It continues to be a logistical nightmare for many NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series teams striving to travel into Mexico City for the inaugural racing doubleheader at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this weekend.
First, some backstory, in that NASCAR strongly discouraged teams from flying their own private jets into Mexico this week. Some have even articulated it as they were forced to take chartered flights coordinated and arranged by the Sanctioning Body instead — all in the name of security and organization.
Some Xfinity Series teams, like the smaller Young’s Motorsports’, booked their own commercial travel and made it to Mexico without incident.
Earlier in the week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the plane he was booked for was stuck in Singapore, where many jets go for maintenance and repair but he and many of his industry peers eventually made the trip on Thursday afternoon.
Planned flight to Mexico City apparently is in Singapore stuck in maintenance and I will need to be seeking alternative solutions. 😬😧
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) June 11, 2025
Then came separate issues for a different plane on Thursday afternoon that carried the likes of Haas Factory Team, Trackhouse Racing, Sam Hunt Racing and DGM Racing. This plane had started to speed-up down the runway when numerous passengers reported to The Sporting News that they heard a ‘loud pop’ or ‘explosion.’
The captain came over the radio and told passengers that ‘engine number two’ suffered a failure, possibly due to contact with a bird, with the plane turning right back around and returning to the gate. At the time, the plane was only moments away from lifting off and wheels up.
The passengers, all racing personnel, were told to deplane, had their bags returned to them and NASCAR told them to return home or their race shops.
Andddddd we are back in Charlotte pic.twitter.com/KFIsBraBVl
— Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) June 12, 2025
The Haas Racing Team contingent, which included drivers Cole Custer, Sam Mayer and Cole Custer, plus all three of their crew chiefs and two car chiefs decided to drive south to Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport instead.
They purchased commercial airline flights to get to Mexico City instead.
Driving to ATL to fly to Mexico 🚀 pic.twitter.com/1rxM6j9RcP
— Sam Mayer (@sam_mayer_) June 12, 2025
While the Haas Factory Team personnel will make it to Mexico City on Friday, they will not arrive until 7:40 a.m. local time.
7:40 to be exact 🫠
— Jason Trinchere (@JTrin76) June 12, 2025
The others are waiting for a plane that will not depart until late on Friday afternoon and would not arrive until 12:30-12:45 local time. Another plane NASCAR chartered for teams was not approved to fly across the border, causing some complications as well.
Friday called for Cup practice at 11:00a local followed by Xfinity Series practice at noon. Cup practice at 1 and Xfinity practice at 1:30.
With every team not expected in town at a reasonable enough time, NASCAR and teams have adjusted the weekend schedule for the event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Xfinity Series teams will no longer practice on Friday and instead hold a 50 minute session on Saturday morning. Both Cup Series practice sessions have been shifted to Friday afternoon.
The full detailed schedule can be consumed here.
