Why is IndyCar’s Most Popular Driver Pato O’Ward Giving Little Attention to Home NASCAR Race in Mexico?

NASCAR will be hosting its first international points-paying race in Mexico this year. The hype of the event is surely grabbing attention across the fraternity, especially with the likes of Mexican-born drivers such as Daniel Suarez. Another Mexican, but in the IndyCar arena seems to be paying little attention to the upcoming home race. The person in question is Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward.

Fox Sports reporter, Bob Pockrass, shared a clip of an interview with O’Ward on his official X handle, noting, “Pato O’Ward told me last week that he doesn’t think he will do the Xfinity race at Mexico City (it is the same weekend IndyCar is at Gateway but there was talk he could race Saturday in Mexico and then fly to St. Louis) … this year.”

In the interview, O’Ward expressed, “The chance, I would say in 2025, they’re slim. Because till I get my Indy 500, and till I get my IndyCar championship, my full focus is in IndyCar. But I think once I’ve done that, I’ve told Zach that I’m open to scout out some cool opportunities in NASCAR, here in America.”

Pato O'Ward told me last week that he doesn't think he will do the Xfinity race at Mexico City (it is the same weekend IndyCar is at Gateway but there was talk he could race Saturday in Mexico and then fly to St. Louis) … this year. He explains: @IndyCarOnFOX @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/aCIKIecTpG

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 22, 2025

Therefore, it appears O’Ward is targeting the event in 2026, foregoing next year due to scheduling conflicts with his full-time commitment in IndyCar. Since IndyCar currently does not offer O’Ward a home race in Mexico, a crossover event similar to Kyle Larson’s Indy 500 endeavor might be in the works for the future with collaborations among Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren SP, and Hendrick Motorsports.

Previously, he conveyed to The Racer in an interview that although he regrets missing the first Mexican NASCAR race, he is keen to participate in the following one. Yet, he indicated that the Mexico race might be the sole NASCAR event that piques his interest in competition.

O’Ward conveys his aspiration to race in Mexico

Originally from Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, O’Ward harbors a strong desire to compete on his home turf, inspired by the fervent motorsports enthusiasm that permeates the country. He regards Mexico as hosting one of the most passionate motorsports fanbases globally.

Highlighting this passion, the IndyCar driver remarked, “You see how successful the Formula 1 Grand Prix is there and it’s definitely a dream of mine to race in front of Mexican fans there,” shared the Arrow McLaren driver.

The Mexican will not be participating in the 2025 race on his home turf. Although, his participation would have boosted NASCAR’s fanbase by urging the IndyCar fans to watch the event.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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