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{{{year}}} Round of Mexico
Race {{{race_no}}} of {{{season_no}}} in the [[{{{year}}} World Stock Car Championship]] season
← [[{{{previous}}}|Previous race]] [[{{{next}}}|Next race]] →
Mexico city oval.png
World Stock Car Championship Race
Date {{{date}}}
Location MEX.png {{{location_city}}}, {{{location_country}}}
Venue Autodromo Mexico City
Course {{{course}}}
Circuit Length {{{track_length}}}
Distance 300 Laps, 469.2 km (300.0 mi)
Weather {{{weather}}}
Average Speed {{{average_speed}}}
Pole Position
Driver [[File:{{{pole_flag}}}.png|25px]] [[{{{pole_driver}}}]] [[{{{pole_owner}}}]]
Most Laps Lead
Driver [[File:{{{most_flag}}}.png|20px]] [[{{{most_driver}}}]] [[{{{most_owner}}}]]
Laps {{{most_laps}}}
Podium
First [[File:{{{first_flag}}}.png|20px]] [[{{{first_driver}}}]] [[{{{first_owner}}}]]
Second [[File:{{{second_flag}}}.png|20px]] [[{{{second_driver}}}]] [[{{{second_owner}}}]]
Third [[File:{{{third_flag}}}.png|20px]] [[{{{third_driver}}}]] [[{{{third_owner}}}]]


The WSCC Round of Mexico is a race on the calendar for the World Stock Car Championship. It is currently held on the oval course ("Pista 3") at the Autodromo Mexico City, a multi-use racing facility and sports complex that currently hosts the Mexican Grand Prix for Formula One. The race first ran from 1986 through 1994 on the road course, and was later revived in 2007, first running at the Autodromo Jose Gutierrez in Torreón before relocating to Mexico City in 2012.

Unlike other oval races on the circuit, the field runs clockwise.

History[edit | edit source]

Mexico City (1986 - 1994)[edit | edit source]

The Autódromo Mexico City Grand Prix circuit, used from 1986 until 1994.

Talks of an expansion to Mexico began in the 1960's when the series first expanded to the southwestern United States with the Grand Prix of Riverside and the Round of Arizona. Series officials investigated the possibility of using the Autodromo Mexico City as early as 1963, and talks were first held with the track in 1970; track and series officials could not agree on an appropriate date, as the date the track preferred would have required moving the Lime Rock Grand Prix.

Talks with the Mexico City government and track officials began again in 1981, and a timetable was set to bring stock car racing to Mexico by 1987. Series officials secured agreement from the track to use the Grand Prix circuit formerly run by Formula One, and track officials agreed to make some small upgrades to accommodate stock cars in addition to the safety improvements planned for the returning Formula One race. The required upgrades were incorporated into the safety improvements and the series was able to run the first race in 1986.

Ricardo Pérez won the 1987 running of the race; he is to date the only Mexican driver to win the Round of Mexico, and the oval course was later renamed in his honor.

Lauren Savage won the four of the six races run from 1988 through 1993, and is the last driver in WSCC history to lap the field en route to a win, a feat that has nearly been accomplished eight times since then (including during the 2016 race in Mexico). Her 1991 win is regarded as one of her greatest, as she drove from 29th on the grid through the field in extremely wet conditions; her pass on Iacopo Benedetti in Turn 1 is regarded as one of the best-executed passes in the series. Savage regarded the win as the "toughest win of my life".

The race was dropped from the calendar after the 1994 season, as the series was looking to run on an oval course, something the race organizers were not willing to do, citing the significant upgrades the oval circuit would need.

Autódromo José Gutierrez (2007 - 2011)[edit | edit source]

Autódromo José Gutierrez, used from 2007 through 2011.

The WSCC returned to Mexico in 2007, following three years of lobbying by the officials in the city of Torreón, who built the Autódromo José Gutierrez with the explicit purpose of attracting WSCC racing back to Mexico. The half-mile oval was described as "part Jacarepagua and part Darlington", and was pitched as "the closest quarters in Mexico". 19-year-old Felipe Azevedo made his debut in a grand fashion, winning the pole and dominating the early part of the race before an oil leak in his Saab 9-5 took him out of the race. He signed a contract to run for David Stone Racing in 2008, and again won the pole in front of his home crowd.

Everton Racing found immense success at the track, winning four of the five races and capturing eleven of fifteen possible podium finishes.

The track proved to be incredibly popular with both fans and drivers, with drivers praising the technical challenge and fans loving the close-quarters racing that the tight racing line provided; it was forced to withdraw from the 2012 schedule following a massive fire that broke out overnight following the conclusion of a local weekly series race. The fire destroyed a large portion of the garage area and grandstands, and caused an estimated $52 million in damage. As of 2016, the track has not been able to sufficiently repair the facilities and sits largely unused; series officials have left the possibility of the track returning on the table should repairs be completed and the track re-earn its international grading.

Mexico City (2012 - present)[edit | edit source]

With the withdrawal of Autódromo José Gutierrez, series officials scrambled to find a suitable venue to prevent cancellation of the race. Mexico City, which was bought by a new ownership group in 2010, was one of the top choices on the list. Track officials agreed to host the race for the 2012 season, and would reevaluate the remainder of the contract after the race. An agreement was later reached for the track to host the WSCC for the remainder of the existing race contract, which expired in 2014. The contract was later renewed through 2018, ensuring the Round of Mexico would remain on the schedule.

Winners[edit | edit source]

Multiple Winners (Drivers)[edit | edit source]

Drivers in bold are still active in the World Stock Car Championship.

Wins Driver Years Won
4 USA.png Lauren Savage 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993
2 USA.png Brad Parker 2009, 2010
IRL.png Tom McLellan 1986, 1989

Multiple Wins (Teams)[edit | edit source]

Teams in bold are still active in the World Stock Car Championship.

Wins Team Years Won
4 USA.png Henderson Motorsports 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993
CAN.png Everton Racing 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011
2 IRL.png McLellan Race Team 1986, 1989
ITA.png Scuderia Benedetti 2013, 2014

By Year[edit | edit source]

Year Driver Team Manufacturer Location Report
2016 USA.png Cyril Jonas HKG.png Black Hawk Motorsports JPN.png Lexus Autodromo Mexico City (oval) Report
2015 USA.png Billy Savage USA.png Team LSR USA.png Chevrolet Report
2014 AUS.png Daniel Lang ITA.png Scuderia Benedetti ITA.png Ferrari Report
2013 BRA.png Antonio Camara ITA.png Scuderia Benedetti ITA.png Ferrari Report
2012 USA.png Frank Stafford USA.png Red Bull Mercedes Racing GER.png Mercedes Report
2011 UK.png Jacob Pearson CAN.png Everton Racing JPN.png Honda Autódromo José Gutierrez Report
2010 USA.png Brad Parker CAN.png Everton Racing JPN.png Honda Report
2009 USA.png Brad Parker CAN.png Everton Racing USA.png Mercury Report
2008 USA.png Arthur Fox USA.png Arthur Fox Motorsports USA.png Pontiac Report
2007 USA.png Palmer Stiles CAN.png Everton Racing USA.png Mercury Report
2006
-
1995
Not held
1994 FRA.png Serge Beaudouin FRA.png Alliance Motorsports USA.png Ford Autodromo Mexico City Report
1993 USA.png Lauren Savage USA.png Henderson Motorsports USA.png Chevrolet Report
1992 UK.png Simon Parsons UK.png Parsonsport JPN.png Honda Report
1991 USA.png Lauren Savage USA.png Henderson Motorsports USA.png Chevrolet Report
1990 USA.png Lauren Savage USA.png Henderson Motorsports USA.png Chevrolet Report
1989 IRL.png Tom McLellan IRL.png McLellan Race Team USA.png Lincoln Report
1988 USA.png Lauren Savage USA.png Henderson Motorsports USA.png Chevrolet Report
1987 MEX.png Ricardo Pérez MEX.png Autosport Hermanos Gonzalez JPN.png Nissan Report
1986 IRL.png Tom McLellan IRL.png McLellan Race Team USA.png Lincoln Report

Sponsors[edit | edit source]

  • FEMSA Grand Prix of Mexico (1986 - 1988)
  • Serfin Grand Prix of Mexico (1989 - 1994)
  • Grupo Anderson's 300 (2007 - 2010)
  • Torreón 300 presented by Telmex (2011 - 2013)
  • Soriana Mexico 300 (2014 - present)