Todd Gilliland Dominates with Fastest Lap in Mexico City NASCAR Practice

Todd Gilliland delivered the fastest lap during NASCAR Cup Series practice at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City on June 13, 2025. The event marked a historic first weekend for the Cup Series at this 2.42-mile, 15-turn road course.

Two separate practice sessions allowed drivers and teams the opportunity to adjust and find speed on a circuit new to most of the field. In the earlier session, Michael McDowell and his Spire Motorsports Chevrolet topped the board with a 1:34.024 lap.

Behind him, Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs rounded out the top three for Joe Gibbs Racing. Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, and Chris Buescher placed inside the top six, making strong showings early.

Image credit: www.motorsport.com

The opening session proved challenging as several drivers explored the limits of the track. Noah Gragson hit the outside wall, damaging his car and forcing his team to prepare a backup.

Cody Ware and Carson Hocevar spun but avoided major issues. The group quickly learned that heavy braking zones like Turn 4 would demand focus, with some drivers missing braking points or taking to the run-off area to avoid trouble.

Defending the Ford banner, Todd Gilliland finished tenth in the first practice, signaling clear improvement between sessions. Following a short break, Gilliland made an aggressive mock qualifying run in the second practice.

His lap of 1:33.496 in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford stood as the fastest of the day. Ross Chastain ended up just behind him in the TrackHouse Racing Chevrolet.

Image credit: us.motorsport.com

Ty Gibbs remained in the hunt and finished third after showing long-run speed. Ryan Blaney and Chris Buescher completed the top five.

Notably, all five posted laps faster than McDowell’s earlier session leader. Several teams focused on ten consecutive lap runs in the second session.

Christopher Bell posted the best average, hinting at steady long-run pace for the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Chastain and Buescher followed in those averages, giving their teams valuable data ahead of qualifying.

Daniel Suárez, the only Mexican-born full-time Cup driver, continued to gain momentum. He placed twelfth in the first outing and improved to ninth in practice two.

Noah Gragson sat out the later session after his earlier incident and will turn to a backup car for qualifying and the race. Gilliland spoke after practice about staying consistent and focused on making further gains.

He mentioned the importance of keeping his car on track and credited teamwork for the positive results. “We’ve had some good speed when it comes to road courses, so it feels really good to be in the ball game with our Ford Mustang,” he said.

“Hopefully, we’ll make some more good changes overnight. It’s exciting—gives me a good feeling going into the next couple of days.” Cup Series qualifying is set for Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET.

With so many drivers showing improvement, the field appears tightly packed as they prepare for the race ahead. The weekend stands out for its unique setting and the unpredictable test it presents to all teams.

As the cars continue to adapt, fans can expect fast laps and plenty of action throughout the event. Learn more about race preparation and challenges in road course racing.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.