NASCAR hopes to hold Busch race in Mexico

RICHMOND, Va. -- NASCAR had hoped to release both the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series schedules at the same time Friday, but the Busch schedule is being held up because the sanctioning body is negotiating to have a race in Mexico City next year, officials confirmed Friday.

The schedule is all but complete, with NASCAR chairman Brian France confirming additional races at Phoenix and Texas, just like the 2005 Nextel Cup schedule. But France and NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter said Mexico City is also under consideration.

"The Mexico City race could be a huge event," Hunter said. "There are 25 million people in Mexico City. We're working with folks there to develop something that would guarantee a year-round presence or a seasonal presence with trucks or some other kind of tour. That's very promising."

The Busch Series has never raced outside the continental United States.

The Mexico City race would be held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, a 2.786-mile road course. The CART series has raced there the past two years and is on the schedule this year.

NASCAR would likely add a second road course to the schedule, perhaps with Watkins Glen International replacing Nazareth Speedway. Watkins Glen held Busch races until 2001.

Hunter said NASCAR's expansion into a foreign market is only for the Busch or Craftsman Truck Series.

"I don't think we'll ever take the Nextel Cup tour international," Hunter said. "The few forays that we made into that have been successful, but it's so difficult to move the equipment. That's the reason Formula One only has 18 events. It's hard to move."

NASCAR has held exhibition races in Australia and Japan, but the time and expense of moving cars and equipment was prohibitive.

For a country bordering the United States, however, NASCAR would reconsider.

"I know we're looking in Canada right now," Hunter said. "There's a potential for a Busch or truck race."