race. Two of those were due to getting caught up in wrecks while the other was a mechanical failure.

Looking ahead to this weekend, vindication should be on the mind. Retzlaff should be sitting good in owner points to have his starting spot secured. However, surely Retzlaff wants to prove that COTA was merely a fluke. Putting together a solid qualifying lap could be boost to the 4 team. In his previous road course starts, Retzlaff has been decent in qualifying, which made COTA surprising. Saturday’s qualifying will be key to the race. If Retzlaff does not have to rely on owner points to secure his spot, that would be considered a win.

Jeremy Clements

When it comes to looking for an underdog to cheer for on a road course, Jeremy Clements usually is the common name that pops up. Afterall, his first Xfinity Series win took place on a road course. Road courses is where Clements has his best average finish, thriving on the lefts and rights. A type of track where driver performance can make up for a lack of power is a logical place for Clements to put forth his best effort. That said, 2025 has been a better season than his recent ones.

After making the playoffs in 2022, the past two seasons have not been kind to Jeremy Clements. Between 2023 and 2024, he only scored a single Top-10 with an average finish of 22.2. This year, Clements already has 2 Top-10s and his average finish sits below a Top-20 (19.6). With the string of road races upcoming, that average should improve. While Clements will likely not be contending for a win this weekend, a strong run and potential Top-10 cannot be ruled out.

Critical Path Security is a cyber security firm protecting clients in the United States and the world beyond. Founded in 2017, they are as dedicated as ever to providing coverage for their clients in numerous industries. Please give them a follow (X, Facebook, LinkedIn) and thank them for returning with their weekly sponsorship of the Critical Path Security 6 Drivers to Watch