Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Notebook: Viva Mexico?

NASCAR official hopeful about return to Mexico

MEXICO CITY -- Managing director of NASCAR International Robbie Weiss, one of the driving forces behind the sanctioning body's historic foray into Mexico, said he hoped the Busch Series would return to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in 2006.

Sanctioning agreements have long been made between NASCAR and the tracks on a year-to-year basis, and Weiss admitted that since his last name isn't France, he doesn't make schedule decisions.

But he sounded positive about a return to Mexico next season.

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"I would like to think from having a successful, a safe event, a very well promoted event, I would like to think we'll be back next season," Weiss said.

Weiss also went a step further, saying "This could become the marquee event for (the Busch) Series."

Weiss said NASCAR would consult with teams and others who made the trip here to see what can be improved. One change could be moving the race to later in the year, since Busch Series teams have been shouldered with a Daytona-to- California-to-Mexico-to-Las Vegas burden to start the season.

"You would like to come back here long-term, and you would like to make as easy on the teams (as possible), especially this early on in the schedule," Weiss said. "It's a long year to go from here."

Weiss did cast aside rumors of the Nextel Cup running here.

"If you know our schedule, you know the season, it's just not practical," Weiss said. "They're already 39 events, 36 points events."

There is plenty of work to be done in Mexico, but NASCAR is "off to a good start." Competitors indicated to Weiss that the trip was successful for them.

"A lot of them came into this not really knowing what to expect, not really necessarily believing in the vision of what we wanted to do here," Weiss said. "I think they all left feeling this is the right course for the Busch Series."

Another second makes Harvick feel better

Kevin Harvick is 3-for-3 in the Busch Series this year. That's three second-place finishes in as many races after his runner-up result to Martin Truex Jr. on Sunday.

Credit: Donald Miralle, Getty Images

"I'm a little bit disappointed," Harvick said. "We wanted to come to Mexico and win the first race here. It's the third race in a row that we've finished second.

"The car war really good all day. The No. 8 car just happened to catch the caution coming in there in the pits, but it was still a good day for us."

Harvick had gotten sick this weekend but said Sunday he was fine.

"I feel a lot better today," Harvick said. "I got whatever they call that Montezuma's Revenge yesterday. I was up all night. I hadn't eaten in 24 hours, and so when you have a good race car it makes it feel a lot better."

International incident?

Carl Edwards and Michel Jourdain Jr. probably won't be celebrating Cinco de Mayo together this year. The two Ford drivers collided Sunday, sending Jourdain into a concrete barrier.

"There were times when everybody was in front of me, and I hit them and bent a little bit on the front end, and it started overheating," Jourdain said. "We came out and we were running in a good place to finish OK, and suddenly Carl Edwards -- I don't know what he was thinking -- he just drove into me like, I don't know.

"He came and apologized and said it was his fault, but it doesn't do any good."

Jourdain ended up 37th, while Edwards finished third.

Carl Edwards Credit: Autostock

"I've got to apologize to Michel Jourdain," Edwards said. "I drove it in too deep and spun him out here. I know this race meant a lot to him, but I apologize for that. And, I ran into the 14. We didn't gain any friends, but we had a good points day."

Fun day for Hmiel

Shane Hmiel has had a lot of fun in racing, but Sunday's fourth-place finish was the most enjoyable time he's had.

"To come out of here with a top-five was a great points day for us," Hmiel said. "It was a whole lot of fun. That's the most fun I've ever had racing."

Hmiel credited Ron Fellows for helping him on road courses, and Hmiel said he looks forward to coming back to Mexico City.

"It was awesome," Hmiel said. "I came here with an open mind but I thought it was really going to be unorganized. But NASCAR did a great job and Mexico City did a great job. I hope we come back for the next 10 years. I think it's a great track. American fans are great but these Mexican fans sure do love stock car racing."