Shane Van Gisbergen dominates within the first NASCAR Cup Sequence race in Mexico Metropolis at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday within the Viva Mexico 250
MEXICO CITY – An overcast sky and early afternoon drizzle couldn’t dampen the passion or vitality of the massive crowd at Mexico Metropolis’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez Sunday for the primary points-paying NASCAR Cup Sequence race outdoors america in half a century.
Shane Van Gisbergen Dominates
They usually weren’t dissatisfied.
As he did at one other NASCAR’s ‘inaugural race’ – on the streets of Chicago two years in the past in his sequence debut – New Zealander Shane Van Gisbergen, 36, prevailed once more. This time, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, he claimed an enormous 16.567-second victory over Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell within the Viva Mexico 250 – the most important margin of victory of the season.
The three-time Australian Supercars champion Van Gisbergen – in his first fulltime season on the NASCAR Cup Sequence degree – received pole place and led 60 of the race’s 100 laps, together with the ultimate 32, simply pulling away from the sphere to assert his first ever berth within the NASCAR Cup Sequence Playoffs with the win. He prolonged his margin of victory by almost a second in every of the ultimate 5 laps.
“What per week, I’ve actually loved myself right here, however felt like garbage this morning,’’ mentioned Van Gisbergen, whose victory was solely his second top-ten end of the season.
“Our automobile was wonderful,’’ he added. “The 54 [Ty Gibbs] was shut, however that final stint, what a pleasure, simply ripping lap after lap and watching them get smaller within the mirror.’’
Daniel Suarez is the House Observe Hero
As thrilled as the group might have been to look at Van Gisbergen’s masterwork, there was little question they have been there to cheer on his Trackhouse teammate, Mexico-native Daniel Suárez, who was celebrated as a hero after his win in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Sequence race.
The grandstands chanted “Dan-iel Dan-iel” and held up indicators of help. Suárez was emotional, standing by his automobile on the beginning grid as an area kids’s choir sang the Mexican Nationwide Anthem earlier than the race. In the end, he ended up nineteenth, main briefly early and ending with a move on the ultimate lap.
On the race’s cool-down lap, Suárez pulled his automobile alongside Van Gisbergen’s parked automobile to supply congratulations on the massive win.
“I really feel like as we speak, I gave my greatest, however it simply wasn’t adequate,’’ Suárez mentioned. “I want I used to be within the combine a little bit extra preventing up entrance, however it simply wasn’t within the playing cards as we speak. I’m pleased with the efficiency, I don’t really feel like I left something on the desk, simply wasn’t meant to be.”
A Promoter of the Mexico Metropolis Occasion
As for the occasion in Mexico Metropolis, one thing Suárez has labored so arduous to advertise, he was ecstatic, recalling the entire expertise.
“It couldn’t have been any higher,’’ a proud Suárez mentioned. “I’ve been right here since Tuesday, simply working, doing promotion for sponsors, for the race itself, for followers. Each single factor that we did exceeded my expectations. The followers have been wonderful. Yesterday you possibly can hear them for his or her passions. It’s an expertise I for positive received’t neglect for a really, very very long time.’’
Ultimately, it was the New Zealand nationwide anthem performed on the stadium speaker as NASCAR did a singular post-race celebration, having the top-three ending drivers – Van Gisbergen, Bell, and Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott – stand on podiums and hoist trophies.
A Particular Victory after a Difficult Begin
The victory was rewarding for Van Gisbergen, contemplating the adversity he confronted this week in Mexico. He was sick to his abdomen Sunday morning, and his crew confirmed up a day later than the opposite groups after some journey challenges.
Ultimately, nonetheless, Van Gisbergen needed to inform his crew chief to cease telling him to “decelerate” in these closing laps. “I used to be simply attempting to remain in a rhythm,’’ he mentioned.
Van Gisbergen mentioned he texted along with his buddy and fellow Crimson Bull-sponsored racer, reigning Components One champion Max Verstappen, a five-time Mexico Metropolis F1 race winner, who gave him just a few tips about the braking zones and racing traces.
And the Kiwi did all that, capping off the day along with his distinctive victory celebration – punting a rugby ball into the cheering grandstand crowd that definitely received their cash’s value.
Though Van Gisbergen prevailed in some powerful circumstances, Bell’s work was spectacular too. Contemplating he completed runner-up after beginning thirty first. Elliott rolled into the highest 5 with about 25 laps remaining and steadily moved ahead. Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman completed fourth, and Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell was fifth.
John Hunter Nemechek, Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, championship factors chief William Byron, and Chris Buescher rounded out the highest 5.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr Confronts Carson Hocevar Put up-Race
Additionally notable on Sunday was a quick post-race confrontation on pit highway. The rivalry stemmed from an incident two weeks in the past in Nashville between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar.
A former Daytona 500 winner, Stenhouse leaned into Hocevar’s automobile and heatedly spoke with the 22-year-old, finally telling reporters that he promised to settle the rating quickly. It was unclear what occurred on Sunday to precipitate the confrontation. Stenhouse completed twenty seventh and Hocevar was thirty fourth.
Championship front-runner Kyle Larson was collected in an eight-car accident solely seven laps into the race and completed thirty sixth. Ending 38 laps down value him dearly within the common season standings. Larson now trails his Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron by 67 factors. Solely ten races are remaining to settle the Playoff area of 16. Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin full the highest 5. Hamlin was dwelling along with his new child son and household. So, Ryan Truex was behind the wheel of the No. 11 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Subsequent Up
The sequence returns stateside for subsequent Sunday’s race at Pocono Raceway. The Nice American Getaway 400 begins at 2 p.m. ET with protection on Amazon Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Ryan Blaney is the defending race winner.
