MEXICO CITY — Shane van Gisbergen as soon as once more mastered a brand new observe — this one the long-lasting Mexico Metropolis street course — to win NASCAR’s first Cup Collection points-paying race exterior the US within the trendy period.
The New Zealander led 60 of 100 laps Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to earn his first Cup victory since he gained in his NASCAR debut on the inaugural 2023 road course race in Chicago. That victory modified his profession trajectory, and van Gisbergen left Australia V8 Supercars, the place he was a a number of champion, for a full-time transfer to NASCAR.
Though he had success within the Xfinity Collection — he gained three races final 12 months as Trackhouse Racing developed him for a Cup Collection experience — van Gisbergen has struggled this 12 months at NASCAR’s high degree.
He began the race ranked thirty third within the Cup standings with just one top-10 end via the primary 15 races of the season. However his victory in Mexico Metropolis earned him an automated berth into NASCAR’s playoffs with a shot to race for the Cup Collection championship.
Van Gisbergen benefitted from an early pop-up rain bathe on the primary lap of the race as a result of he is an exceptionally expert driver on a moist floor. His win at Chicago was in monsoon-like circumstances.
He gained the pole in Mexico Metropolis and began the race because the betting favourite, significantly since rain was within the forecast. He needed to cope with a number of challengers, Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing amongst them, however took the lead for good with 31 laps remaining.
Trackhouse now has two of its drivers — Ross Chastain and van Gisbergen — locked into the playoffs. But it surely was a little bit of a disappointment for Daniel Suarez, the Monterrey native who thrilled the hometown crowd with a win within the Xfinity Collection race on Saturday, as he didn’t problem his teammate for the win and completed nineteenth.
Suarez, who seemed to be blinking again tears as he sang together with the Mexican nationwide anthem in pre-race ceremonies, desperately wished the house win on this contract 12 months with Trackhouse. He was the face of this occasion as NASCAR ventured exterior the U.S. with its high collection for the primary time since 1958.
Bell completed second in a Toyota for JGR — 16.567 seconds behind the winner. He was adopted by Chase Elliott in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Alex Bowman, who damage his again in a crash final week at Michigan, withstood the ache for a fourth-place end in his Hendrick Chevrolet.
Michael McDowell of Spire Motorsports was fifth and adopted by John Hunter Nemechek in a Toyota for Legacy Motor Membership. Chase Briscoe of JGR was seventh and adopted by Cole Custer for Haas Manufacturing facility because the highest-finishing Ford driver. William Byron of Hendrick was ninth and Chris Buescher of RFK Racing rounded out the highest 10.
Chevrolets took 5 of the top-10 positions, together with the victory.
Dangerous day for Busch
Kyle Busch, who began the race on the backside of the playoff standings, suffered a large setback when he crashed out of the race on the sixth lap and completed final within the 37-car area.
Busch, who was ranked fifteenth within the Cup Collection standings when he arrived in Mexico Metropolis, blamed the incident on the moist observe.
“Simply within the rain, and I went down into (Flip) 11 and acquired on the brakes fairly arduous, and every thing was high quality, every thing was snug, stopped actually good,” he stated. “And I am like ‘OK I generally is a little extra aggressive entering into 1,’ and I figured it was going to be high quality, and as quickly as I went to the brakes, it was like being on ice, and I used to be simply sliding.
“A few second a half or so, I used to be attempting to determine which course to go, and I used to be like I’ve acquired to show this factor round backward, as a result of I will nail some folks. Hate it for all these concerned in my mishap. I hate that the rain got here and now it is good and dry. Simply should go struggle for extra factors in one other week.”
Gordon offers command
NASCAR Corridor of Famer Jeff Gordon was chosen to offer the command for drivers to begin their engines and admitted earlier than the race he’d executed some practising.
Why? As a result of he included each English and Spanish in his supply of essentially the most well-known phrases in racing.
“Hola Mexico!” Gordon shouted. “Pilotos begin your engines!
Up Subsequent
NASCAR races subsequent Sunday at Pocono Raceway, the place Ryan Blaney gained final 12 months.
