“Something is going to catch us off guard”: Joey Logano breaks down why NASCAR Mexico City race will test every driver

Joey Logano is bracing for a weekend of unexpected challenges at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez as the NASCAR Cup Series heads south of the border for a points race after about 70 years.

During his latest appearance on the SiriusXM NASCAR Radio show, Logano warned, "something is probably going to catch us off guard". The team Penske driver stressed that while teams can plan, the unfamiliar environment might throw curveballs and preparation might not cover every variable.

According to Logano, the track’s elevation will impact both driver and vehicle dynamics.

"'What lessons are we going to learn the hard way?' I guess it's like a question you have to ask yourself and try to be prepared for it the best you can. I think something is probably going to catch us off guard. You try to cover all your bases to where that doesn't happen. But when something's this new, you got to assume something is going to just sneak up," Joey Logano said (01:40 onwards).

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, which sits more than 2,200 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level, was built in 1959 and integrated into Formula 1 in 1962. It features 15 turns on a roughly 2.43‑mile layout and was also used for the Xfinity Series between 2005–08.

The thin air at over 7,000 feet makes breathing harder affects stamina and also reduces aerodynamic grip and keeps the engine/brakes from cooling.

"Lot to try to take in" - Joey Logano on practice and learning on unfamiliar track

Joey Logano also highlighted the tight schedule and limited practice time at the Mexico City road course. With only 75 minutes across two sessions, 50 minutes followed by 25, drivers will have just a couple of runs to dial in setups and learn the track’s layout, braking points, tire fall‑off zones, and ideal passing spots.

Logano believes that the peak performance won’t come from tweaks to the car but from drivers adapting.

"There's just a lot to, to try to take in in a short amount of time to try to figure all this stuff out, which I mean, I believe like everyone will, but that's what makes these new tracks really, really challenging that you're going to continue to get faster and faster throughout the weekend. Not because the car is getting better. There may be some of that, but a lot of it because you're getting better as a driver," Joey Logano said.

Logano stands in ninth in the Cup points standings ahead of Sunday’s 100‑lap main event (June 15), which is scheduled to start at 3 pm ET. The race will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.