A look at NASCAR’s limited history racing around the world

The NASCAR Cup Series including Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in the 2025 season agenda is a necessary stride for the sport, which has been pushing for a world Cup creep for a whereas. Cup automobiles have not raced out of doorways of the US in over 25 years, and never in a components-paying championship event since 1958. 

Sooner than the Mexico City resolution and announcement, the sequence had additionally been pondering a date at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada and showcased ambitions for growing into Brazil. And it seems different locales and countries are expressing hobby in hosting, or fill a world sequence of their very have. We reported not too prolonged ago that town of Sao Paulo is drawn to hosting the 2026 Clash, and Daniel Suarez himself correct raced (and obtained) in a NASCAR Brazil Series event at Interlagos. 

Suarez is but one example of the few world drivers who fill obtained at the pause level of the sport — and the checklist of world races is even shorter. Listed below are the few locations NASCAR’s managed to get its passport stamped and stride racing.

1952 Unnamed 100-mile event – Stamford Park – Niagara Falls, Canada

The first Cup creep out of doorways of the US took declare on July 1st, 1952. The Ontario half-mile grime song had been spherical since 1923, but closed 365 days after the Cup Series visited. Acknowledged as a ‘automobile killer,’ it lived as much as its name against the early pioneers of NASCAR. Paying an admission of 1 buck for adults and 50 cents for kids, spectators watched on as handiest three of the 17 starters made it to the develop line in the 200-lap creep. Buddy Sherman made his ’52 Hudson final, averaging a flee of forty five.610mph and a hit by two laps over NASCAR Hall of Famer Herb Thomas. It was once Sherman’s handiest victory in the Cup Series.

Canadian flag

Characterize by: FIA World Rallycross

1958 Jim Mideon 500 – Exhibition Stadium – Toronto, Canada

On July 18th, 1958, NASCAR returned to Canada to creep contained in the now demolished Canadian Nationwide Exhibition Stadium, competing on a 0.333-mile asphalt oval that had a striking resemblance to Bowman Gray Stadium. Lee Petty would clutch victory, leading 29 of 100 laps in a creep that handiest lasted 46 minutes. 

On the other hand, the ideally suited story of this creep won’t be who obtained, but who made their debut. The 21-year-passe son of Lee Petty made his first of 1,184 begins in NASCAR’s final components-paying Cup creep out of doorways of the US. The prolonged bustle ‘King’ of NASCAR was once wrecked out of the event when he obtained in the variety of the fastest man in the discipline — his father. 

Bustle winner Lee Petty

Characterize by: NASCAR Media

1988 Goodyear NASCAR 500 – Calder Park Thunderdome – Melbourne, Australia

30 years after the final Cup creep on world soil, the sport made the dauntless step to host a non-components creep on different side of the planet. On February 28th, 1988, NASCAR ventured far previous the continent of North The US to creep in Australia. The 280-lap creep took declare on the oval at Calder Park Raceway with 24-degree banked corners. 

The 32 starters featured several stars from the Australia/Contemporary Zealand motorsport world, including Bathurst 1000 champions Dick Johnson, Jim Richards, and Allan Grice. On the other hand it was once the NASCAR regulars who dominated the event with Neil Bonnett shooting the checkered flag correct before  Bobby Allison in a 1-2 develop for the Alabama Gang. The event led to the introduction of a NASCAR Australia racing division, which operated from 1989 to 2002.

In up-to-the-minute NASCAR, several drivers from ‘down beneath’ fill made the poke across the ocean to creep in NASCAR, exhibiting how the bond remains proper between the two. Marcos Ambrose and Shane van Gisbergen, both champions of the Supercars division, fill gone on to vary into winners at the pause level of the sport with SVG about to embark on his first elephantine-time Cup season.

Shane Van Gisbergen, Kaulig Racing, WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

Characterize by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photography

1996 & 1997 NASCAR Inform Special – Suzuka Circuit – Suzuka, Japan

In the next decade, NASCAR shifted focal point to Japan as its subsequent vacation attach of living for an exhibition creep. Following the completion of the 1996 season, the sport sanctioned a creep on the East Route of the Suzuka Circuit on November 24th.

The hobby across the event was once electric. It attracted Eastern racing stars such as ‘Waft King’ Keiichi Tsuchiya, as well to Hideo Fukuyama, Akihiko Nakaya, and Kazuteru Wakida. Rusty Wallace beat Dale Earnhardt by correct over a 2d, leading 84 of 100 laps en path to the victory.

As a result of success of the creep, NASCAR returned 365 days later to attain all of it again. On the other hand, rain grew to vary into an scenario for the sequel. The sanctioning physique broke out the wet-climate tires for the special event, and many of the NASCAR drivers in the discipline had been about to get their first journey racing in the rain. Mike Skinner obtained the day, beating Label Martin by 3.7s.

These races served as inspiration for future F1 driver and Le Mans 24 champion Kamui Kobayashi, who watched on and was once at final fulfilled a lifelong dream to creep in NASCAR when he made his Cup debut final year.

Kamui Kobayashi, 23XI Racing, Mobil 1 fiftieth Anniversary Toyota Camry

Characterize by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Photography

1998 Coca-Cola 500 – Twin Ring Motegi – Motegi, Japan

For the third consecutive year, NASCAR returned to Japan on November 22nd, but this time, they went oval racing. After two years at Suzuka, the creep moved to the oval song at Twin Ring Motegi for a 201-lap event.

31 drivers started the creep in a discipline that noticed Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr. compete against each different in Cup automobiles for the very first time. The creep came down to a showdown between Jeff Gordon and Mike Skinner. Gordon was once recent off his third Cup title and ran Skinner down in the closing laps. He obtained the total system to the right-rear of his fellow Chevrolet driver, but might presumably well not reasonably get alongside because the checkered flag flew.

Motegi circuit tag

Characterize by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photography

After Japan

NASCAR’s three-year experiment in Japan was once over and whereas many idea it was once the starting of one thing, it grew to vary into out to be the pause. Cup automobiles have not raced out of doorways of the US since that day in November, virtually 26 years ago.

In the years that followed, the Xfinity Series has raced in Mexico City and Montreal. The Truck Series has raced at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. NASCAR has formed world stock automobile racings divisions in Mexico, Brazil, and even Europe. In 2016, the sport had its first international-born driver fetch a national-level title when Daniel Suarez grew to vary into the champion of the Xfinity Series. At Watkins Glen, correct two years ago, the sport situation a memoir for countries represented in a single Cup creep at seven total.

The sport has been edging nearer to a world creep over the years and the powers that be fill confirmed renewed hobby in world growth. When the Cup Series heads to Mexico in 2025, they’ll assemble ancient previous and with any luck, designate the commence of a unusual era for NASCAR. And who’s aware of? Perchance Brazil is subsequent.