SVG blitzes the field at Mexican road course
Shane van Gisbergen, take a bow. The Kiwi overcame the chaos and unpredictability of Nascar's first-ever Cup Series race in Mexico City. He also did it under a cloud of nausea.
Despite that, the Kiwi gave a masterclass, finishing almost 17seconds ahead of second-place getter, Christopher Bell.
NASCAR made its debut at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the first time in its almost 80-year history that a race was held in Mexico City.
Van Gisbergen came out firing, snatching pole position. It underlined his reputation as one of the sport's most accomplished road course racers. With other aces like Michael McDowell, AJ Allmendinger, and Kyle Larson in the mix, the stage was set for a thrilling race.
As the field navigated the first few corners on Lap 1, Van Gisbergen led cleanly. However, rain soon set in, triggering the first caution. The entire field bolted for wet tyres, and Chastain leapfrogged SVG in pit lane.
Restart chaos ensued. Van Gisbergen briefly dropped back as Ty Gibbs surged forward, but the Kiwi had reclaimed second spot by Lap 6.
A multi-car pile-up brought the next caution. SVG restarted alongside Gibbs and the battle resumed. Van Gisbergen finally pulled ahead, and from there began to assert himself.
With the rain fading and the circuit drying, SVG had built a 13-second lead and made the call to pit early for slicks with four laps of Stage 1 to go.
This positioned him well for the next stage. Starting from fifth in Stage 2, Van Gisbergen and Gibbs were soon in a tussle for the lead, also dicing with Suárez.
After some cautions, Gibbs elected to pit under green with two laps to go; SVG stayed out and won the stage.
The final 55 laps were all about SVG race management. At the restart, he briefly lost the lead to Bell but recovered quickly and retook control on Lap 52.
From there, there was no one else in it. His lead grew lap by lap, and was soon out to six seconds.
With 39 laps to go, rain again threatened but SVG opted to continue. Bell pitted with 38 to go, and SVG followed a lap later for his final stop.
Seconds after rejoining, Carson Hocevar brought out a caution, handing SVG the net race lead once the rest of the field pitted.
After the restart he surged away once again.
With 16 laps to go, Van Gisbergen's lead was up to nearly six seconds. By the time the chequered flag flew, he was almost 17 seconds ahead of the rest.
On a day that delivered everything, Shane van Gisbergen triumphed. He fought off illness and the elements and reminded the NASCAR world that when it comes to road courses, he's in a league of his own.
'What a week, I've really enjoyed myself,' said van Gisbergen.
'That last stint, man. What a pleasure. Unreal.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Golf: Steven Alker leads major championship; Dame Lydia Ko, Ryan Fox climb leaderboards
Steven Alker has made a strong start in his bid for a 10th win on the PGA Tour Champions. The Kiwi sits in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard of the tour's third major championship of the year, the Kaulig Companies Championship, in Ohio. Alker backed
Otago Daily Times
15 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Adventures to unfold on big screen
Some of the best adventure films from across the globe will be shown in Queenstown next week. The annual NZ Mountain Film Festival, now in its 23rd year, this year received a record 294 entries — the final lineup features 64 award-winning and finalist films, including 18 by Kiwi film-makers. Being held at the Queenstown Memorial Centre next Thursday and Friday, the films will also be available to watch online from July 1 to 31. The Thursday session here, from 7pm, starts with a 'social session' before a conversation with Beth Rodden, regarded as one of the greatest rock climbers of all time, who's recently published a memoir, A Light Through the Cracks, from 7.30pm. Four films will then be shown including Trango, directed by Leo Hoorn (US), the grand prize winner this year. The film follows a team of ski mountaineers, including previous NZ Mountain Film Fest guest speaker Christina Lustenberg, of the US, who skied the first descent of the Great Trango Glacier in Pakistan, after a two-year attempt. Navigating risk, grappling with grief and facing physical danger, the team pushes the limits of human experiences, facing the unimaginable together. Other films on Thursday night are Body of a Line (Henna Taylor, US), solo award winner Far Enough (Julien Carot, France), and Alone Across Gola (Jude Kriwald, UK), the best film on adventurous sports and lifestyle. Another seven films will screen during Friday's 'Pure NZ' session, between 3pm and 6pm. They include the community spirit award-winner, Spirit of the West (Pedro Pimentel), which is set against New Zealand's West Coast and captures the spirit of the Old Ghost Ultra, All In or Nothing, directed by Gordon Duff, which won the best documentary award, and follows young athlete Matthew Fairbrother who's up against 120 riders with full support crews as he attempts to win the overall title at the NZ MTB Rally, on his own, and Waiatoto (Josh Morgan and Jasper Gibson), winner of the Hiddleston/MacQueen Award for best NZ-made film. It tells the story of a traverse across the Southern Alps through packraft, skis and tramping. Starting at the Matukituki, Gibson, Nick Pascoe and Charlie Murray travelled via Tititea, the Volta Glacier and the Waiatoto to the Tasman Sea. "We didn't set out to make a film," Pascoe says, "the focus was on a creative adventure through an incredible corner of the country, simply for the sake of it." Rounding out this year's festival is Friday night's 'Snow Show', from 7pm, which includes best snow sports film Painting the Mountains (Pierre Cadot, France), set in El Chalten, a remote Patagonian village beneath Fitz Roy, where three French skiers arrive to pioneer new lines. Tickets to Thursday's session cost $30 ($5 youth discount) and $25 for each of Friday's sessions, with youth discounts. For more info, or to buy tickets, see
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
America's Cup: Peter Burling joins Luna Rossa for 38th edition
Peter Burling's next move in the America's Cup arena has been confirmed. The three-time winning Kiwi helmsman will join Italian syndicate Luna Rossa for the 38th edition of the Cup in an unspecified role, expected to be an off-water position. It comes after Burling, 34, parted ways with
