Shane van Gisbergen Dominates with Record 16+ Second NASCAR Win in Mexico

Shane van Gisbergen delivered a commanding drive at the NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City, finishing with a record-setting victory margin of over 16 seconds.

The Trackhouse Racing driver showed no signs of slowing down throughout the event, even after his crew chief advised him to ease up in the closing laps.

Christopher Bell crossed the line in second place, while Chase Elliott completed the podium in third, with neither driver able to challenge van Gisbergen’s pace as he stormed away out front. Bell’s strong performance has been noted following his recent All-Star run.

Before race day, van Gisbergen faced unexpected hurdles. His travel to Mexico City was delayed by aircraft issues, and on Sunday morning, he was forced to cancel his scheduled NASCAR on Prime appearance due to illness.

Despite feeling unwell, the New Zealander put in one of the strongest performances of the Cup Series season.

The race included a period of rain, adding another layer of difficulty, but van Gisbergen remained confident.

He praised his Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and thanked the team and engine partners for giving him a fast car all weekend.

The race began with van Gisbergen leading the pack, aided by teammate Ross Chastain. The first caution came early for rain, prompting most teams to pit for wet-weather tires.

Some drivers, including Austin Cindric and Chris Buescher, stayed on slicks but quickly lost ground after the restart. The opening laps were chaotic, with Kyle Busch losing control and crashing in Turn 1, collecting several other drivers and ending his race.

As strategy came into play, van Gisbergen and Ty Gibbs exchanged the lead near the end of the first stage. Both short-pitted to gain track position later, leaving Ryan Preece to pick up the stage win.

Van Gisbergen started the second stage in fifth, swiftly returning to the front as the leaders on worn wet tires faded. A caution for Ryan Truex’s spin shook up the field, and van Gisbergen moved to win Stage 2 after Gibbs pitted just before the break.

The third and final stage was filled with aggressive racing, including multiple spins from Chastain, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Carson Hocevar. Strategy again came into play during green-flag pit stops.

Bell pitted first, van Gisbergen pitted two laps later, and then a late spin brought out a yellow flag just as Ty Gibbs was due to pit, hurting his chances. Van Gisbergen regained the lead and controlled the race from there, never facing a serious challenge as the field scrambled behind him.

SVG’s impressive win marked his second in the NASCAR Cup Series, following his breakthrough at the 2023 Chicago Street Course. This dominant drive vaulted him from 33rd in the standings straight into the playoff mix, alongside teammate Chastain, winner of the season’s Coca-Cola 600.

Alex Bowman finished fourth, Michael McDowell fifth, and the top ten also included John-Hunter Nemechek, Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, William Byron, and Chris Buescher. The event saw competitive battles, bold tire strategies, some heated moments, and a new Next Gen Cup era record set by van Gisbergen—leaving fans and competitors in awe of his performance, amid distractions reminiscent of recent Hamilton glitches in motorsports coverage.