McDowell, Gilliland top Cup Series practice sessions in Mexico City
For the first time in history, NASCAR Cup Series drivers turned laps at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City in two practice sessions.
Front Row Motorsports' Todd Gilliland was quickest in Practice 2 at 93.180 mph over Ross Chastain (93.041 mph) and Ty Gibbs (92.864 mph).
Advertisement
RELATED: Practice 2 results | At-track photos: Mexico City
Ryan Blaney (92.836 mph) and Chris Buescher (92.726 mph) rounded out the top five.
Ryan Preece (92.669 mph), Austin Cindric (92.651 mph), Joey Logano (92.641 mph), Daniel Suárez (92.632 mph) and Shane van Gisbergen (92.601 mph) completed out the top 1o.
After posting the fastest time in Practice 1, Michael McDowell (92.163 mph) was 25th-fastest in the second session.
Noah Gragson was the only driver who did not turn a lap in Practice 2, as Front Row confirmed on social media that he will go to a backup car for Sunday's race.
Practice 1
Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell topped the leaderboard in Practice 1 at 92.657 mph, besting Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Chase Briscoe (92.547 mph) and Ty Gibbs (92.542 mph).
Advertisement
Austin Cindric (92.528 mph) and Kyle Larson (92.439 mph) rounded out the top five.
Chris Buescher (92.427 mph), Joey Logano (92.401 mph), Ross Chastain (92.349 mph), Shane van Gisbergen (92.330 mph) and Todd Gilliland (92.276 mph) completed the top 10.
MORE: Practice 1 results
After being called up by JGR to replace Denny Hamlin for the weekend, Ryan Truex finished his first session in the No. 11 Toyota 36th-fastest with a speed of 90.946 mph.
As the learning process got underway, the 15-turn, 2.42-mile Mexico City circuit proved to be tricky for the drivers. Turn 4 was one of the most challenging spots as Cindric missed his braking point and Noah Gragson contacted the wall in the same area. Others had trouble slowing their cars down in time to make the corner.
Cup Series drivers get back on track Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET for qualifying (Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
This story will be updated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Shane Van Gisbergen Takes Jab at Red Bull Over Liam Lawson Demotion
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NASCAR driver Shane van Gisbergen made a joke about Red Bull Racing's brutal driver handlings. Gisbergen got his maiden win in Mexico over the past weekend after struggling in his first full-time NASCAR Cup Series season. He only made the top ten once in the first 15 races. He struggled to adapt to the ovals that feature so prominently in the American racing series. Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Safety Culture Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Safety Culture Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. Photo byGisbergen - a New Zealander sponsored by Red Bull - started in pole position in the Mexico City Cup Series race. His win was anything but smooth; he battled shifting conditions due to the inconsistent rain and a never-ending series of caution flags. Despite all of the challenges, Gisbergen managed to pull off the win, staying calm, cool, and collected throughout the race. After his landmark win, he thanked Trackhouse Racing for their continued support of him despite his struggles. He made a cheeky remark about the support he received during his downturn in form, comparing it to what Red Bull offered fellow New Zealander Liam Lawson. "I'm glad I didn't drive for Red Bull F1 after how the first few rounds went," van Gisbergen joked after the race. "[Team boss] Justin [Marks] has been amazing, supporting me and just giving me all the time I need and not putting pressure on [me]. It's been really cool." Red Bull's F1 team decided to axe Lawson after only two races, a drastic decision that followed a series of underwhelming results. When Lawson made an Instagram post back in March about his removal from Red Bull, van Gisbergen left a message under the post saying, "Prove em Wrong!" The 36-year-old New Zealander mentored his fellow countryman and backed Lawson through different racing series. While trying to make it in America, van Gisbergen still monitored Lawson's progress. "The way he's gotten to F1 has been a little difficult the last couple of years. But seeing him get this opportunity full-time now, I'm just stoked and so proud," he said back in December. "You've got to be versatile, which is something I've always tried to do by driving a bunch of different cars. It helps you when it comes to something new in the setup, something technical, or even with the weather changing. You've got to be able to adapt straight away. "Liam's been exceptional at that. Even when F1 wasn't working out, he did DTM and other racing that I think has really helped him."
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
NASCAR Saturday schedule at Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway will feature more than seven hours of on-track action Saturday for the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup series. The Xfinity Series will be on track at 10 a.m. for a 55-minute practice that will be followed immediately by qualifying for a 100-lap race. The green flag will drop at 3:40 p.m. Advertisement The Cup Series will begin a nearly hourlong practice at 12:35 p.m. with each of the two groups getting 25 minutes each of track time. Qualifying will begin at 1:45 p.m. to set the lineup for Sunday's 160-lap race. Cole Custer is the defending Xfinity race winner but is absent from this year's entry list after moving back up to the Cup Series in 2025. NASCAR Xfinity Series The Chilango 150 Dale Earnhardt Jr. to serve as crew chief in Pocono Xfinity race Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be the crew chief for Connor Zilisch as Zilisch's regular crew chief sits out due to a penalty. Pocono Raceway Saturday schedule (All Times Eastern) Garage open Advertisement 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. — Xfinity Series 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. — Cup Series Track activity 10 - 10:55 a.m. — Xfinity practice (CW App) 11:05 a.m. - noon — Xfinity qualifying (CW App) 12:35 - 1:35 p.m. — Cup practice (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) 1:45 - 2:30 p.m. — Cup qualifying (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) 3:30 p.m. — Xfinity race (100 laps, 250 miles; Stage 1 at Lap 25, Stage 2 at Lap 50; CW Network; MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) Weather Saturday: A mixture of sunshine and clouds with a high of 81 degrees and winds from the west at 5 to 10 mph. It's expected to be 80 degrees with a 15% chance of rain for the start of the Xfinity Series race.
NBC Sports
6 hours ago
- NBC Sports
NASCAR Saturday schedule at Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway will feature more than seven hours of on-track action Saturday for the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup series. The Xfinity Series will be on track at 10 a.m. for a 55-minute practice that will be followed immediately by qualifying for a 100-lap race. The green flag will drop at 3:40 p.m. The Cup Series will begin a nearly hourlong practice at 12:35 p.m. with each of the two groups getting 25 minutes each of track time. Qualifying will begin at 1:45 p.m. to set the lineup for Sunday's 160-lap race. Cole Custer is the defending Xfinity race winner but is absent from this year's entry list after moving back up to the Cup Series in 2025. Dustin Long, Pocono Raceway Saturday schedule (All Times Eastern) Garage open 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. — Xfinity Series 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. — Cup Series Track activity 10 - 10:55 a.m. — Xfinity practice (CW App) 11:05 a.m. - noon — Xfinity qualifying (CW App) 12:35 - 1:35 p.m. — Cup practice (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) 1:45 - 2:30 p.m. — Cup qualifying (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) 3:30 p.m. — Xfinity race (100 laps, 250 miles; Stage 1 at Lap 25, Stage 2 at Lap 50; CW Network; MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) Weather Saturday: A mixture of sunshine and clouds with a high of 81 degrees and winds from the west at 5 to 10 mph. It's expected to be 80 degrees with a 15% chance of rain for the start of the Xfinity Series race.
