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NASCAR Cup Series Debuts in Mexico City

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The Green Flag drops for the Viva Mexico 250 on June 15, 2025 at 3:00PM EST/12:00PM PST on Prime Video.

Today, the NASCAR Cup Series will take on Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, south of the border. This Father’s Day weekend event will mark the first international race for the NASCAR Cup Series since 1998 and if yesterday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race was any indicator of what today has in store, the fans are in for a treat!

Practice and Qualifying Report

Friday during practice, Michael McDowell topped the charts in session one, with a time of 94.024. The second session saw Todd Gilliland top the charts with an even faster time of 93.496. These practices prove that the Viva Mexico 250 truly is anybody’s race.

Qualifying on Saturday is the session that counts, as this is the one that determines who’ll start where on Sunday. V8 Supercars legend, Shane van Gisbergen took the pole over Ryan Preece, with a time of 92.776, over Preece’s 92.840. Ross Chastain qualified 3rd, while eventual NASCAR Xfinity Series winner Daniel Suárez started 10th, putting all three Trackhouse Racing Chevrolets inside the Top 10, after this team struggled in qualifying all year, leading up to this point.

The Starting Lineup for today’s Viva Mexico 250, courtesy of Bob Pockrass, via NASCAR.

Ones to Watch

Shane van Gisbergen thrives at Road Course Racing, with that being his entire background prior to coming to NASCAR. He’s going to be fast all afternoon, as is Michael McDowell, who’s shown strength and speed throughout the NextGen era, winning at the Indianapolis Road Course in 2023.

With Daniel Suarez’s first-career NASCAR Cup Series victory coming at Sonoma in 2022, the Monterrey, Mexico native wants to sweep the weekend in what would be an encore performance for his hometown crowd, after driving from last to first in yesterday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race. All of Trackhouse Racing will be a threat, as Ross Chastain won at the Circuit of the Americas in 2022 for the team’s first-career win in the series.

Christopher Bell, who won this year’s race at COTA and participated in yesterday’s race, will also have an advantage with the extra track time. Expect the #20 to crack the top-5 and potentially contend for the win late in the race, if he and his Crew Chief, Adam Stevens play their cards right.

Previewing NASCAR’s New Challenge | Inside the Race

Today’s race will be a thriller, as was yesterday’s and you won’t want to miss this one. Catch the Viva Mexico 250 at 3:00PM EST/12:00PM PST on Prime Video!

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The SpeedWise Podcast is a platform dedicated to discussing all things related to NASCAR, including race recaps, driver interviews, team strategies, and industry news. These podcasts cater to motorsport enthusiasts, providing insights into the latest developments on and off the track. Common features include:

  1. Race Analysis: Breakdowns of recent NASCAR events, including race outcomes, standout performances, and key moments.
  2. Driver Spotlights: Interviews with NASCAR drivers, sharing their perspectives, career highlights, and behind-the-scenes stories.
  3. Insider News: Updates on team changes, sponsorships, and technical developments impacting the sport.
  4. Fan Interaction: Engagement with listeners through Q&A segments, polls, and live discussions.
  5. Previews and Predictions: Speculation on upcoming races, championship standings, and potential game-changers in the season.

The tone often ranges from enthusiastic and fan-centric to analytical and professional, making these podcasts a go-to source for both casual fans and die-hard NASCAR followers.

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