SVG Dominates in Mexico City Debut as NASCAR Makes History South of the Border

MEXICO CITY – Not even clouds and a midday drizzle could slow the energy at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where fans packed the grandstands for a moment 50 years in the making — the first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race held outside the United States since 1958.

And just like his unforgettable debut on the streets of Chicago, Shane Van Gisbergen rose to the occasion in style.

The 36-year-old New Zealander, piloting the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, dominated the Viva México 250, taking the win by an eye-popping 16.567 seconds over Christopher Bell. It’s the largest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series so far this season — and enough to lock SVG into the 2025 Playoffs.

Van Gisbergen, a three-time Australian Supercars champion, captured the pole and led 60 of the 100 laps, including the final 32, showing elite control on the challenging 14-turn layout.

“What a week,” Van Gisbergen said. “Our car was amazing. That last stint — what a pleasure. Just ripping lap after lap and watching them get smaller in the mirror.”

It was just his second top-10 finish of the season, but by far the most rewarding. That victory came despite battling illness earlier in the day and navigating travel delays that disrupted his crew’s schedule. Still, he had to ask his crew chief to stop telling him to slow down in the closing laps.

Suárez Soaks in the Moment

While SVG celebrated, Trackhouse teammate Daniel Suárez soaked in a different kind of victory. Racing in front of his home crowd just one day after winning the Xfinity Series event, Suárez finished 19th but carried the emotional weight of the day with pride.

“It couldn’t have been any better,” Suárez said of the week. “I’ve been here since Tuesday, doing everything I could to promote this race. The fans — their passion — it was something I’ll never forget.”

As fans chanted “Dan-iel” before the green flag and held banners of support, Suárez stood beside his car during a heartfelt rendition of the Mexican national anthem performed by a children’s choir. He briefly led laps and made a final pass to crack the top 20 at the finish.

Top Finishers and Notables

Behind Van Gisbergen and Bell, Chase Elliott completed the podium in third, followed by Alex Bowman and Michael McDowell to round out the top five. Bell’s run from 31st to 2nd was especially impressive, and Elliott surged into the top five with under 30 laps to go.

Other top-10 finishers included John Hunter Nemechek, Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, points leader William Byron, and Chris Buescher.

It was a tough day for some big names:

• Kyle Larson was caught in an early eight-car pileup, finishing 36th and falling 67 points behind Byron in the regular-season standings.

• Kyle Busch exited on Lap 6 after a wet-weather spin into Turn 1, ending his day in 37th.

• A late-race confrontation on pit road between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar hinted at lingering tension from Nashville.

Rugby Celebration and Red Bull Tips

Van Gisbergen even added a flair of international flavor to victory lane, punting a rugby ball into the grandstands in celebration — a nod to his New Zealand roots. He also shared that he’d texted with Max Verstappen earlier in the week to gain insight into braking zones and racing lines around the circuit.

The race concluded with a podium celebration unlike any other, as NASCAR introduced a unique Formula One-style awards ceremony to cap off the landmark event.

Looking Ahead

The Cup Series returns to the U.S. next week for the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. Ryan Blaney is the defending race winner.

NASCAR Cup Series – Viva México 250
Location: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Date: June 15, 2025
Winner: Shane Van Gisbergen
Margin of Victory: 16.567 seconds
Cautions: 6 for 16 laps
Lead Changes: 14 among 8 drivers
Average Speed: 74.82 mph