NASCAR flight forced to abort takeoff for Mexico | Sports News

A flight certain for NASCAR’s Mexico City race had to halt its takeoff after a loud noise was heard from the plane.

Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will host the Viva Mexico 250, the primary time NASCAR will race internationally in 25 years. Should the outing and race in Mexico be deemed a success, NASCAR additionally has flirted with the thought of increasing additional, whereas additionally adopting a Formula 1-style podium.

For now, although, drivers have to make it to town earlier than the festivities start in earnest. However, some, like NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Ryan Ellis, had to expertise a less-than-stellar expertise whereas aboard a aircraft headed to Mexico City.

On X, Ellis posted a sequence of updates as he shared his flight expertise. After posting a picture of himself within the aircraft with the caption “Mexico-bound,” he shortly adopted that up with one other post detailing what had occurred because the aircraft ready to take off.

“Cancel that, plane attempted takeoff, plane made a small boom, we are headed back,” he continued. He ended his sequence of updates by stating that he and the remaining of the passengers have been “back in Charlotte” as a outcome.

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Motorsports journalist Matt Weaver offered more context to the incident, stating that Ellis’ plane was not the one one which skilled points on the best way to Mexico City. In all, Weaver defined that NASCAR is conscious of the incidents and personnel are “being placed on different planes” to Mexico.

Though the incidents might simply be remoted to these two, it’s not the beginning NASCAR might have needed because it continues to eye increasing the game’s recognition. Ahead of the Viva Mexico 250, NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps commented on how he would really like to see the sport’s greatest stars racing in Brazil. 

“I’d like to see it happen,” Phelps mentioned to Motorsport.com. “Obviously, we need all parties to come together and understand how important that would be for NASCAR in general and for the category. But I personally would be very excited about it.

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“We’d like to have a Brazilian [driver] come out of NASCAR Brazil, come and race with us full-time, and, you already know, compete for wins and championships. So we’re enthusiastic about this prospect, I used to be very impressed with the quantity of drivers I noticed and how fast they have been and their skills, and we’re enthusiastic about this taking place sooner or later.”

As NASCAR continues to expand its reach, the Viva Mexico 250 is a homecoming for sorts for driver Daniel Suarez. Suarez, originally from Mexico, turned a United States citizen in 2024 and partnered up with Mexican telecommunications company Telcel for the race.

Speaking on the impression NASCAR might have by racing in Mexico, Suarez made his ideas clear. “This race would be the spotlight of my racing profession,” he said. It is a chance to compete in front of my home country fans and those who have supported me all these years.”

He added: “I hope this event creates a lot of NASCAR fans in Mexico.We want to make this event permanent on the NASCAR calendar for many years.

“Mexico has been loving motorsports for a very long time, and I feel like, slowly, that has also changed into NASCAR. NASCAR is a very important sport for Mexico, and it continues to grow with the NASCAR Mexico Series and now the Cup Series going there. It’s going to be a large deal.”