In the first international points-paying race for the NASCAR Cup Series since 1958, it was New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen who drove away to a dominant win south of the border.
Here are three takeaways from the Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:
Van Gisbergen puts on a show for first win of season
Coming into Sunday, van Gisbergen only had one prior top-10 finish this season and entered 33rd in points. After leading a race-high 60 laps and picking up the Stage 2 win, van Gisbergen vaults to ninth in the playoff standings.
It is van Gisbergen’s second Cup Series win after claiming the inaugural Chicago Street Race in 2023. Per NASCAR Insights, he is the first driver since Marvin Porter in 1960 to win his first two races in inaugural races at a track. His 16.567-second margin of victory is the largest in the Cup Series since Kurt Busch at Texas in 2009.
Despite feeling under the weather on Sunday, van Gisbergen made a statement to become the first Cup Series winner in Mexico City.
Daniel Suarez comes up short in quest for weekend sweep in home country
A day removed from his emotional Xfinity Series win on Saturday, Suarez could not replicate the performance on Sunday. Despite running toward the front in the opening stage, Suarez faded to 19th at the conclusion of the 100-lap race.
While he came away empty-handed in Sunday’s race, it was obvious the joy and appreciation he had getting to compete in front of his home crowd. He could not make it a sweep, but it was certainly a weekend that Suarez will not forget anytime soon.
Historic race in Mexico City did not disappoint
The Cup Series had never raced in Mexico City prior to Sunday, and it definitely delivered its fair share of moments. From the drivers having to put on wet-weather tires in a rainy opening stage and a pileup after the ensuing restart when Kyle Busch lost control into Turn 1, it did not take long for the action to pick up.
Although van Gisbergen won by 16.5 seconds and completely checked out during the final 32-lap green-flag run to the finish, Sunday’s race had strategy, side-by-side battles in the tightest places around the track and the element of rain throughout the day. The finish was not close, but there were plenty of intriguing storylines around the 2.42-mile, 15-turn road course, which is all you can ask for.
