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Why (and How) NASCAR is Expanding the Field Size for Mexico City

MEXICO CITY - MARCH 6: A fan waves the Mexican flag at the start of the Telcel Mexico 200 Nascar Busch Series Race at the Autrodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Race Course March 6, 2005 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Kauy Ostlien

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What’s Happening?

With the excitement surrounding NASCAR’s return to Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this summer, NASCAR officials are expecting more cars to make the trek south of the border than the usual field size permits.

How it Works:

To ensure that those who make the trip to Mexico City are rewarded by at least starting the race, and only for that weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the field will expand to a maximum of 40 cars. However, there are special rules regarding points for those starting in the 39th and 40th positions.

Those who qualify 39th and 40th will be allowed to race but will not earn prize money, points, or playoff benefits for their effort. This exemption means they will not receive driver or owner points, stage points, playoff admission, or playoff bonus points.

If the 39th or 40th-place entry wins the race, the second-place driver will receive the first-place driver and owner points, and so on throughout the field. This methodology is also applicable to stage points.

However, if the 39th or 40th starter wins the race, second place “will not receive the benefits associated with the win, including eligibility for the Playoffs.” Furthermore, in this scenario, regarding the playoff points awarded for winning a stage, “the 2nd place vehicle in the Stage and/or race will not receive Playoff Points.”

The Mexico City Field

These changes make qualifying day all the more important, as a car that crashes or has an off day could waste an entire race weekend. Of course, this will only really matter to drivers racing for the Series championship.

As usual, a flurry of back markers and open entries is expected to make their way to Mexico City that weekend. This will likely include road course ringers and hometown favorites such as Daniel Suarez, who announced his entry into the race with JR Motorsports on Tuesday morning.

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 06: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lionel Racing Reveals First Wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics Diecast

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.

  • This line will include six throwback paint schemes from NASCAR’s 2025 throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. Though they did not release one in 2025, this move restarts an annual tradition of Lionel releasing at least one wave of cars carrying the colors of that prior season’s throwback designs.
  • Included in this wave of cars are Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Sammy Smith. Alongside these paint schemes’ debuts in the Authentics line is a new design for the packaging of the 2026 line of NASCAR Authentics.
  • Last season was somewhat turbulent for Lionel as, alongside issues with tariffs, the brand only released three waves of NASCAR Autentics, one wave of NASCAR Autentics Winners Circle diecast, and two waves of Haulers.
  • Lionel announcing the first wave of 2026 early on in the new year is perhaps a sign that 2026 could return this line to its regular release schedule. The post from Lionel Racing also confirmed that the brand will announce another wave by the end of the week, further hinting at a recommitment to the Authentics line.

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SPARTA, KY - JUNE 26: Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet, talks with his crew during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on June 26, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Chase Pistone, NASCAR Trucks and Nationwide Series Driver, Passes Away

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.

  • Chase’s brothers Nick and Tom Pistone confirmed the North Carolina natives’ passing to LegendsNation.com. The cause of Pistone’s passing is unknown. The family asked that media share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, which is 988.
  • Pistone, the grandson of NASCAR legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, made his way to NASCAR after competing on short tracks in Legends cars and Late Models. He would make his jump to NASCAR via the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005, racing for Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Pistone would continue his NASCAR pursuits in 2006, racing in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series. Unfortunately, these two starts, at Martinsville with the Busch Series and Iowa with ARCA, would be his last for nearly a decade.
  • Pistone returned to NASCAR in 2014, racing in a combined eight NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races. During this season, his final in NASCAR, the then 30-year-old scored his best National Series finish, ninth place in the Truck Series annual trip to Gateway.

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8 Takeaways From NASCAR At COTA

by Bryan Aguiar

Three races in, the 2026 season is finally starting to show its hand. COTA shifted narratives, exposed weaknesses, and raised new questions about contenders, pretenders, and everything in between.

  • Has Shane van Gisbergen officially been proven mortal after getting outraced late at Circuit of the Americas?
  • Is 19-year-old Connor Zilisch already ahead of schedule after slicing through the field multiple times?
  • With three straight wins, is Tyler Reddick basically a lock for the postseason this early?
  • And how concerned should the 48 team be after a rough weekend for Alex Bowman?

From substitute drivers being forced into action to points gaps growing faster than expected, COTA delivered more than just a road course chess match. There were momentum swings, reputation hits, and at least one young driver stacking up enemies before stacking up results.

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