Veteran advantage? McDowell and Allmendinger bring experience to Mexico City

MEXICO CITY -- As the NASCAR Cup Series gears up for the inaugural Viva Mexico 250 (3 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio), most of the field will be cutting its teeth on the 2.42-mile, 15-turn road course at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the first time. However, that’s not the case for Michael McDowell and AJ Allmendinger, two of the best at turning left and right. Both drivers competed in the Champ Car World Series race in Mexico City in 2005. Allmedinger finished second and McDowell was just outside of the top 10 in 11th place. Later that same year, McDowell went on to win the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race. That gives them some familiarity with what to expect in Sunday's race. RELATED: Mexico City weekend schedule | At-track photos "I'm biased because road racing is kind of my thing and I love it," McDowell said before Friday’s practice. "We know that those are opportunities for us. But also, too, it's not as intimidating to me, getting into the rhythm and learning new tracks and things like that. But that doesn't mean that it's easy." Nothing will be easy about navigating a Cup car nearly 20 years later, since both drivers raced south of the border, especially around a slightly different configuration. Additionally, several other road-course aces are vying for Victory Lane and a possible playoff spot, with just 11 races remaining in the regular season. At 7,315 feet above sea level and more than 5,300 feet higher than any other active NASCAR track, the Mexico City elevation presents an obstacle for drivers and teams to account for. But that’s where McDowell feels like he has an advantage. "It is a challenge. Honestly, it's part of the reason why I decided not to run the Xfinity race, was because I felt like this is a really physically demanding weekend, getting acclimated to the altitude and road racing in general," McDowell added. “Yes, extra laps and extra seat time would be great to be more familiar, but I felt like you're going to be at your limit on Sunday, and I want to make sure that I have the best possible day of the week. "I feel like nutrition and sleep and hydration and supplementation is a big part of it, too, and I feel like I have that worked out for me. "We'll see Sunday. If you go to interview me after the race and I can't breathe, you know that I didn't do a very good job." So far, so good for McDowell. He paced the field in the first practice session but had the 25th fastest time in Practice 2. On the other side of the coin, Allmendinger -- who failed to crack the top 20 in both practice sessions -- isn't feeling much of an edge and plans to lean on his road-course prowess to make gains during the race. MORE: McDowell, Gilliland top Cup Series practice sessions "The track's changed a bit, and obviously, the race car that I'm driving, it's completely changed. So now it's kind of interesting," Allmendinger said before Saturday's qualifying session. "I have felt like, since I've been here, there's been no advantage, honestly. So no, I mean, everybody, it's the Cup Series. Everybody's so good. So they adapt really quick." All three of Allmendinger's Cup wins have been exclusively on road courses, but even with that pedigree, he’s not banking on experience alone to carry him this weekend. Much like McDowell, he’s embracing the challenges that Mexico City’s unique layout brings, though not necessarily all the possible weather conditions. "I don't enjoy driving in the rain. I'm OK at it, so if it does, I'm not scared of it," Allmendinger said. "But no, I mean, I think for the fans and for the industry and everybody, we'd prefer a nice, sunny day." Regardless of how Sunday’s debut event unfolds, the race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez adds another layer to NASCAR’s continued expansion beyond traditional venues -- and an opportunity for drivers like McDowell and Allmendinger to shine in an environment where experience, precision and conditioning all matter. While the field might be stacked with talent and unfamiliarity, McDowell and Allmendinger remain two of the best bets to master the circuit’s rhythm. And if the weather stays clear and the race comes down to skill and strategy, either driver could be contending when the checkered flag waves.