Helio Meza wins his first NASCAR Mexico race in Puebla

Emiliano Richards secured another victory in the Challenge Series and has consolidated his position in the championship

Helio Meza wins his first NASCAR Mexico race in Puebla

Helio Meza wins his first NASCAR Mexico race in Puebla

Emiliano Richards secured another victory in the Challenge Series and has consolidated his position in the championship

Photos: Nascar México Series
Puebla
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Helio Meza took the victory in the Poblana 75 at Autódromo Miguel E. Abed, earning his first win in the NASCAR Mexico Series with a finish that required him to manage fuel, hold off two green-white-checker restarts, and keep Irwin Vences at bay — Vences finished just 77 thousandths of a second behind with his car on the winner's rear bumper. The race had multiple caution flags that forced several drivers to pit for fuel and altered the order of those who had been leading laps.

Meza had not participated in the previous round in Tulum because he competed that same weekend in the Trans Am TA2 series in the United States, where he had recently won at Sebring and taken pole at Road Atlanta. His return to NASCAR Mexico put him directly in contention with the No. 27 Alessandros Racing car, which had finished inside the top 10 in the first race of the year and in Puebla had the pace to stay at the front in the closing stages.

Saturday's pole position was won by Xavi Razo with a time of 1:02.879, and alongside him started Meza and Alex de Alba. Razo led the first segment until he lost pace and gave up positions. José Luis Ramírez moved to the front in the second half and opened a large gap, but ran out of fuel and had to pit, taking him out of the fight for the victory. That sequence left Meza in front with Vences glued to his bumper and Rubén García Jr. third — an order that held even through the two late restarts. This is the second consecutive race with a first-time winner in the category, something that had not happened in the championship for several seasons and confirms a changing of the guard at the top of the standings.

Vences described the result as "so close and yet so far" after getting right behind Meza in the penultimate corner of the final lap but finding no room to pass. García Jr. said he was satisfied with third place because it allows him to keep the championship lead, which he has held since the start of the season with 132 points before Puebla. Rubén Rovelo, who had been penalized in Tulum and lost a victory, finished outside the top 20 in Puebla and drops away from the top of the standings.

Max Gutiérrez was fourth, Alex de Alba fifth, and Germán Quiroga sixth. Emiliano Richards, who competes in the Challenge Series but started among the NASCAR Mexico cars due to the unified grid format, finished eighth overall and first in his class. Richards earned his second consecutive Challenge Series victory after the one in Tulum and solidifies his position in the fight for Chase spots. Andrik Dimayuga, who started last after a qualifying error, climbed back to second place in the category, and Mateo Girón was third.

The fifth round of NASCAR Mexico and Challenge Series will take place on June 6‑7 at the Óvalo Aguascalientes México.

Poblana 75

Pos No. Driver Team Class Time Diff.
127Helio Meza (N)Alessandros RacingNM02:03:19.741-
246Irwin VencesEscuderia Gt- Sacura- Toyopower- JV MotorsportsNM02:03:19.818+0.077s
388Rubén García JrCanel´s- Logitech- Mobil- Laboratorios TequisNM02:03:20.371+0.63s
423Max GutiérrezCanel´s- Logitech- Laboratorios TequisNM02:03:20.542+0.801s
514Alex de AlbaAga de Manzana- Red ColaNM02:03:20.908+1.167s
669Germán QuirogaPrime Sports- Car MotionNM02:03:21.841+2.1s
79Eloy FalcónVolaris- Aldo ContiNM02:03:21.864+2.123s
820Emiliano Richards (N)Escuderia GT- Trobbu- JV MotorsportsCH02:03:24.324+4.583s
922Santiago TovarQuaker State-Anvi MotorsportNM02:03:24.362+4.621s
1095Rodrigo RejónProRally Mothers- GGGNM02:03:24.702+4.961s
1108José Luis RamírezDisolvin- Vomisin - NenucoNM02:03:24.999+5.258s
1251Jake CosíoControl Plag- Chick In- Ana Seguros- En Ti- JBL- ANM02:03:25.133+5.392s
137Xavi RazoMotorcraftNM02:03:25.750+6.009s
1467Andrik DimayugaDimayuga RacingCH02:03:25.879+6.138s
1505Mateo Girón (N)Alessandros RacingCH02:03:26.309+6.568s
1676Alexandra Mohnhaupt (N)Codialub- Lyncott- Massey Fergurson- Mansur SolarCH02:03:27.563+7.822s
1713Regina SirventKotex- VolarisCH02:03:27.721+7.98s
1855Julio RejónGGG Racing Team- NS- JV MotorsportsNM02:03:28.241+8.5s
1911Diego OrtízBizarro- Telecom District- Fonelli- Lamitex- SI- GCH02:03:28.284+8.543s
2052Santos Zanella JrZ Motors- Autoforum- Monzani- OmodaCH02:03:29.641+9.9s
2139Víctor BarralesAnvi MotorsportCH02:03:34.466+14.725s
2228Rubén RoveloAlessandros RacingNM02:03:35.947+16.206s
2375Giancarlo VecchiRestonicCH02:03:42.282+22.541s
2426Eliud TreviñoAlessandros RacingCH02:03:37.253+1 lap
2554Omar JuradoAlessandros RacingNM02:03:34.814+3 laps
2677Majo Rodríguez (N)Car MotionCH01:48:19.618+8 laps
272Abraham CalderónAurora- Rukus- TelcelNM02:03:26.839+28 laps
2848Chispa Rodríguez (N)Alessandros RacingCH01:19:14.842+30 laps
290Rafael VallinaCoca Cola Zero- Salsa la Perrona- Chihuahua CapitaCH02:03:31.494+34 laps
3044Santos Zanella SrZ Motors- Autoforum- Monzani- OmodaCH01:02:15.783+40 laps
3129Koke De la ParraPrime SportsCH01:19:06.485+51 laps
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