Van Gisbergen wins in Mexico

Shane van Gisbergen won the Viva Mexico 250 with a 17-second advantage over Christopher Bell in a dominant performance that catapulted him from 33rd in the championship straight into the Playoffs. The Trackhouse Racing #88 driver started from pole position despite arriving late due to a delayed flight and canceling his Sunday morning appearance due to stomach issues.

Previous issues don't affect final dominance

Van Gisbergen arrived late in Mexico due to flight problems and canceled his morning appearance on NASCAR on Prime due to illness. "I was feeling pretty bad today, with issues on both ends. That wasn't fun," he admitted after the race.

The final stint lasted over 30 laps without a caution flag, allowing the New Zealander to manage his lead. "When I go slow I lose concentration, so I tried to maintain a rhythm and routine. Josh [Williams, spotter] and Stephen [Doran, crew chief] did a great job keeping me calm and focused," explained the winner.

Second Cup Series win, both historic

Van Gisbergen adds his second Cup Series victory after Chicago Street Course 2023, when he won in his absolute debut in the category. Both races have been unique events: Chicago was the first street race in Cup Series history, while Mexico delivers the first three-driver podium ceremony.

Christopher Bell finished second without even seeing the #88 at the checkered flag, while Chase Elliott completed the first three-driver podium ceremony in Cup Series history. This victory propels van Gisbergen from 33rd in points straight into the Playoffs, joining his teammate Ross Chastain.

Initial rain creates split strategies

The first caution flag appeared due to rain, forcing nearly the entire field to switch to wet weather tires. Austin Cindric and Chris Buescher gambled on staying with slicks but lost positions in the chaotic restart.

Ty Gibbs initially took the lead, but van Gisbergen regained the top spot after strategic pit stops in the first stage.

Multi-car crash eliminates favorites

Kyle Busch lost control braking into turn 1, spinning wildly. The impact involved Kyle Larson, Justin Haley and A.J. Allmendinger, with Chase Briscoe and Zane Smith also affected.

Busch retired immediately while Larson spent a third of the race in the garage making repairs. The incident completely changed the competition's dynamics.

Gibbs loses opportunity due to late caution

On lap 62 the final pit stops began with Bell entering pit road first. Van Gisbergen followed two laps later, but before Gibbs could pit, Carson Hocevar spun in the final corner.

The resulting caution flag proved costly for Gibbs, allowing van Gisbergen to return to the lead and escape the restart chaos.

Stenhouse threatens Hocevar after second incident

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. marched toward Carson Hocevar's car after the race and stuck his head through the window to yell at him. "I'm gonna break your face. You're a lap down, you've got nothing to do, why did you hit me?", Stenhouse shouted.

The incident occurred when Hocevar, running a lap down, rear-ended Stenhouse in the stadium section. Stenhouse dropped from 23rd to 27th due to the contact. Hocevar apologized explaining he locked up on the rubber marbles, but Stenhouse replied: "I don't care about any of that."

The drivers had smoothed over their Nashville feud during the week, with Hocevar promising to "soften the edges" of his aggressive style. Stenhouse was fined $75,000 in 2024 for punching Kyle Busch during the All-Star Race.

Complete top 10 on Mexican soil

Alex Bowman and Michael McDowell completed the top 5, followed by John Hunter Nemechek, Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, William Byron and Chris Buescher. Daniel Suárez finished 19th after leading in the early stages.

Next race at Pocono Raceway

The NASCAR Cup Series continues with The Great American Getaway 400 in Pennsylvania, round 17 of the schedule. Van Gisbergen qualified for the Playoffs with this second Cup Series victory, both coming in debut events.