MEXICO CITY — Shane Van Gisbergen once again mastered a new track — this one the iconic Mexico City road course — to win NASCAR’s first Cup Series points-paying race outside the United States of the modern era.

The New Zealander led 60 of 100 laps Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to earn his first Cup victory since he won in his NASCAR debut at the inaugural 2023 street course race in Chicago. That victory changed his career trajectory and Van Gisbergen left Australia V8 Supercars, where he was a multiple champion, for a full-time move to NASCAR.

Although he had success in the Xfinity Series — he won three races last year as Trackhouse Racing developed him for a Cup Series ride — Van Gisbergen has struggled this year at NASCAR’s top level.

He started the race ranked 33rd in the Cup standings with only one top-10 finish through the first 15 races of the season. But his victory in Mexico City earned him an automatic berth into NASCAR’s playoffs with a shot to race for the Cup Series championship.

Van Gisbergen benefitted from an early pop-up rain shower on the first lap of the race because he’s an exceptionally skilled driver on a wet surface. His win at Chicago was in monsoon-like conditions.

He won the pole in Mexico City and started the race as the BetMGM betting favorite, particularly since rain was in the forecast. He had to contend with several challengers, Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing among them, but 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 was a bit of a disappointment for Daniel Suarez, the Monterrey native who thrilled the hometown crowd with a win in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, as he failed to challenge his teammate for the win and finished 19th.

Suarez, who appeared to be blinking back tears as he sang along with the Mexican national anthem in pre-race ceremonies, desperately wanted the home win in this contract year with Trackhouse. He was the face of this event as NASCAR ventured outside the U.S. with its top series for the first time since 1958.

Bell finished second in a Toyota for JGR — 16.567 seconds behind the winner. He was followed by Chase Elliott in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Alex Bowman, who hurt his back in a crash last week at Michigan, withstood the pain for a fourth-place finish in his Hendrick Chevrolet.

Michael McDowell of Spire Motorsports was fifth and followed by John Hunter Nemechek in a Toyota for Legacy Motor Club. Chase Briscoe of JGR was seventh and followed by Cole Custer for Haas Factory as the highest-finishing Ford driver. William Byron of Hendrick was ninth and Chris Buescher of RFK Racing rounded out the top 10.

Chevrolets took five of the top-10 positions, including the victory.

Kyle Busch, who started the race at the bottom of the playoff standings, suffered a massive setback when he crashed out of the race on the sixth lap and finished last in the 37-car field.

Busch, who was ranked 15th in the Cup Series standings when he arrived in Mexico City, blamed the incident on the wet track.

“Just in the rain, and I went down into (Turn) 11 and got on the brakes pretty hard, and everything was fine, everything was comfortable, stopped really good,” he said. “And I’m like ‘OK I can be a little more aggressive getting into 1,’ and I figured it was going to be fine, and as soon as I went to the brakes, it was like being on ice, and I was just sliding.

“About a second 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. I hate that the rain came and now it’s nice and dry. Just have to go fight for more points in another week.”

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon was selected to give the command for drivers to start their engines and admitted before the race he’d done some practicing.

Why? Because he incorporated both English and Spanish in his delivery of the most famous words in racing.

“Hola Mexico!” Gordon shouted. “Pilotos start your engines!

NASCAR races next Sunday at Pocono Raceway, where Ryan Blaney won last year.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Shane Van Gisbergen once again mastered a new track — this one the iconic Mexico City road course — to win NASCAR’s first Cup Series points-paying race outside the United States of the modern era.

The New Zealander led 60 of 100 laps Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to earn his first Cup victory since he won in his NASCAR debut at the inaugural 2023 street course race in Chicago. That victory changed his career trajectory and Van Gisbergen left Australia V8 Supercars, where he was a multiple champion, for a full-time move to NASCAR.

“Man, that was epic,” he said.

Although he had success in the Xfinity Series — he won three races last year as Trackhouse Racing developed him for a Cup Series ride — Van Gisbergen has struggled this year at NASCAR’s top level.

He started the race ranked 33rd in the Cup standings with only one top-10 finish through the first 15 races of the season. But his victory in Mexico City earned him an automatic berth into NASCAR’s playoffs with a shot to race for the Cup Series championship.

Van Gisbergen benefitted from an early pop-up rain shower on the first lap of the race because he’s an exceptionally skilled driver on a wet surface. His win at Chicago was in monsoon-like conditions.

He won the pole in Mexico City and started the race as the BetMGM betting favorite, particularly since rain was in the forecast. He had to contend with several challengers, Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing among them, but took the lead for good with 31 laps remaining.

And, he won feeling under the weather. He was ill before the start of the race in what was a bizarre weekend for him. He was one of the drivers stranded in North Carolina on Thursday when his chartered plane suffered a mechanical issue on takeoff and the team was stranded until Friday morning.

Van Gisbergen arrived in Mexico City early Friday morning but was still awaiting many crew members. Then he got sick late Saturday and was sleeping on the floor of his hauler before Sunday’s race.

“I felt pretty rubbish today, leaking out both holes, that wasn’t fun,” Van Gisbergen said. “Our car was amazing. That last stint, man, what a pleasure just ripping lap after lap and watching them get smaller in the mirror. Unreal.”

He admitted after the race he’d texted with four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen about the intricacies of the Mexico City circuit.

“A little bit in the wet — just what lines to take and how to approach it,” he said. “What a guy.”

Van Gisbergen then did his traditional rugby-style celebration by drop-kicking a signed football into the grandstands.

Trackhouse now has two of its drivers — Ross Chastain and Van Gisbergen — locked into the playoffs. But it was a bit of a disappointment for Daniel Suarez, the Monterrey native who thrilled the hometown crowd with a win in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, as he failed to challenge his teammate for the win and finished 19th.

“I wish I was in the mix fighting for it a little more, but it just wasn’t in the cards,” Suarez said.

Suarez, who appeared to be blinking back tears as he sang along with the Mexican national anthem in pre-race ceremonies, desperately wanted the home win in this contract year with Trackhouse. He was the face of this event as NASCAR ventured outside the U.S. with its top series for the first time since 1958.

Bell finished second in a Toyota for JGR — 16.567 seconds behind the winner. He was followed by Chase Elliott in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Alex Bowman, who hurt his back in a crash last week at Michigan, withstood the pain for a fourth-place finish in his Hendrick Chevrolet.

Michael McDowell of Spire Motorsports was fifth and followed by John Hunter Nemechek in a Toyota for Legacy Motor Club. Chase Briscoe of JGR was seventh and followed by Cole Custer for Haas Factory as the highest-finishing Ford driver. William Byron of Hendrick was ninth and Chris Buescher of RFK Racing rounded out the top 10.

Chevrolets took five of the top-10 positions, including the victory.

Stenhouse vs. Hocevar

The ongoing feud between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar continued after the race as a furious Stenhouse reached inside Hocevar’s cockpit on pit road.

He seemed to grab at Hocevar as he spoke to him, then slapped at his helmet as Stenhouse walked away. It wasn’t clear what Stenhouse was upset about, but he’s been furious with Hocevar for three consecutive weeks, dating to contact between the two at Nashville.

“I told him he’s lucky we’re in Mexico, and I’ll see him in the States,” Stenhouse said.

Bad day for Busch

Kyle Busch, who started the race at the bottom of the playoff standings, suffered a massive setback when he crashed out of the race on the sixth lap and finished last in the 37-car field.

Busch, who was ranked 15th in the Cup Series standings when he arrived in Mexico City, blamed the incident on the wet track.

“Just in the rain, and I went down into (Turn) 11 and got on the brakes pretty hard, and everything was fine, everything was comfortable, stopped really good,” he said. “And I’m like ‘OK I can be a little more aggressive getting into 1,’ and I figured it was going to be fine, and as soon as I went to the brakes, it was like being on ice, and I was just sliding.

Gordon gives command

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon was selected to give the command for drivers to start their engines and admitted before the race he’d done some practicing.

Why? Because he incorporated both English and Spanish in his delivery of the most famous words in racing.

“Hola Mexico!” Gordon shouted. “Pilotos start your engines!

Up Next

NASCAR races next Sunday at Pocono Raceway, where Ryan Blaney won last year.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Ram will return and join the field for the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, ending a 13-year break.

The brand recently unveiled a new Ram 1500 concept race truck that previews the design for next year. Returning to the racetrack marks a major milestone, part of a pedal-to-the-metal drive for Ram that covers 25 product announcements over 18 months.

The news of Ram’s return to NASCAR was officially announced by Tim Kuniskis, CEO of Ram brand, during a live NASCAR event at the Michigan International Speedway. Jaw-dropping moments included a Ram 5500 hauling a custom trailer built specifically for smoky donuts, courtesy of Ram’s NASCAR concept truck. Anderson Silva, Hall of Fame MMA icon, took to the track to shoot HEMI®-branded T-shirts into the crowd.

“For more than a decade, customers and our dealer network asked about getting back into NASCAR. The desire was always there, but we didn’t have a plan that delivered the last tenth and following just didn’t fit our DNA,” said Kuniskis. “Now we have a solid plan that will set us apart from the field and will bring fresh new interest and engagement to America’s motorsport.”

Joining the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, in a way that only Ram can, is a natural, strategic move for the brand, as more than 40% of NASCAR fans are truck owners. The popular and competitive race series gives Ram a high-performance showcase as it launches a series of exciting and capable new trucks.

“Ram returning to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is a major moment for the sport, and a sign that NASCAR remains a strong platform for blue chip brand partners,” said John Probst, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “We are excited to welcome Ram back to the sport. Its identity includes high performance, durability and innovation – characteristics that embody NASCAR and, specifically, the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.”

The Ram 1500 concept race truck unveiled today was molded by the Ram design team. The concept resembles a production truck, adopting elements from the Ram Truck Sport lineup (Warlock, Rebel and RHO), but honed with an aerodynamic signature to slip through the air efficiently, yet with enough airflow to cool a race engine that revs over 9,000 rpm. Body lines around the fenders and grille carry a familiar appearance, framing a large Ram logo that separates this truck from the pack.

The one-off body design is covered by a two-tone Gloss Black canvas with Molten Red lower. The Ram design team created an impactful and exciting livery that complements the visual emotion of Ram’s design DNA and highlights Direct Connection and Symbol of Protest logos. Mopar’s Direct Connection aftermarket unit is adding performance options for Ram trucks and earns prominent signage on the concept race truck.

“There will be more details on our NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program later this year,” added Kuniskis. “We are undoubtedly having fun with this project, and I truly look forward to sharing information on our team and how getting back on track relates to the future of Ram performance.”

Ram exited factory support of NASCAR’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012 after a 17-year run and focused on launching the new 2013 Ram 1500. Ram’s return is one part of a strategy to build on the greatest variety of sport trucks and off-road enthusiast trucks the brand has ever offered.

Ram boasts a rich history of performance trucks, including the Power Wagon, SRT10 Viper Truck, TRX, RHO, Rumble Bee, Little Red Express and Warlock. In 2004, a Ram SRT-10, piloted by NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan, set a Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest production truck with an average speed of 154.587 mph (248.784 km/h) at the Stellantis Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Michigan.

Ram offers a full lineup of pickups and commercial vehicles; the Ram 1500, 2500/3500 Heavy Duty, 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab and ProMaster vans. The Ram Light-Duty and Heavy Duty pickups are considerably improved for 2025 and offer new products in the fastest growing segment within the pickup space—Sport Trucks. Ram introduced the largest variety of off-road performance trucks the brand has ever offered, including the new Ram 1500 RHO with more horsepower per dollar than any other performance off-road pickup.

In the commercial business, Ram is launching the new 2025 Chassis Cab line with improvements to help customers and upfitters. Ram Professional is making considerable changes in process, execution and resources with a focus on commercial offerings, dedicated B2B-focused expertise, and sales and service support, which are critical to growing in this segment.

Ram is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis.

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Survive Wild Mexico City Race with Top-20 Result

18th

10th

4th

“It was a wild race for our Whelen Chevrolet team in Mexico City. Our Chevy had speed, and the balance was good at the beginning of the race. We had ourselves in position for a shot at the win but unfortunately a penalty on pit road at the end of Stage 2 put us in the back to start the final stage. It was just hard to overcome it at that point of the race. We were clawing our way back when we got contact and spun around in the closing laps. Just a crazy race and unfortunately it felt like we were the bug and not the windshield.”

-Jesse Love

Austin Hill Captures Third-Place Podium Finish in the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet in Mexico City

3rd

7th

2nd

“I’m proud of everyone at Richard Childress Racing for bringing an extremely fast Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. The car was fast, but the driver made too many mistakes. I didn’t do a good job on restarts. We had a flat right front in Stage 2, which forced us to pit under green. Thankfully, we were able to stay on the lead lap through that cycle, but we were deep in the field to start Stage 3. Chad (Haney) and everyone on this No. 21 team dug deep to get the car more to my liking, but then on top of that, I just had to figure some things out inside the car. Getting through the big wreck definitely helped. We restarted 13th and drove up to third. I thought we were going to have a really good shot at getting the win, but the last four laps, I tried too hard. We seem to always finish somewhere between third and sixth on these road course races, so I’ll have to go back to the drawing board to see what I can do differently to finally secure a win. We’ve been close so many times and this one stings.”

-Austin Hill

RCR PR

No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet

Start: 34th
Stage 1 Finish: 11th
Stage 2 Finish: 5th
Finish: 4th
Christian Eckes started the Chilango 150 at the rear of the field, following an unapproved adjustment to the No. 16 Chevrolet. Making up ground and battling his way through the field, Eckes went on to finish Stage 1 in 11th place, just shy of earning a stage point. He pitted during the first stage break for tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustments to help the No. 16 Chevy’s rear tires last longer in the next segment. He started the second stage from 18th place. Happy with the changes, Eckes radioed that the team was headed in the right direction. As the field began short-pitting the stage, crew chief Alex Yontz made the call to stay out, and Eckes earned valuable points with a fifth-place finish in Stage 2. He pitted during the final stage break for the same adjustments as the previous pit stop, before starting the final stage from 13th place. Mayhem ensued after the restart, and Eckes navigated through multiple wrecking cars, sitting in second when the caution came out. He held onto second place for multiple laps, before eventually falling to fourth place, where he finished the race, earning his career-best result in the NASCAR Xfinity series.

“I don’t know if our No. 16 Celsius Chevy quite had the speed of a fourth [place] today, but everybody did a great job of getting us in position to get a top five out of it. Obviously, we’ve struggled with some adversity — it’s been a tough season, so to get a decent finish out of it is definitely a step in the right direction.”

– Christian Eckes
 
No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet

Start: 29th
Stage 1 Finish: 34th
Stage 2 Finish: 6th
Finish: 13th
Daniel Dye reported early that the front end of his No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevy was tight handling. The team decided to short-pit the opening stage, pitting with three laps remaining for tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment to help with handling. Dye stayed out under the stage break to start the second stage in eighth place. The adjustments proved to be positive for Dye throughout the second segment, as he finished Stage 2 in sixth place, earning valuable stage points. On the opening lap of the final stage, Dye avoided a wreck with minimal damage to his No. 10 Chevy and went on to finish in 13th place.

 
“Glad we got to get some really good stage points today. At the end we got a little bit of damage that maybe prevented us from a top 10, but I’m generally happy with how the trip went for this No. 10 team.”

– Daniel Dye
 
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet

Start: 29th
Stage 1 Finish: 21st
Stage 2 Finish: 32nd
Finish: 20th
Josh Williams lost three spots on the opening lap. On lap three, the No. 14 made contact with the No. 11, giving the Alloy Employer Services Chevy left-front damage that necessitated repairs. The yellow flag appeared on lap four, giving the team time to repair the damage and fuel up the Chevy on pit road. He restarted at the back of the field with 15 laps to go in Stage 1 and began churning out consistently improved lap times, even recording the fastest lap of all 39 drivers on the restart lap. He finished Stage 1 in 21st, staying out as others pitted. Under caution, Williams stopped for tires, fuel, and track bar and air pressure adjustments, restarting in 24th for the second stage. He continued showing speed, and crew chief Eddie Pardue called the No. 11 down pit road to flip the stage with tires and fuel; Williams, however, sped in one of the final sections of pit road and was given a penalty. He finished Stage 2 in 32nd and restarted for Stage 3 in 20th. Immediately, chaos ensued on the restart, and Williams dodged multiple wrecks as the caution reappeared. After refiring on older tires, the No. 11 dropped to 25th with 10 laps remaining, but Williams recaptured 24th before the caution came out with seven laps to go. He stayed out and took the green flag from 22nd with four laps to go, passing two cars on the restart en route to a 20th-place finish.

“A frustrating day overall. We definitely got faster as the race went on, but a few things didn’t go our way from the get-go. That’s just how it goes sometimes, but it’s not the finish I think we were capable of. Thankful for Alloy Employer Services and the team at the box. They stayed with me the whole time.”

– Josh Williams

Kaulig Racing PR

Following Denny Hamlin’s third win of the season at Michigan International Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series heads south of the border to Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday for the running of the Viva Mexico 250.

This will be the 16th race of the season and the first international points-paying race for the Cup Series since 1958. With Hamlin not competing following the birth of his third child earlier this week, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski are the only drivers in the field with prior NASCAR experience in Mexico City when they competed during the Xfinity Series’ most recent stint from 2005-08.

The race will be the second of three seeding races to set the bracket for the inaugural In-Season Challenge, which is set to begin at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) on June 28.

So, let’s dive right into the Viva Mexico 250 with the starting lineup as well as all the info about the TV broadcast, start time and more that fans need to know ahead of the green flag.

Viva Mexico 250 starting lineup: Full NASCAR qualifying results

Here’s a look at the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and the starting lineup as a result:

Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen is on the pole for the Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday. With a time of 93.904 mph (92.776 seconds), the 36-year-old New Zealander claimed his first pole of the season in a session that was cut short due to rain. Behind him in the top five are RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece, Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs and Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell.

Other notables outside the top-10 include Kyle Busch (11th), Chase Elliott (12th), Ryan Blaney (18th), Chase Briscoe (19th), Tyler Reddick (22nd), William Byron (27th), and Christopher Bell (31st). Mexico native Daniel Suarez will start 10th as he looks to sweep the weekend after his Xfinity Series win on Saturday. Alex Bowman will start 29th, but will have Xfinity Series driver Anthony Alfredo on standby after last week’s hard crash at Michigan. Ryan Truex will roll off 36th in relief of Hamlin while Katherine Legge will make her second Cup Series start in 37th.

NASCAR race start time today: When does the Viva Mexico 250 green flag wave?

Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez will begin shortly after 3 p.m. ET. According to AccuWeather, the temperature is forecasted to be in the 60s throughout the race. There is a 76 percent chance of rain with a little afternoon rain and evening showers. Should it rain, teams will have rain tires available.

Viva Mexico 250 stages explained

Here is what the stage breakdown looks like based on the number of laps being run in the Viva Mexico 250:

For those who don’t know, most of the points for the season-long NASCAR Cup Series standings will be awarded for the final stage. Stages 1 and 2, though, give teams two additional opportunities to score points, as well as extra breaks for pit stops (and for the TV product, commercial breaks).

Ten points go to the stage winners, and the remainder of the top 10 receive points in decreasing order with the 10th-place finisher getting one point. The stage victories and additional points can prove valuable throughout the season as drivers try to qualify for the 10-race playoffs that begin at Darlington Raceway on Aug. 31.

Viva Mexico 250 TV channel, broadcast and streaming info

The NASCAR Cup Series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday will be streamed exclusively on Prime Video with the pre-race coverage of the Viva Mexico 250 beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Fans can also catch the race on MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and streaming on Max.