Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen has mastered the Mexico City road course to score his first NASCAR Cup Series win this season and set up a shot at championship glory.
The New Zealander led 60 of 100 laps on Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to earn his first cup victory since his NASCAR debut at the inaugural 2023 street course race in Chicago.
The former Australian V8 Supercars champion started the race ranked 33rd in the cup standings with only one top-10 finish through the first 15 races.
But his victory in Mexico City earned him an automatic berth into NASCAR’s playoffs with a shot to race for the Cup Series championship.
Van Gisbergen arrived in Mexico City early Friday morning but was still awaiting many crew members who had been delayed by flights.
Then he got sick late Saturday and was sleeping on the floor of his hauler before Sunday’s race.
“I felt pretty rubbish today, that wasn’t fun,” he said.
“Our car was amazing. That last stint, man, what a pleasure just ripping lap after lap and watching them get smaller in the mirror. Unreal.”
He won pole and started the race as favourite, particularly since rain was in the forecast.
His win in Chicago also came in wet conditions.
To make sure, he texted with four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen about the intricacies of the Mexico City circuit.
“A little bit in the wet — just what lines to take and how to approach it,” van Gisbergen said.
The 36-year-old had to contend with several challengers, Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing among them, but took the lead for good with 31 laps remaining.
