NASCAR manufacturers face a crucial aero decision as the 7,100-foot elevation prompts a louver rule change in Mexico

NASCAR manufacturers faced a crucial situation after the practice session on Friday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The track is situated 7,100 feet above sea level, resulting in thin air at the track. This leads the teams to make a necessary aerodynamics decision ahead of the qualifying session on Saturday.

Reflecting on the situation, the governing body allowed an optional hood louver to be used for the rest of the weekend. However, Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota have yet to make a final decision on the critical aerodynamics problem ahead.

The NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing's competition director, Chris Gabehart, gave his take on the same (via SportingNews.com),

“Think about the amount of air density you’re passing across the radiator and into the engine. It uses those molecules of air to do the work. Up here, you're going the same speed, so you don't get any more speed to get more air, but the air is a lot thinner."

“So now I just have less air to do the cooling or to feed the engine horsepower -- all those things. So, the only way to get more out of it is to get the whole system to pass more air across the radiator," he added.

The hood louvers allow additional air to enter the engine to keep it cool. However, this comes at a cost and reduces downforce with an increase in drag, ultimately affecting the handling of the cars. Teams like Hendrick Motorsports haven't made a final decision on using louvers. Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hyak Motorsports believe louvers are necessary for the race.

---

NASCAR Viva Mexico 250 Prize Money and the Cup Series entry list

Following the FireKeepers Casino 400 race at Michigan Speedway last weekend, NASCAR drivers are excited for the upcoming race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Despite facing a major travel issue, the drivers aim to win big at the 100-lap event.

Following the excitement, NASCAR analyst Bob Pockrass revealed the prize pool for the 241.7-mile race. He highlighted that the Cup Series champion will take home the grand prize of $12,561,250, and on the other hand, the Xfinity Series winner will receive a reward of $2,151,939.

Here's the list of the Cup Series drivers to compete in the 2025 NASCAR Viva Mexico 250:

1. #1 - Ross Chastain
2. #2 - Austin Cindric
3. #3 - Austin Dillon
4. #4 - Noah Gragson
5. #5 - Kyle Larson
6. #6 - Brad Keselowski
7. #7 - Justin Haley
8. #8 - Kyle Busch
9. #9 - Chase Elliott
10. #10 - Ty Dillon
11. #11 - Ryan Truex
12. #12 - Ryan Blaney
13. #16 - A. J. Allmendinger
14. #17- Chris Buescher
15. #19 - Chase Briscoe
16. #20 - Christopher Bell
17. #21 - Josh Berry
18. #22 - Joey Logano
19. #23 - Bubba Wallace
20. #24 - William Byron
21. #34 - Todd Gilliland
22. #35 - Riley Herbst (R)
23. #38 - Zane Smith
24. #41 - Cole Custer
25. #42 - John Hunter Nemechek
26. #43 - Erik Jones
27. #45 - Tyler Reddick
28. #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
29. #48 - Alex Bowman
30. #51 - Cody Ware
31. #54 - Ty Gibbs
32. #60 - Ryan Preece
33. #71 - Michael McDowell
34. #77 - Carson Hocevar
35. #78 - Katherine Legge
36. #88 - Shane van Gisbergen (R)
37. #99 - Daniel Suárez

Additionally, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin decided to opt out of the race to spend time with his family after the birth of his third child. In place of Hamlin, Ryan Truex will be behind the wheel of the No.11 Toyota.