Shane van Gisbergen dominates NASCAR Mexico City Cup inaugural as he captured victory in the first NASCAR Cup Series race held at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, overcoming both a stomach illness and volatile weather to secure the win. The Trackhouse Racing driver’s outstanding performance ensures his place in the playoffs, after leading the closing 32 laps and finishing over 16 seconds clear of Christopher Bell.
This marks the New Zealand native’s second Cup win and his first since taking victory in his debut last year during the Chicago street race, reinforcing his reputation for excelling in inaugural events with both left and right turns.
Preparation, Adversity, and Support Shape Victory
Van Gisbergen revealed he made the most of the unique week in Mexico City, enjoying the new experience and drawing on advice from four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen regarding the multi-use circuit. Despite feeling unwell with a prerace stomach bug, he demonstrated remarkable endurance by leading more laps than any competitor in the field.
“What a week, I’ve really enjoyed myself,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
According to Marty Snider, the three-time Supercars champion applied tips from Verstappen to adapt to the track, which is also a fixture on the Formula One calendar. Showing visible strain, van Gisbergen spoke about pushing through illness to maintain his lead.
I felt pretty rubbish today, van Gisbergen admitted.
“Our car was amazing. I think (Ty Gibbs) was close. That last stint, man, what a pleasure just ripping lap after lap. Watching them get smaller in the mirror. Unreal.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Driver
Race-Winning Strategies and Severe Weather
The Mexico City event featured a mix of strategic gambles and unpredictable weather that tested drivers and teams throughout the day. Rain began right after the green flag, resulting in an early caution and teams scrambling for wet-weather tires. Chris Buescher and Austin Cindric initially tried to stick with slicks, but both lost ground rapidly. Buescher slipped from first to sixteenth, and Cindric fell to tenth before a subsequent yellow for a multi-car incident.
The tricky conditions persisted until the sky began to clear just past halfway, with the final 33 laps running green and allowing van Gisbergen to cement his commanding position at the front. In total, six cautions interrupted the flow, making tire and pit decisions pivotal, as Chris Buescher and Kyle Busch experienced firsthand.
Kyle Busch recounted the chaotic sequence after his car lost control on a slick section, collecting several drivers, including Kyle Larson, whose vehicle suffered extensive damage and dropped more than 30 laps down.
“Just in the rain, and I went down into 11 and got on the brakes pretty hard,”
—Kyle Busch, Driver. He elaborated:
“Everything was fine, everything was comfortable, stopped really good. And I’m like, ‘OK, I can be a little more aggressive getting into 1,”
—Kyle Busch, Driver
Busch described how he lost grip and tried to minimize the impact.
“About a second and a half or so, I was trying to figure out which direction to go, and I was like, ‘I’ve got to turn this thing around backward, because I’m going to nail some people.’ Hate it for all those involved in my mishap. Hate it for RCR, ECR. The car in qualifying was really good, and I felt we were going to be really sporty in the dry. I hate that the rain came, and now it’s nice and dry. Just have to go fight for more points in another week.”
—Kyle Busch, Driver
Leaders and Shifts Shape the Final Results
After an eventful start, the focus at the front of the pack narrowed to van Gisbergen and Ty Gibbs, who exchanged the lead as both chose to pit near the end of the first stage and again following the start of Stage 2. Their tactical approaches diverged at the second stage’s conclusion, with Gibbs opting for fresh tires while van Gisbergen stayed out, banking on another weather change that never arrived.
This decision allowed van Gisbergen to win Stage 2 and extend a significant lead as the race reached its conclusion. Ty Gibbs managed to claw his way from fifteenth to fourth in the initial laps of the final stage, but faded as van Gisbergen and Bell fought at the front. Ultimately, van Gisbergen expanded his advantage and coasted to the finish line with a gap that reflected his command of both the car and the conditions.
Final Standings and Notable Performances
Christopher Bell secured second place, trailing van Gisbergen by over 16 seconds. Chase Elliott finished third, ahead of Alex Bowman and Michael McDowell, with all three putting in consistent performances. John Hunter Nemechek, Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, William Byron, and Chris Buescher completed the top ten.
Ty Gibbs, despite leading 27 laps across three stretches, finished eleventh after a late strategic bet with tire changes and pit timing. The race’s opening stage was won by Ryan Preece, while van Gisbergen clinched victory in the second stage.
Implications for the NASCAR Cup Series Going Forward
Shane van Gisbergen’s triumph at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez not only underscores his status as a specialist in high-stakes debuts but also secures his playoff qualification for Trackhouse Racing and Chevrolet. The dramatic blend of weather, strategy, and mechanical prowess in Mexico City showcased the unpredictability and excitement of the NASCAR Cup Series as it expands to new venues.
Attention now turns to the next event on the schedule: the race at Pocono Raceway, set for Sunday, June 22, at 2 p.m. ET, where drivers will again have to adapt quickly to unique track demands. For van Gisbergen and his team, the challenge will be to build upon their momentum while the rest of the field looks to close the performance gap evident in Mexico City.
