HICKORY, N.C. — Wherever Eloy Falcón competes, a smile rarely leaves his face.
That trait was prevalent Saturday at Hickory Motor Speedway for a great cause; it marked Falcón‘s return to the US after spending the primary half of the yr racing in his house nation of Mexico. A NASCAR Drive for Range program alum, Falcón teamed with MCM Racing Growth at Hickory with the objective of constructing a robust impression in his return stateside.
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The evening introduced combined feelings. Falcón was quickest in ultimate follow for the Late Mannequin Inventory function and certified on pole, however his race ended after 50 laps as a result of a damaged hub. Falcón was expectedly disillusioned with such an final result, but he nonetheless discovered loads of causes to be optimistic.
By all of the highs and lows of Saturday, Falcón thought of his first U.S. outing of 2026 a hit.
“I‘m actually grateful to be again within the seat with a brand new staff,” Falcón stated. “I gained numerous expertise at the moment. Clearly it was a irritating ending for us. Firstly, one thing [felt] bizarre on the automobile. It was out of our palms, however I‘m actually proud of all the trouble the staff [did] throughout the weekend. We had a fairly stable day.”
Eloy Sebastian appears on throughout ARCA Apply on January ninth, 2025 at Daytona Worldwide Speedway in Daytona Seaside, Florida. Photograph by James Gilbert
What began Falcón‘s journey towards NASCAR was a Christmas current he acquired from his household at 5 years previous: a go-kart.
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The household started getting into Falcón in occasions round Mexico as soon as he had acquired sufficient follow. The success he loved garnered loads of consideration, which led to a possibility to contest the FIA-sanctioned F4 Spanish Championship in 2020.
The time Falcón spent in Europe didn’t yield the outcomes he wished, so he returned to his house nation the next season to concentrate on the Mikel‘s Truck Collection, a key a part of the developmental ladder in Mexico. Falcón‘s first marketing campaign within the Mikel‘s Truck Collection was a profitable one which noticed him document 4 top-five finishes.
One yr later, Falcón was the Mikel‘s Truck Collection champion. Two victories and only one end exterior the highest 10 have been sufficient for the factors lead, which helped him progress into the NASCAR Mexico Problem Collection full-time in 2023.
The Problem Collection sharing the observe with the premier NASCAR Mexico Collection was helpful for Falcón in quite a few regards. It gave him an opportunity to go up in opposition to among the greatest drivers from his nation and take away classes that helped him chase a Problem Collection championship.
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Similar to within the Mikel‘s Truck Collection, a quiet-but-successful rookie season for Falcón within the Problem Collection translated to a title marketing campaign the next yr that noticed him earn 5 victories, together with a sweep of the ultimate three occasions.
Eloy Falcon, driver of the #2 Max Siegel Inc Chevrolet, will get prepared for the race throughout the Atlas 150 for the ARCA Menards Collection and the ARCA Menards Collection East at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa on August 1, 2025. (Rachel Mummey/ARCA Racing)
Falcón has leaned on a number of NASCAR Mexico Collection alums all through his journey. They embody Rubén García Jr. and his present driving coach Rogelio López, each of whom are collection champions who’ve additionally gained within the ARCA Menards Collection East. Their recommendation on competing within the U.S. guided Falcón as he began competing within the nation extra ceaselessly.
“There may be numerous expertise in Mexico, and there’s a lot of excellent drivers,” Falcón stated. “We run exhausting down there. All of the expertise [López and García] gave me was precious for me. They helped me perceive how the air works, easy methods to run on [big tracks] and easy methods to be taught the variations [in the] automobiles and likewise the tires.”
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Like García earlier than him, Falcón discovered a pathway to the U.S. by Drive for Range, which he first utilized for throughout his Mikel‘s Truck Collection title marketing campaign. Falcón‘s efficiency within the Drive for Range mix earned him a spot on Rev Racing‘s roster for 2023, when he competed in Legends automobiles whereas balancing his commitments in Mexico.
The listing of graduates from Drive for Range consists of Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suarez and Nick Sanchez, so Falcón understood the expectations positioned upon him. Being embedded with Rev Racing made Falcón perceive why there so many profitable Drive for Range alums. Each a part of this system inspired development.
“They helped me so much to develop my talents,” Falcón stated. “On this system, they ready me [physically and mentally], however we additionally had a [driver‘s coach] with numerous expertise in Mark Inexperienced. All of the crew chiefs, all of the mechanics and all of the expertise they’ve, they gave me all of the information, and I labored actually exhausting all these years.
“It was fairly, fairly good years studying all of the stuff.”
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Falcón‘s ultimate yr with Drive for Range in 2025 was his most adventurous. After spending a pair years progressing by Legends and into Late Mannequin Shares, Falcón launched into a part-time season throughout the ARCA Menards Collection platform with Rev Racing.
The primary race couldn’t have gone any higher. Within the second occasion of the East Collection season at Rockingham Speedway, Falcón climbed from tenth in a 26-car area to complete third behind William Sawalich and race-winner Brent Crews.
In his three different begins, Falcón accomplished all however two laps and secured two top-10 finishes at Michigan Worldwide Speedway and Iowa Speedway. Falcón was brimming with confidence by the tip of the yr, desperate to proceed his American odyssey and begin competing for victories frequently.
Eloy Falcon Lopez, driver of the No. 10 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet, and Tyler Reif, driver of the No. 23 SPS/Vegas Fastener Manufacturing Chevrolet, throughout the Rockingham ARCA 125 for the ARCA Menards Collection at Rockingham Speedway on April 19, 2025 in Rockingham, North Carolina. (Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)
But change was on the horizon for Falcón in a means he didn’t anticipate. He was left with out an ARCA experience at first of 2026 when Rev Racing ceased operations, forcing him to shift his focus again to Mexico in the intervening time.
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Persistence and persistence led Falcón to Max Calles, who established MCM Racing Growth within the early 2020s with the objective of serving to foreign-born drivers regulate to racing on American soil. Whereas he needs the circumstances have been completely different, Calles is cherishing the prospect to assist develop Falcón as he resumes his quest to search out sustainability within the U.S.
“It‘s very unhappy that [Rev Racing] went away, as a result of it constructed numerous good drivers,” Calles stated. “We‘re not making an attempt to be them, however we wish to attempt to assist the individuals who have been round that and see how we may also help them proceed their careers. [Falcón] tailored fast, and I like having him round. He’s from Mexico like I’m, so it‘s actually cool to have this relationship.”
Throughout MCM Racing Growth‘s lifespan, this system has fielded late fashions and Legends automobiles for drivers who hail from international locations like Mexico, Brazil, Spain and others. Calles expanded his group‘s attain into the ARCA platform this season with Toro Rodriguez contesting races at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and Hickory.
Forward of Saturday’s late mannequin race, Falcón labored carefully with Calles all week to make sure their No. 38 may attain its absolute best efficiency. Each had expertise at Hickory on which to rely, however Falcón felt the communication he shared with Calles was their greatest power and translated to their early success.
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As soon as the inexperienced flag waved, Falcón‘s fortunes modified. After leaping the preliminary begin, he started dropping positions quickly as he tried to search out tempo in his automobile whereas concurrently managing his tires on Hickory‘s abrasive floor. The damaged hub within the function‘s closing moments prevented Falcón from regaining any misplaced floor.
Falcón knew his first race on U.S. soil in months was going to be each bodily and mentally demanding at a observe like Hickory. Saturday didn’t go in his favor, however Falcón is raring to construct upon the strengths and weaknesses from the weekend so he can sort out his subsequent Late Mannequin Inventory race with confidence.
“I have to be taught extra,” Falcón stated. “I‘m going to observe [a replay of] the race. I couldn‘t run as I wished, however [Hickory] is a observe the place you want numerous laps. We‘re going to take all this data house, and [Calles and I] are going to work collectively to make a sooner automobile.”
Two extra races are deliberate for Falcón in Calles‘ Late Mannequin Inventory in July, however there may very well be room for extra occasions if the funding materializes. If all the pieces goes the way in which Calles envisions, he believes Falcón may find yourself driving MCM Racing Growth‘s ARCA Menards Collection automobile earlier than the yr ends.
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Calles is taking all the pieces with Falcón one step at a time. He is aware of Falcón has the expertise to thrive within the U.S., so Calles needs to meet his function by offering Falcón all the pieces he must take that subsequent step ahead.
“The primary factor now could be to get [Falcón] seen within the U.S. once more,” Calles stated. “He’s nonetheless making an attempt to chase his profession within the U.S., [so] hopefully we are able to win with him on this degree and see if we are able to get some funding for him. We have now a robust program in ARCA, and I really feel like he could be a superb asset.”
Eloy Falcón
Though Falcón is simply now returning to the U.S., he’s in no way having a quiet yr. Falcón broke by for his first NASCAR Mexico Collection victory at Aeropuerto Internacional De Telum in April, defeating most of the similar drivers he as soon as idolized.
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Mexico‘s proud custom of motorsports usually carries over to the U.S. by drivers like Daniel Suárez, who in Might grew to become the primary Mexican-born driver to win the Coca-Cola 600. Falcón is decided to proceed that custom and hopes his debut outing with MCM Racing Growth restarts the momentum he loved within the U.S. final yr.
Falcón‘s first stint within the ARCA Menards Collection offered a preview. Now he needs to expertise the euphoria of turning laps across the U.S.‘s most prestigious tracks as soon as once more, one thing he believes is near turning into a actuality.
“Firstly of final yr, I made the check at Daytona, and it was like being in Disneyland,” Falcón stated. “I used to be so completely satisfied to make this race. [It‘s] nonetheless alive, that dream that I’ve. I wish to be again on the wheel at good tracks and with good drivers. We‘re going to work actually exhausting, attempt to be [successful] and search for that win.
“When some doorways shut, others open. I believe this can be a new starting, and I have to work actually exhausting.”
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A whole lot of unknowns await Falcón after Hickory. He nonetheless wants to search out sponsorship and might do this by exhibiting consistency throughout his deliberate begins with MCM Racing Growth. But Falcón understands the easiest way to create readability about his future is to win, one thing he has executed loads of instances between the U.S. and Mexico.
Irrespective of the place Falcón‘s racing journey takes him subsequent, one factor is definite: He could have a smile on his face.
