NASCAR Mexico releases 2026 schedule with venues pending

NASCAR Mexico has released its 2026 schedule with a quarter of the dates unconfirmed just seven weeks before the season opener, continuing the same issue that characterized the last two years: incomplete schedules that later undergo changes during the championship. Three of the twelve races are listed as "to be confirmed" or "to be defined," and two additional dates offer alternative venues without specifying which will ultimately be used.

The schedule will kick off on March 14-15 in San Luis Potosí. However, rounds 2, 3, and 6 remain without defined venues, while two more races present dual options creating uncertainty: Chihuahua or San Luis Potosí in June, and Mérida or Querétaro in October.

Third Consecutive Year with an Incomplete Schedule

For the third consecutive year, NASCAR Mexico presents a schedule with unconfirmed dates. In 2025 and 2024, the initial schedules also had pending venues that later changed once the season was underway.

The 2025 edition experienced four modifications to the original calendar, communicated in a fragmented manner. In May, NASCAR Mexico posted an image on social media showing changes to dates and venues without explaining the reasons. Among the adjustments: the Monterrey race moved from August to July, a Mexico City date on July 19 was removed and replaced by Puebla on July 20, and a confirmed race in Monterrey became a "to be defined" venue.

In August 2025, NASCAR Mexico canceled the Panama race originally scheduled for September, with only two weeks' notice. The organization issued a statement indicating the event would be "rescheduled" and that purchased tickets would be valid for the new date. The replacement race in Querétaro was announced with ten days' notice.

Photo By Carlos Castillo

Panama Absent from the 2026 NASCAR Mexico Schedule

The 2026 schedule does not include Panama in any of its twelve dates. In 2025, NASCAR Mexico had announced the Nations Panama City 200 as its first international expansion into Central America. Jimmy Morales, director of NASCAR Mexico, presented the project mentioning a supposed five-year contract to visit the country consecutively.

In August 2025, NASCAR Mexico canceled the race originally scheduled for September, communicating that the event would be "rescheduled" and that purchased tickets would be valid for the new date. The organization did not specify in which year the new date would take place and has not since informed what happened with the project or with the tickets of those who waited.

Chihuahua Reappears as an Unconfirmed Option

The date for June 26-27 appears with two unresolved options: Chihuahua or San Luis Potosí, exactly replicating the same ambiguous situation from the 2025 schedule. In that schedule, Chihuahua was listed as an alternative but the visit never materialized.

Chihuahua did not host any NASCAR Mexico races in 2025 after being on the 2024 calendar. In March 2025, NASCAR Mexico posted an image on social media with a modified schedule that excluded Chihuahua, without explaining why.

The Dorado Speedway in Chihuahua is the only NASCAR Mexico track with infrastructure for night races, a capability no other oval in the championship possesses. The venue had recorded consistent attendance year after year, even with ticket prices significantly higher than the rest of the championship.

Photo By Carlos Castillo

Mexico City Left Out of the Schedule

The 2026 schedule concentrates activity in just four main locations. San Luis Potosí will host three confirmed races on dates 1 and 8, plus a possible third on date 6 if Chihuahua does not materialize, making the Potosí oval the most frequent venue of the year. Aguascalientes will have two races on dates 5 and 10, Puebla another two on dates 4 and 12, and Querétaro one confirmed on date 7 with the possibility of adding a second if Mérida does not come to fruition.

Mexico City is the base of operations for the majority of NASCAR Mexico teams. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez had hosted three dates on the 2025 schedule, although one was later removed in the May adjustments. For NASCAR Mexico not to race in the capital is like if the NASCAR Cup Series eliminated Charlotte or Daytona from its schedule.

Mérida or Querétaro for October

Date 11 on October 17-18 presents two unresolved alternatives: Mérida or Querétaro. If confirmed, Mérida would be a completely new venue for NASCAR Mexico.

The schedule indicates this race would be run on a road course configuration, making it the second of the year in that format. Puebla will host the first road course race on May 16-17, following three consecutive oval dates to open the season. The remaining ten races will be run on an oval configuration.

NASCAR Mexico Does Not Announce Playoff Format

NASCAR Mexico has not informed whether it will adopt the new non-elimination chase format that NASCAR USA implemented in 2025. This system replaced the elimination playoffs used by the Mexican series in previous years in the United States, but the national organization has not specified if it will follow the same path nor how many races will make up the final phase of the 2026 championship.

NASCAR Mexico 2026 Schedule

Note: This schedule can and will change. With three unconfirmed dates and two more with dual options, modifications are expected during the year. NASCAR Mexico does not always announce schedule changes through official statements, so it's necessary to stay tuned for updates on social media.