MEXICO CITY — Shane van Gisbergen, who won the inaugural Cup Chicago Street Race in 2023, will look to add a victory in the inaugural Cup race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez after earning the pole for Sunday’s event.

The Trackhouse Racing driver claimed the No. 1 starting spot with a lap of 93.904 mph around the 15-turn, 2.42-mile road course Saturday.

It his van Gisbergen’s second career Cup pole. His other pole came last year at the Charlotte Roval.

“We made some big swings last night,” van Gisbergen said. “… We had a lot more front grip, which is what I needed. But my laps were average, like you’ll see everyone was beating me on the first half of the lap and then my lap gets good at the end.

“We had a lot of speed today, which is good. It’s been a great improvement. What a really cool achievement for us and a great start for (Sunday). I’m excited.”

Ryan Preece qualified second after a lap of 93.839 mph. It his first top-five starting spot on a road course.

Ross Chastain will start third after a lap of 93.830 mph. Ty Gibbs qualified fourth at 93.757 mph. Michael McDowell completed the top five with a lap of 93.704 mph.

Mexican native Daniel Suarez qualified 10th after a lap of 93.616 mph. Points leader William Byron qualified 27th with a lap of 93.218 mph. Ryan Truex will start 36th after a lap of 92.070 mph. He’s subbing for Denny Hamlin, who remained in the U.S. after the birth of his son on Wednesday.

Jeff Gordon is obviously revered as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time, but he’s making an impact these days as the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports.

The 53-year-old raced full-time for 23 years for Hendrick Motorsports and now he’s part of the team that’s consistently leading the top of the NASCAR Cup Series standings. Hendrick Motorsports features William Byron – who won the Daytona 500 this season for the second time – Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman.

Entering this weekend’s NASCAR race at Mexico City, Larson is at the top of the standings with 535 points and three wins, while Byron ranks fourth, Elliott ranks 10th and Bowman ranks 15th.

That same four-driver team has been together since 2021 and they’re the most well-rounded team in NASCAR today, with their drivers consistently ranking at the top of the standings.

“It’s been a solid start,” says Gordon in a one-on-one interview. “We’ve been going to victory lane with two of our cars winning the Daytona 500 but we’ve been top 10 all year long, with all four. It’s been good, but we’re never content with that. We’ve got to always ramp up and push the envelope to get better.”

We’re only a little more than halfway through the season, with 11 more races left in the regular season and the playoff schedule starting at the end of August in Darlington.

Gordon stresses the importance of performing well in entering the stretch run of the season, which will culminate in the final race of the playoffs at Phoenix Raceway in November.

“With our new playoff system, where it comes down to 10 races in that final race in Phoenix this year, that’s the goal,” says Gordon. “You’ve got to constantly be improving in getting yourself in position. When those playoffs start, you’re peaking, you’re at your best when those last 10 races come. I feel like we have more work to do, but we’re in a really good position.”

Hendrick Motorsports Partners With Phorm Energy For Primary Sponsorship Of William Byron

Hendrick Motorsports is obviously seen as the cream of the crop when it comes to teams in NASCAR, as its the winningest team in the sports history.

There are no shortage of sponsors for the team, with Hendrick Motorsports partnering with Cincinnati Incorporated, Liberty University, Axalta, Valvoline and Raptor High Heat this season for Byron’s car this season. You can add another one to the list as Hendrick Motorsports is partnering with 1st Phorm’s “Phorm Energy,” which will include primary sponsorship starting in the 2026 season.

Phorm Energy is a new energy drink released this year as a result of Anheuser-Busch and 1st Phorm teaming up together. 1st Phorm is a nutrition and supplement company also based in Missouri, close to Anheuscer-Busch’s headquarters. UFC CEO and president Dana White is also invested in the brand.

The partnership will see primary sponsorship from Phorm Energy of Byron for six races during the 2026 season, which means branding on fire suits, helmets and fueler gear. It also means branding in Hendrick Motorsports’ new 35,000 square-foot athletic center when it opens next season.

“What’s cool about this, it’s the beginning of not just a partnership, but launching this brand, and we want to be a big part of that and contribute to its success,” says Gordon of partnering with Phorm Energy. “We think that it has endless opportunities. We look at this as a long-term partnership at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Gordon details what led to the partnership between Hendrick Motorsports and 1st Phorm’s Phorm Energy.

“We have incredible athletes, not just behind the wheels of the cars, drivers, but our pit crews, and we’ve been really looking for the right partner at Hendrick Motorsports that really fits well with our brand,” says Gordon. “Ford came on for our friendship with Brendan Whitworth (Anheuser-Bush CEO) and we’ve been trying to figure out what’s a good way where we can get to do a good partnership.

“He calls me one day, and says, ‘I think I got the one here,’ and as soon as you start hearing about it it’s like, ‘This is the perfect fit for us,’” Gordon continues to say. “It’s about how our athletes train with purpose, and that’s exactly what 1st Phorm is all about. It’s obviously exciting partnering with a company like Anheuser-Busch and 1st Phorm that’s going to really take this brand to another level, and we’re excited to be part of that.”

A big part of the partnership is not just putting the drivers at the forefront, it’s also about showcasing the pit crews and their efforts behind the scenes.

“Our athletes, you’re going to see more and more about that storyline coming out with behind the scenes, of the discipline that they have, the commitment that they have, the work ethic if they have what it takes to train and be at the elite level,” says Gordon. “From a pit crew standpoint, these guys have college football backgrounds, professional football backgrounds, and they’re a critical part of our success on the racetrack.

“Finding the right partner that is going to work with them and help them be even better and be a part of the branding behind that is super exciting,” Gordon continues to say. “I love our athletes, I love their personalities, and they’re super pumped about having Phorm Energy on board.”

Jeff Gordon On William Byron: ‘We Are Heavily Invested In His Future’

The 27-year-old Byron has finished in third in the final NASCAR Cup Series standings in back-to-back years. Gordon says he and Hendrick Motorsports is “heavily invested” in his future and calls him an “incredible” race car driver.

“Incredible race car driver, champion from the XFINITY series, and ever since he came to Hendrick, the talent is shown here,” says Gordon. “He’s got a great team surrounding him as well, two-time Daytona 500 champion. He’s been gaining the points this year. This guy has a long career, we just signed him to a new contract for four more years after this. Obviously we are heavily invested in his future, and I think he’s a future champion. If not this year, in the coming years.”

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Rain ended qualifying early on Saturday afternoon as Hendrick Motorsports turned hot laps at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Kyle Larson will lead the organization to the green flag from sixth place.

RELATED: Engineering for beginners: The challenges of building an engine for Mexico City

Sunday’s main event will be the first NASCAR Cup Series race outside the US since the touring series visited Japan in 1998. Chase Elliott, who qualified 12th, leads the team in most wins at a road course with seven total. Teammate Larson follows close behind with six. 

Make sure to tune in Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET on Prime Video to watch the historic race.

Check out the starting lineup below:

NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup

1. Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 88
2. Ryan Preece, No. 60
3. Ross Chastain, No. 1
4. Ty Gibbs, No. 54
5. Michael Mcdowell, No. 71
6. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet
   
7. Todd Gilliand, No. 34
8. A.J Allmendinger, No. 16
9. Joey Logano, No. 22
10. Daniel Suarez, No. 99
11. Kyle Busch, No. 8
12. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Llumar Chevrolet
    
13. Josh Berry, No. 21
14. Erik Jones, No. 43
15. Riley Herbst, No. 35
16. Chris Buescher, No. 17
17. Justin Haley, No. 7
18. Ryan Blaney, No. 12
19. Chase Briscoe, No. 19
20. Austin Cindric, No. 2
    
21. Austin Dillon, No. 3
    
22. Tyler Reddick, No. 45
23. Carson Hocevar, No. 77
    
24. Zane Smith, No. 38
25. Bubba Wallace, No. 23
26. Cole Custer, No. 41
27. William Byron, No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet 
    
28. Ty Dillon, No. 10
29. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Chevrolet 
    
30. Brad Keselowski, No. 6
31. Christopher Bell, No. 20
32. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42
33. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47
34. Cody Ware, No. 51
35. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42
36. Noah Gragson, No. 4
37. Ryan Truex, No. 11
38. Kathrine Legge, No. 78

NASCAR schedule updated 

Saturday, June 14

• 4:30 – Xfinity Series race, CW
• 7 – México Series race two, no TV

Sunday, June 15

Mexico City weather 

Rain is forecasted on and off this weekend. Make sure to stay tuned for the latest updates and changes to the schedule. 

For the first time in 67 years, the NASCAR Cup Series will head outside of the U.S. for the 2025 Viva México 250 on Sunday. The green flag will drop at 3 p.m. ET at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, setting up plenty of potential 2025 NASCAR Mexico sleepers. As the only Mexican driver to win on the Cup Series, Daniel Suarez could be popular for 2025 Viva Mexico 250 betting even though he is a +1400 longshot. In his favor is that he’s coming off back-to-back top 20 finishes and won his last start in the NASCAR Mexico Series. At the top of the 2025 NASCAR at Mexico City odds is three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen (+330), followed by Christopher Bell (+700) and William Byron (+800).

Before entering any 2025 Mexico NASCAR picks, be sure to see the latest 2025 NASCAR at Mexico predictions from SportsLine’s proven projection model. Developed by SportsLine predictive data engineer Mike McClure, the proprietary NASCAR prediction model simulates every race 10,000 times and has nailed a whopping 22 winners since 2021, including four winners in 2025.

SportsLine simulated the NASCAR Viva Mexico 250 10,000 times. Here are the three NASCAR longshots to target, according to the model:

Best NASCAR at Mexico City longshots (odds subject to change):

• A.J. Allmendinger (+1200)
• Daniel Suarez (+1400)
• Kyle Busch (+1400)

A.J. Allmendinger (+1200)

The veteran has two career starts at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and secured podiums in each. Both came on Champ Car World Series as he placed third in his debut there and then was runner-up in his second start. This season on the Cup Series, Allmendinger is poised for his best finish in nearly a decade and is in the top 20 of the NASCAR standings. He enters the Viva Mexico 250 with three straight top 20s for the first time since July 2023 and has four straight if you count his seventh place at the All-Star Open Race. With all three of his career Cup Series victories coming on road courses like what he’ll see on Sunday, Allmendinger’s experience shouldn’t be discounted as he can be wagered on with the help of a DraftKings promo code:

Daniel Suarez (+1400)

A native of Monterrey, Mexico, Suarez got his racing start in his native country and was the youngest driver to win on the NASCAR Mexico Mini-Stocks. More recently, Suarez started a single race in the 2024 NASCAR Mexico Series, and he won that 150-lap race. While this year on the Cup Series got off to a rocky start, he has performed better as of late, and if you take out crashes that derailed his chances, he has five straight top 20 finishes. Also, no one on the Cup Series is as well-versed with Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez as Suarez is as he competed on it over a dozen times in the Mexico Series, including racking up three checkered flags. The local favorite can be had at +1400 with at DraftKings:

Kyle Busch (+1400)

The Xfinity Series is also resurrecting its Mexico race this year after last holding a race in the country in 2008, and Kyle Busch just happened to be the winner in that final race 17 years ago. So, he’ll have a good feeling stepping back onto the track, and his success on other road circuits will also give him confidence. No active driver has more starts (57), top 5s (20) or top 10s (30) than Busch at road courses like what he’ll see in Mexico City. Busch has also improved his finish over each of his last three starts of this season, with an eighth-place last week at Michigan. Given his momentum, success at comparable tracks and a winning history with Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Busch would be a steal at +1400 and can be wagered on with a Caesars Sportsbook promo code.

More top NASCAR at Mexico expert picks, longshots revealed

You’ve seen the NASCAR longshots from the model. Now, see the full 2025 NASCAR Mexico leaderboard, including forecasts for who finishes first. Visit SportsLine to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that has nailed 22 winners, including Elliott’s victory at Bowman Gray, Larson’s win at Miami, Bell’s All-Star victory and Hamlin’s Michigan win.

You can also view expert advice before locking in your NASCAR at Mexico picks. Visit SportsLine now to see expert Steven Taranto’s picks, including an epic longshot of over 25-1, all from an expert who has nailed 17 NASCAR winners. 

Visit SportsLine now to see McClure’s top NASCAR DFS picks, all from the daily Fantasy professional who has won more than $2 million playing DFS. 

2025 NASCAR Mexico odds, drivers, lineup

(odds via DraftKings are subject to change)
Shane Van Gisbergen +330
Christopher Bell +700
William Byron +800
Tyler Reddick +800
Kyle Larson +800
Chase Elliott +1000
AJ Allmendinger +1200
Kyle Busch +1400
Daniel Suarez +1400
Chris Buescher +1600
Ross Chastain +1800
Michael McDowell +1800
Alex Bowman +2500
Carson Hocevar +2800
Chase Briscoe +3000
Ty Gibbs +3000
Austin Cindric +3500
Denny Hamlin +4000
Ryan Blaney +4000
Joey Logano +5500
Todd Gilliland +15000
Bubba Wallace +15000
Brad Keselowski +15000
Noah Gragson +20000
Ryan Preece +20000
Justin Haley +20000
Austin Dillon +20000
Zane Smith +25000
Cole Custer +25000
Josh Berry +30000
Riley Herbst +30000
Erik Jones +30000
Ricky Stenhouse +40000
John Hunter Nemechek +40000
Ty Dillon +100000
Katherine Legge +100000
Cody Ware +100000  

By JOE REEDY

NASCAR fans have grown accustomed to seeing speed, throttle and braking on broadcasts for years. There has been one measurement, though, that has eluded networks and viewers for years.

Until now.

Viewers of the Prime Video races have been able to see fuel usage with the introduction of the Burn Bar. Race teams have measured burn rates and fuel levels down to the last ounce for years, but the methodology has been kept secret for competitive reasons.

Prime Video, though, developed an AI tool using car data available to broadcasters and teams that can measure miles per gallon. The Burn Bar made a brief appearance during Prime’s first broadcast, the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25. It has been used more frequently the past two weeks and will be deployed again on June 15 during the race in Mexico City.

NASCAR on Prime analyst Steve Letarte, a former crew chief for Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., contributed to the development of the Burn Bar and sees it as the first step in taking race analysis to a new level.

“It’s the first true tool that is taking information off the car, making calculations and then displaying to the fan a calculation or measurement that is being used in the garage. And it does affect the team,” he said. “There’s not a sensor on the car giving us miles per gallon. It’s a mathematical calculation of other cars performances.”

The AI model analyzes thousands of performance data per second, including a range of in-car telemetry signals, RPMs, throttle and optical tracking of each car’s position. The model then evaluates each driver’s fuel consumption and efficiency throughout the race.

Letarte worked with Prime Video “Thursday Night Football Prime Vision” analyst Sam Schwartzstein and Amazon Web Services during the process. They came up with four methodologies that were tested during the first part of the season, which was broadcast by Fox. Schwartzstein and Letarte would then get the data from teams after races to see how close they were until they picked one that worked the best.

The Burn Bar received its toughest test during last week’s race at Michigan as the final 48 laps were run without a caution flag. Most teams made their final pit stops with 50 laps to go, meaning teams were going to be down to the end of their fuel runs at the checkered flag.

“We projected William Byron to run out, which he did, and then we were on the razor’s edge for Denny Hamlin. And then watching the truck push him back into victory lane at the end, knowing he was as close as we thought he was. What a cool way to see this feature come to life and elevate NASCAR broadcasts,” Schwartzstein said.

Alex Strand, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer for live sports, also sees the Burn Bar as the first tool of many that Amazon and Prime Video can develop for its coverage. Prime Video is in the first year of a seven-year agreement to carry five races per season.

“It’s really cool to live in a world where it shows us that anything is possible. We’re starting with something that we’re really excited about, but it’s setting us down a path that will open up new doors for us,” he said. “I think that’s what we’re really excited about is to say, ‘OK, we’ve had success in Year 1 on a feature that’s resonated with fans right out of the gate.’ It raises the table for our offseason.”

After the June 15 race in Mexico City, Prime Video’s coverage for this season wraps up with the race at Pocono on June 22.

Originally Published: June 14, 2025 at 3:20 PM EDT