Ross Chastain qualifies third in Mexico City race after a suspenseful NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session that saw Shane van Gisbergen secure pole position for Trackhouse Racing at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Saturday, setting up an intriguing Viva Mexico 250 starting grid in front of a lively crowd. Rain forced an early end to the session, leaving Chastain and others just fractions of a second behind van Gisbergen’s top time.
Shane van Gisbergen Grabs Pole Position Amid Challenging Conditions
Shane van Gisbergen, already known for his road course expertise and success as a three-time Australian Supercars champion, showed his form once again by leading qualifying for Sunday’s race. His lap of 92.776 seconds narrowly edged out Ryan Preece and Ross Chastain, with less than a tenth of a second separating the top three drivers. The qualifying session was cut short due to a sudden downpour that brought out a red flag, locking in the times with van Gisbergen on pole.
Ross Chastain delivered a strong performance in his Trackhouse Racing chevrolet/”>Chevrolet, coming up just 0.073 seconds shy of van Gisbergen’s leading time, demonstrating competitiveness heading into race day. Ryan Preece, piloting the RFK Racing ford/”>Ford, slotted into second place on the grid, a mere 0.064 seconds from the pole time.
Top Qualifiers and Standout Performances
The session proved particularly successful for Trackhouse Racing, with both van Gisbergen and Chastain inside the top three and hometown favorite Daniel Suarez qualifying in the top 10, adding to the team’s momentum. Ty Gibbs continued to impress for Joe Gibbs Racing by placing fourth, while Michael McDowell secured a spot among the top five for Spire Motorsports.
Other notable qualifiers included former series champions Kyle Larson and Joey Logano, who will start sixth and ninth, respectively, and further down the field, Todd Gilliland and AJ Allmendinger, both known for strong showings on road courses, claimed seventh and eighth positions.
Challenges for Notable Drivers
Not all drivers had a smooth qualifying session. Christopher Bell, a three-time Cup Series race winner in 2025 for Joe Gibbs Racing, found himself down in 31st place, facing a difficult start to the weekend despite earlier success in the Xfinity Series qualifying session. Ryan Truex, who stepped in for Denny Hamlin at Joe Gibbs Racing, qualified 36th, while Katherine Legge rounded out the field for Live Fast Motorsports in 37th place.
Starting Lineup for the Mexico City NASCAR Cup Series Race
Below is the complete starting order for the NASCAR Cup Series event in Mexico City, with lap times and gaps illustrating just how close the competition was in qualifying:
1. Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) – 92.776 secs
2. Ryan Preece (RFK Racing Ford) – +0.064
3. Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) – +0.073
4. Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing toyota/”>Toyota) – +0.145
5. Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – +0.198
6. Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – +0.208
7. Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports Ford) – +0.244
8. AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) – +0.246
9. Joey Logano (Team Penske Ford) – +0.273
10. Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) – +0.285
11. Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) – +0.308
12. Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – +0.332
13. Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing Ford) – +0.382
14. Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club Toyota) – +0.418
15. Riley Herbst (23XI Racing Toyota) – +0.425
16. Chris Buescher (RFK Racing Ford) – +0.430
17. Justin Haley (Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet) – +0.458
18. Ryan Blaney (Team Penske Ford) – +0.471
19. Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – +0.481
20. Austin Cindric (Team Penske Ford) – +0.543
21. Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) – +0.566
22. Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing Toyota) – +0.569
23. Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – +0.575
24. Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports Ford) – +0.589
25. Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing Toyota) – +0.650
26. Cole Custer (Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) – +0.652
27. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – +0.682
28. Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) – +0.819
29. Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) – +0.828
30. Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing Ford) – +0.931
31. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – +0.944
32. John H. Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club Toyota) – +1.282
33. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet) – +1.376
34. Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing Ford) – +1.437
35. Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports Ford) – +1.640
36. Ryan Truex (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – +1.848
37. Katherine Legge (Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet) – +2.692
What to Watch for in Sunday’s Race
With Shane van Gisbergen starting out front and Ross Chastain qualifies third in Mexico City race, Trackhouse Racing holds a strategic advantage, especially with Daniel Suarez’s strong qualifying run energizing the home fans. Competitors such as Ty Gibbs, Michael McDowell, Kyle Larson, and Joey Logano will look to leverage their top ten positions to challenge early leaders. Meanwhile, big names like Christopher Bell face a steep climb from the back of the field, adding unpredictability to the race.
As teams prepare for the Viva Mexico 250 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, anticipation is high for a tightly contested event, with weather and track conditions likely to be factors. The outcome could have significant implications for team momentum and the broader championship picture, especially for those looking to build on strong qualifying results or redeem disappointing starts.
