Report claims NASCAR drops Mexico City from 2026 Cup slate with Chicagoland in line

The NASCAR Cup Series moved this year to its first-ever international points-paying race since 1958, after racing at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit in Mexico City. The city was expected to hold a multi-year contract for conducting the NASCAR Cup Series, but as per the latest reports, this might not be the case as the sporting body has decided to drop the race in Mexico City from the 2026 calendar to pave the way for the race at Chicagoland Speedway, which has long been rumoured.

With this decision, the sport is left with no international Cup race for the next season. The reasons for Mexico City's departure from the calendar are said to be the difficulties and challenges faced during the logistics of getting the series to the circuit in Mexico’s capital, along with finding a date that works for NASCAR, the teams, and the track. The Viva Mexico 250 race was hosted in June this year, but those dates are unavailable next year as Mexico is set to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup soccer tournament.

The officials are still planning the racing schedule for the 2026 season, and Chicagoland may seem the perfect fit. Spire Motorsports team driver, Carson Hocevar, recently visited the track and shared his experience of it.

"Still looks pretty decent shape … kind of abandoned, but obviously somebody is taking care of it,” Hocevar said via the Athletic

With announcements already made of no race at the Chicago Street Course next year, where the Cup Series had a three-year run, the NASCAR Cup Series calendar is expected to include two new dates for the next year.

Joey Logano shares his views on NASCAR's probable return to the Chicagoland Speedway.

With reports circulating strongly around the NASCAR community of the Cup Series returning to the Chicagoland Speedway for the 2026 season, people around the circuit have expressed their opinions and views about the abandoned circuit.

The sport raced at this venue from 2001 to 2019 before shifting its dates to Northern Wisconsin, and then to a street circuit built in downtown Chicago around Grant Park. Team Penske driver, Joey Logano, shared his thoughts about the circuit last month, expressing his desire to race there again.

"It’s awesome; it’s such a cool track. We bring everything else back these days, let’s bring that one back. That’d be cool.” Joey Logano said via The Athletic

If the officials decide to swap the Mexico City race with a race at the Chicagoland Speedway, it would mean that the Cup Series would race 33 out of the 38 races in the calendar on oval tracks, compared to 32 races held on ovals this season. The track's return is also expected to be well-received by the fans and drivers as its layout pairs well with the new-gen era Cup cars introduced back in 2022.