Practice Shakes Up the Grid in Mexico City: Michael McDowell, Todd Gilliland Lead the Way

History was made this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series rolled into Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for its first-ever points-paying event in Mexico City. With high temperatures and high stakes, Friday’s double-practice sessions set the tone for what could be an unpredictable Viva México 250. Both sessions gave teams a valuable look at the technical and bumpy 2.678-mile road course. Surprisingly, it was drivers from mid-tier teams who turned the most heads, proving that the usual pecking order could get flipped south of the border.

Michael McDowell Steals the Show in Opening Practice

In the first 50-minute practice session of the weekend, Michael McDowell, piloting the No. 71 B’laster Products Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, clocked the fastest lap with a time of 94.024 seconds. Known for his road course expertise, McDowell’s performance came as little shock to seasoned observers, but still provided a major statement for a team not usually seen at the top of the charts.

McDowell’s time held up as the best of the entire day, despite the second session being shorter and run in slightly better track conditions. Following closely behind was Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing, just 0.112 seconds off McDowell’s pace, with teammate Ty Gibbs right behind him. This strong showing from Gibbs’ stable signals their readiness for Sunday, especially given the challenging nature of the circuit.

The rest of the top ten featured a mix of road course regulars and Cup Series standouts. Austin Cindric and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five, with Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen, and Todd Gilliland completing the top ten.

Meanwhile, big names like William Byron (23rd), Bubba Wallace (24th), and Ryan Blaney (22nd) struggled to find immediate pace. Byron’s performance was particularly surprising given his consistency this season and current lead in the Cup Series standings.

Todd Gilliland Strikes Back in Final Practice

With less time and increased urgency, the second session on Friday delivered another surprise. This time, it was Todd Gilliland in the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford for Front Row Motorsports who posted the quickest lap of the afternoon with a time of 93.496 seconds—marking the fastest overall lap of the day. His pace bested Ross Chastain by 0.140 seconds.

Ty Gibbs continued to impress by slotting into third, while Ryan Blaney found significant improvement from the earlier session to place fourth. Chris Buescher remained consistent and rounded out the top five.

While many drivers managed to improve their lap times, only the top five were able to surpass the benchmark set by McDowell in the first session. That speaks volumes about the strength of McDowell’s early run and the complexities of this unique track.

Other notables in the top ten included Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, Daniel Suárez, and Shane van Gisbergen—the Kiwi road course ace whose name is always expected among the quickest on circuits like this.

The second session also saw better balance among the field. Drivers like Chase Elliott (12th), Brad Keselowski (13th), and William Byron (16th) showed they were starting to find their rhythm on the road course. Still, the spread between first and 20th place was over nine-tenths of a second, signaling that small mistakes or setup errors could drastically affect qualifying and race-day performance.

Challenges and Storylines Heading Into Race Day

Friday’s practice results created several storylines ahead of Sunday’s Viva México 250. For McDowell and Gilliland, their sessions solidified them as serious contenders for strong finishes, if not outright victory, should strategy fall their way. Their speed on a road course isn’t new, but the timing of their performances—on a brand-new circuit for Cup racing—adds extra weight to their momentum.

For teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske, the day showed promise, particularly through the performances of Ty Gibbs, Ryan Blaney, and Joey Logano. Meanwhile, Hendrick Motorsports had a mixed bag of results, with Byron, Larson, and Elliott showing glimpses of potential but lacking the pace needed to dominate.

Road course specialists like Shane van Gisbergen and Daniel Suárez will be dangerous wildcards, especially if strategy or restarts tighten the field late in the race.

Additionally, Friday’s practice took on added weight after logistical issues earlier in the week forced schedule adjustments. With limited time on-track, teams were under pressure to make the most of every minute—a factor that may explain some of the shuffling seen among the expected frontrunners.

News In Brief:  NASCAR Mexico Cup Practice Results

Friday’s practice sessions at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez were anything but predictable, as lesser-known names took the spotlight and title contenders worked to fine-tune their setups. With Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland topping the speed charts, Sunday’s Viva México 250 is shaping up to be an unpredictable affair. As NASCAR races on international soil for the first time in over six decades, fans can expect a battle where strategy, patience, and road course skills will all come into play.

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