Mexico City’s ‘Calamity Corner’ Draws Stark Warning From Veteran NASCAR Driver

It’s been nearly 20 years since NASCAR ventured south of the border to host a National Series race. The 2008 Xfinity race, won by Kyle Busch, was the last we saw of Mexico. But in 2025, the stars of NASCAR are finally headed south of the border once again. This time, the June 15 race lands at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

The excitement’s building, the fans are hyped, and the teams? They are prepping like mad. But amid all the buzz, a veteran driver is raising a caution flag. Well, it’s not about the speed, though, but about one sneaky, dangerous section of the track that could catch everyone off guard.

Michael McDowell warns of hidden dangers in Mexico City

Every iconic racetrack has that one spot. One corner where things tend to go sideways. And we mean, literally. The dreaded “Calamity Corner.” For Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the newest beast on the NASCAR calendar, that sketchy stretch might just be between Turns 8 and 10. Drivers are calling it a real problem area, and Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell is already sounding the alarm. For turn 10, specifically.

McDowell has been there and done that. The veteran driver is a road course expert and has tackled Mexico City as well in the past. In the IMSA-run Grand-Am Cup Series, McDowell secured triumph at Mexico City in 2005. His biggest advantage heading back is the weather conditions and high altitude, which he would be used to from his sports car days. However, the track has changed massively since 2005, and McDowell broke it down in a conversation with Steve Letarte.

“Turn ten is off-camber a little bit, which I know is hard to see on that map, but it’s off camber a little bit and it kind of wants to suck you left, which makes it easy to lock up. It makes it easy to lock up and miss that corner there,” McDowell warned about the NASCAR Mexico City track. Off-camber, what’s that? To put it in simplest terms, off-camber design means the banking of the corner slopes away from the direction of the turn. So, what? Well, this reduces grip and makes the car want to slide wide, especially under heavy braking. For drivers used to traditional banked corners, this can be a rude awakening.

He also points out the broader challenge of Turn 10, stating, “I think that’ll actually be a place where more mistakes are made than even like turn one. Because everybody’s so good at breaking right? Like it’s not like the old days where you wheel hop, you miss a shift.” Sounds confusing? Well, let us break it down for you.

Wheel hop refers to a rapid, repeated bouncing of a vehicle’s wheels under heavy braking or acceleration. This, naturally, causes a loss of traction and control. You might be familiar with missing a shift, which means failing to engage the correct gear, which can slow the car or cause engine damage. Both issues were common in older NASCAR cars. But modern vehicles, like the Next-Gen car, and drivers are more efficient. So, this makes mistakes at technical corners like Turn 10 more likely to result from overdriving or setup errors rather than mechanical mishaps.

A new track presents new opportunities for drivers to make mistakes.

Michael McDowell walks us through where drivers may screw up on track in Mexico City. #InsideTheRace #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/E3lDTxlKGB

— Steve Letarte (@SteveLetarte) June 12, 2025

However, not all’s gloomy! McDowell highlights a tactical opportunity at NASCAR Mexico City that drivers can capitalize on. “I think there will be an opportunity between four and five to make a move because you could sort of almost give up a little bit of the exit to set yourself up for the entry,” he explained. If a driver can sacrifice a bit of speed exiting Turn 4 to better position the car for the entry into Turn 5. This strategy could open up passing chances, especially if a competitor is right behind, as it allows for a stronger run into the next corner sequence.

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is set to test every driver’s skill and nerve. McDowell’s warning about the “Calamity Corner” serves as a stark reminder: Mexico City’s circuit is beautiful, fast, and unforgiving. Especially where you least expect it.

NASCAR Mexico City weekend gets complicated

Well, that didn’t take long. NASCAR’s big return to Mexico City is already off to a rocky start, and we’re not even at the green flag yet. Thanks to some unexpected plane trouble (yes, two separate aircraft issues), multiple teams got grounded in Charlotte. The result? NASCAR had to scramble and reshuffle the entire Mexico City weekend schedule at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

The Xfinity Series now has just one crack at practice on Saturday morning before jumping straight into qualifying and then, bam, racing The Chilango 150 that same afternoon. Cup guys didn’t get off easy either! Friday’s practices got shoved to later in the evening. Sunday’s big show, the Viva Mexico 250, is still on as planned, but the chaos has already dialed up the pressure. With way less track time than usual, teams are going to have to figure things out fast. But the drama doesn’t stop with the tarmac and tire pressure.

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. was supposed to be one of the marquee faces promoting this international showdown as part of Amazon Prime Video’s broadcast crew. Fans were hyped. The media were ready. But somewhere along the line, something shifted—and now, Jr.’s appearance is in serious doubt. Details are still fuzzy. But social media lit up with hot takes, debates, and some surprisingly passionate pleas for Dale to “just stay home.”

Some fans are disappointed; others say it’s probably for the best given the logistical mess. Either way, this unexpected twist has added another wrinkle to what’s shaping up to be a wild weekend. Not just on track, but behind the scenes too. Mexico’s NASCAR comeback is still happening, but it’s already a bit of a soap opera.

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