For Boris Said, this week's NASCAR Nationwide Series event in Mexico City is more than just his first chance to race a stock car since February.

The free spirit from Southern California loves the sprawling city south of the border.

"I've enjoyed traveling the world to race cars, but I also have fun taking in the local sights and experiencing the local culture," he said. "As soon as I get to Mexico City, I look for the street vendor taco stands and order a couple of carne asadas (grilled steak). It is absolutely delicious -- I recommend it to all Mexican food lovers."

More important, Said, a top road racer, will drive the No. 25 Ford Fusion in Sunday's race on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course and will be aiming to win for the first time on the Nationwide circuit -- previously known as the Busch Series.

He has finished in the top-five at the last three Nationwide races in Mexico, finishing fifth, second and third.

"This could be the year of the win," noted Said, who has a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. "I have a great crew and great equipment. My only concern is that I haven't been racing for a while."

The last time Said raced was in mid-February at the 150-mile qualifying event at Daytona International Speedway.

"I'm chomping at the bit to go racing again," he said. "I'm always pumped about my next race, but I am even more inspired for Mexico after watching the Rocky Balboa effort by Masters champion Trevor Immelman. To me, winning a NASCAR race is like winning the Masters."

COMING BACK: Longtime IRL IndyCar Series driver Davey Hamilton has signed with Kingdom Racing to drive in this year's Indianapolis 500.

Hamilton, who came back to racing after undergoing 21 operations and two years of rehabilitation following a devastating crash at Texas Motor Speedway in June 2001, finished ninth at Indy last year, his ninth start in the May race. He best Indy finish was fourth in 1998.

"I will do anything I can to race at Indy," Hamilton said. "I continue to train harder and am putting myself in the best physical shape of my life, because the most important race in the world is the Indianapolis 500. I'd like to thank Kingdom Racing for giving me that opportunity, and I look forward to a great partnership with them."

The new team is owned by Houston businessman George Del Canto, who hopes the Indy 500 entry will attract sponsorship for the 2009 IndyCar season.

LOOKING TO EXPAND: NASCAR Sprint Cup star and 2007 Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, have teamed with NHRA drag racing veteran Bob Vandergriff Jr. to explore fielding a Top Fuel dragster in NHRA competition.

The proposed Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports would offer its sponsors marketing opportunities in NHRA, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Craftsman Truck and the Nationwide Series.

"The response from the companies we've spoken to already has been tremendous," Harvick said. "We view this as something that would be a natural extension of our current Craftsman Truck and Nationwide Series programs. Bob's a proven leader and innovator, and DeLana and I are happy to be here as his guests."