NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps told drivers before the race: “Together, we are doing something that will be remembered in the history of our great sport.”

Bowman last Sunday slammed hard into the wall at Michigan in a head-on impact at approximately 150 mph. The hit was so fierce that it lifted the rear wheels in the air. Although nothing was broken, he has severe lower back pain on his right side that shoots into his leg.

The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity series will hold consecutive qualifying sessions Saturday at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which then will play host to back-to-back races on its 15-turn, 2.42-mile layout. The NASCAR Mexico Series will hold a 40-lap race (with a 70-minute time limit), followed by a 65-lap race for the Xfinity Series.