| Sport | Auto racing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2004 |
| No. of teams | 35 |
| Country(ies) | Mexico |
| Most recent champion(s) | German Quiroga |
| Official website | www.nascarmexico.com |
The NASCAR Corona Series (formerly NASCAR Mexico Corona Series) is a NASCAR series in Mexico. It is the most important stock car racing series in the country.
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The Desafío Corona was established in 2004 by NASCAR Mexico, a joint-venture between NASCAR and Mexican entertainment group OCESA, with the idea of developing stock car racing in Mexico, and fueling a transition from the country’s historically open-wheel racing fan base to stock car racing.[1]
From 2004 to 2006, the Desafío Corona grew considerably in infrastructure, as well as in number of fans, drivers and sponsors.
The NASCAR Mexico Corona Series was officially presented at the 2006 Desafío Corona award ceremony. Starting in 2007, NASCAR is the sanctioning body of the series.[2]
The series is one of two NASCAR-sanctioned international series, the other one being the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. Following North American short-track racing trends to cut costs and unify rules among different tours, NASCAR is considering changes to the Canadian Tire and Corona Series where the two series adopt the Grand National rules as to allow the competitors to use the same cars in NASCAR Grand National Division races.
The winner of the Corona Series receives an invitation to the Toyota All-Star Showdown. All other drivers may also attempt to qualify by entering the heat races.
In the 8 seasons has been used 13 tracks in 11 venues (two in Santiago de Querétaro and two in San Luis Potosí). Currently 6 ovals tracks are used, only Autódromo Monterrey is a road circuit. Three tracks has been used in two configurations. Autódromo Monterrey long and frijol, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in NASCAR Nationwide and oval, Autódromo Miguel E. Abed in a 2.75 km layout and oval.
Autódromo Potosino is the shortest track (0.804 km) and Autódromo Monterrey the longest (3.4 km).
San Luis Potosí is the venue with more races (20, 18 in Autódromo Potosino and 2 in Parque Tangamanga II)
NASCAR Mexico had powered the construction of oval tracks in México, Autódromo Potosino was remodeled in 2001, Aguascalientes,[3] Chiapas,[4] Querétaro[5] had new tracks for NASCAR events. In 2012 a Speedway in Chihuahua is scheluded for inauguration.[6]
| Venue | Tracks | Races | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Potosí | Autódromo Potosino Autódromo San Luis 400 |
20 | 2011 |
| México City | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | 15 | 2011 |
| Guadalajara | Trióvalo Bernardo Obregón | 15 | 2010 |
| Querétaro | Autódromo del EcoCentro Autódromo de Querétaro |
15 | 2011 |
| Puebla | Autódromo Miguel E. Abed | 13 | 2011 |
| Monterrey | Autódromo Monterrey | 11 | 2011 |
| Zacatecas | Autódromo de Zacatecas | 8 | 2009 |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez | Autódromo de Chiapas | 6 | 2011 |
| Aguascalientes | Autódromo de Aguascalientes | 5 | 2011 |
| León | Autódromo de León | 2 | 2004 |
| Torreón | Autódromo Dinamita | 1 | 2004 |
In the first season only General Motors, as Pontiac, and Dodge participated in the series.[7] Ford made its debut in 2005 with Mustang,[8] since 2006 Fusion is the car of Ford.[9] In 2009 Toyota started its participation with Camry. Mazda 6 entered in 2010.[10]
| Rank | Manufacturer | Wins | Races | % Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Motors | 45 | 106 | 42.5% |
| 2 | Ford | 29 | 92 | 31.5% |
| 3 | Toyota | 13 | 35 | 37.1% |
| Dodge | 104 | 12.5% | ||
| 5 | Mazda | 6 | 21 | 28.6% |
Six drivers has won the championship. Telcel team is the most successful with four drivers championships. Antonio Pérez, Sergio Pérez's brother, is the youngest champion (22 years old), and Rafael Martínez the older (45 years old).[11] Only, Germán Quiroga has won the title in three occasions.
| Season | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Carlos Pardo | Pontiac | Equipo Telcel-Sun-Motorola |
| 2005 | Jorge Goeters | Pontiac/ Dodge | Team GP |
| 2006 | Rogelio López | Pontiac/ Dodge | Escudería Telmex |
| 2007 | Rafael Martínez | Ford | Team GP |
| 2008 | Antonio Pérez | Dodge | Escudería Telmex |
| 2009 | Germán Quiroga | Ford | Equipo Telcel |
| 2010 | Germán Quiroga | Ford/ Dodge | Equipo Telcel |
| 2011 | Germán Quiroga | Dodge | Equipo Telcel |
| Season | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Ignacio Alvarado | Pontiac | Alvarado Racing |
| 2005 | Patricio Jourdain | Ford | Motorcraft Racing |
| 2006 | Antonio Pérez | Pontiac | Escudería Telmex |
| 2007 | Mike Sánchez | Chevrolet | MAG Paper |
| 2008 | Irwin Vences | Ford | FCV Racing |
| 2009 | Alejandro Capín | Chevrolet | MT Sport Marketing |
| 2010 | Daniel Suárez | SC Racing/Equipo Telcel | |
| 2011 | Enrique Contreras III | Fénix Racing Team |
As August 7, 2011
| Rank | Driver | Wins | Races | %Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rogelio López | 20 | 84 | 23.8% |
| 2 | Germán Quiroga | 17 | 94 | 18.1% |
| 3 | Rafael Martínez | 15 | 98 | 15.3% |
| 4 | Jorge Goeters | 11 | 97 | 11.3% |
| 5 | Carlos Pardo | 10 | 74 | 13.5% |
| Homero Richards | 81 | 12.3% | ||
| 7 | Antonio Pérez | 9 | 84 | 10.7% |
| 8 | Rubén Rovelo | 4 | 81 | 4.9% |
| Rubén Pardo | 84 | 4.8% | ||
| Patrick Goeters | 105 | 3.8% |
| Rank | Driver | T10 | Races | %T10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germán Quiroga | 70 | 88 | 79.5% |
| 2 | Jorge Goeters | 61 | 90 | 67.7% |
| 3 | Rafael Martínez | 55 | 92 | 59.8% |
| 4 | Rogelio López | 54 | 78 | 69.2% |
| 5 | Patrick Goeters | 53 | 99 | 53.5% |
| 6 | Carlos Pardo | 52 | 74 | 70.3% |
| 7 | Rubén Pardo | 51 | 78 | 65.4% |
| 8 | Carlos Peralta | 49 | 92 | 53.3% |
| 9 | Antonio Pérez | 44 | 78 | 56.4% |
| 10 | Homero Richards | 43 | 75 | 57.3% |
| Rank | Driver | Races | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Goeters | 98 | 2004–2011 |
| 2 | Rafael Martínez | 91 | 2005–2011 |
| Carlos Peralta | 2005–2011 | ||
| 4 | Jorge Goeters | 90 | 2004, 2005, 2007–2011 |
| Freddy Tame | 2005–2011 | ||
| 6 | Pepe Montaño | 88 | 2005–2011 |
| 7 | Germán Quiroga | 87 | 2004, 2006–2011 |
| 8 | Luis F. Montaño | 85 | 2004–2011 |
| 9 | Rubén Pardo | 82 | 2004–2006, 2008–2011 |
| Rafael Vallina | 2004–2011 |
NASCAR Corona Series drivers were invited to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. Points leader Rafael Martínez did not participate despite having a guaranteed starting spot.
Only Antonio Pérez participated in the Showdown, barely making it into the feature race after earning the final starting spot by finishing 6th in the "Last Chance" qualifier. Pérez started 40th and finished 31st after losing several laps following an early wreck.
2006 Corona Series champion Rogelio López, currently racing in the Busch East Series, also participated in the Showdown and finished a respectable 13th.
In 2011 Daniel Suárez, Germán Quiroga and Rubén Rovelo took part. They finished in 11th, 12th and 30th, respectly.[12]
To the date three women are started a NCS race. Mara Reyes scored a pole position in her first race.
| Driver | Season | Entries | Starts | Wins | Top 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mara Reyes | 2004–2005 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 20 |
| Leslie González | 2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Estefania Reyes | 2007, 2010–2011 | 21 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Some drivers have take part in Nationwide Series, but only Jorge Goeters and Scott Riggs has raced in Sprint Cup, Rubé Pardo and Rogelio López raced in Busch East Series achievement victories.
| Driver | Seasons | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Contreras | 2003, 2005–2007 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marc Davis | 2008–2011 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jorge Goeters | 2005–2007 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Patrick Goeters | 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rogelio López | 2006, 2007 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rafael Martínez | 2005, 2008 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlos Pardo | 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rubén Pardo | 2007, 2008 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antonio Perez | 2007–2010 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germán Quiroga | 2007 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| José Luis Ramírez | 2005, 2008 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mara Reyes | 2005 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Riggs | 2002–2003, 2005–2011 | 91 | 4 | 19 | 35 |
Two drivers have raced both NASCAR Corona Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
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