RICHMOND, Va. -- NASCAR confirmed Tuesday that Richmond Raceway is losing one of its two NASCAR races in the 2025 season.
It would be the first time since 1959, outside the COVID-impacted seasons, that the eastern Henrico track has not hosted two races in a season.
Jordan Bianchi, a reporter for The Athletic, wrote Monday that NASCAR planned to take a June race away from Richmond Raceway and move it to Mexico City.
NASCAR announced on Tuesday that the June 15, 2025 race would take place in Mexico. Richmond Raceway's lone race will take place Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025.
WATCH: 'It doesn't draw the same crowd'
"This is a historic moment for our sport, and specifically for the NASCAR Cup Series, in being able to expand our footprint to Mexico,” NASCAR’s Executive Vice President & Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer Ben Kennedy said. “We’ve been bold about our intentions to grow on a global scale, and there isn’t a better place to take the next step in that journey than at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course in Mexico City.”
With that announcement, Kennedy confirmed Richmond would only appear one time on the 2025 schedule.
"This has certainly been a journey for us on the scheduling front," Kennedy said. “Our next opportunity was to expand internationally and we said we’ve wanted to do this for a long time but also needed to make sure it was the right time, the right partners and the right location and Mexico City checked every box."
WATCH: Richmond International Raceway changes ahead of 1996 NASCAR race
The Henrico Citizen reported 2009 studies that found race weekend generates nearly $169 million in economic impact for the region and about $42 million in tax revenue.
Richmond Raceway has not yet commented on this development
This is a developing story. Tell the CBS 6 Newsroom what you think about NASCAR taking a race away from Richmond. We may use your comments on TV.
WATCH: How NASCAR impacts Henrico County (Sept. 1992)
-
-
First Warning Forecast: Tracking showers and storms this Memorial Day
Scattered showers and storms are in the forecast this Memorial Day. Highs struggle to reach 80 degrees underneath mostly cloudy skies.
Norfolk's Larchmont Edgewater Memorial Day parade is still on, organizers say
Norfolk's Larchmont-Edgewater neighborhood will hold its Memorial Day parade Monday, honoring Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, killed in an ODU shooting in March.
Congo battling an Ebola outbreak complicated by aid cuts, armed rebels, anger
Arson attacks on Ebola treatment centers in Congo underscore the challenges authorities face as they try to stem an outbreak of the infectious disease that has been declared a global health emergency.
‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ tops charts and ‘Obsession’ grows in second weekend
After nearly seven years away from the big screen, a new Star Wars movie drew healthy but not record-breaking crowds to global theaters this weekend.
Details emerge of a potential Iran deal as Trump says not to rush
The U.S. is close to reaching a deal with Iran that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, regional officials told the AP.
Send story tip to CBS 6 Investigative Reporter Tyler Layne
Click here to send a story idea to Tyler or any of our reporters. You can also email Tyler directly at Tyler.Layne@WTVR.com or call him at 804-254-3647.
-
Every day CBS 6 is giving a voice to the stories happening in your community. If you have a story idea, email our team at NewsTips@wtvr.com or click here to submit a tip.
