NASCAR Announces 2017 Schedule For NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series
The schedule for the top racing series in Latin America features a challenging mix of six oval and six road courses events, and includes stops at nine different venues throughout Mexico.
The NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series will open the season at Autódromo Monterrey, a 3.4 km (2.1-mile) road course in Apodaca, Nuevo León, on March 26. Daniel Suárez, a Monterrey native and the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, is a two-time winner on the oval layout at his home track. The championship race for the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series will take place on the 1.63 km (1.013-mile) road-course circuit at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City on Nov. 12. The track has been a staple of the series since its inaugural season under the NASCAR banner in 2007.
“As we enter a new era in the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series, the 2017 schedule is a terrific blend of the top venues throughout the country,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president of weekly & touring series. “The fans will be treated with the exciting action that is the trademark of NASCAR racing, whether the drivers are speeding down the straightaways on the ovals or fighting for positions heading into the twists and turns of the road courses.”
“The 2017 NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series season will strengthen our rich history in motorsports and provide us the opportunity to engage a growing and passionate fan base in Mexico,” said Bryan Emrich, chief marketing officer at Old World Industries. “This year’s schedule promises to deliver the best racing in all of Mexico and we are anxiously awaiting the start of this momentous season.”
In addition to the 2017 schedule, Wednesday’s announcement was also highlighted by the news of the official merger between the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series and Súper Copa Telcel. The merger ensures the participation of the top drivers in Mexico as the series combine to form the national championship for stock car racing in the country.
“With the support of NASCAR and sponsors like PEAK, Telcel, FedEx and many more, the series is committed to offering fans all over Mexico great racing and family entertainment,” said Jimmy Morales, NASCAR PEAK Series director general. “We are thankful for the effort, experience, and hard work from the motorsports community to put this together for the benefit of everybody involved.”
Other highlights of the 2017 schedule include:
· The series will make two stops apiece Autódromo Miguel E. Abed in Puebla (May 14 and Oct. 15), and Autódromo Internacional Bernardo Obregón in Guadalajara (June 4 and Sept. 10). The Guadalajara venue is 1.207 km (three-quarters mile) tri-oval.
· The May race at Puebla will be on the 3.363 km (2.090) road course, while the penultimate race of the season in October will be run on the 2.01 km (1.25 mile) oval. Puebla hosted the 2014 championship race, which was won by Homero Richards and featured the title coronation of Abraham Calderon.
· Súper Óvalo Chiapas in Tuxtla Gutiérrez will host the Oct. 1 race. The 1.2 km (three-quarters mile) banked tri-oval was the site of the final race of the 2015 season, which saw current NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver Ruben Garcia Jr. become the youngest champion in series history.
· The Aug. 6 race site is still being finalized and will be either at Autódromo Potosino in San Luis Potosí or Autodromo Moisés Solana in Pachuca. Potosino, a .804 km (half-mile oval) will also run the series on April 23, while Solano is a 1.75 km (1.08 mile) road course,
· In addition, the series will travel to Autódromo de León, a 1.2 km (three-quarters mile) road course on June 25; Autódromo Internacional de Aguascalientes, a 1.4 km (.875-mile) concrete tri-oval on July 16; and Autódromo del Ecocentro de la Unión Ganadera, a 1.275 km (.797) oval in Querétaro on Aug. 20.
The NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series television broadcast schedule on will be announced at a later date.
2017 NASCAR PEAK MEXICO SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Track Location
3/26 Autódromo Monterrey Monterrey
4/23 Autódromo Potosino San Luis Potosí
5/14 Autódromo Miguel E. Abed Puebla
6/4 Autódromo Internacional Bernardo Obregón Guadalajara
6/25 Autódromo de León León
7/16 Autódromo Internacional de Aguascalientes Aguascalientes
8/6 Autódromo Potosino / Autodromo Moisés Solana San Luis Potosí / Pachuca
8/20 Autódromo del Ecocentro de la Unión Ganadera Querétaro
9/10 Autódromo Internacional Bernardo Obregón Guadalaraja
10/1 Súper Óvalo Chiapas Tuxtla Gutiérrez
10/15 Autódromo Miguel E. Abed Puebla
11/12 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez México City
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Sources: NASCAR IMC