#2: Austin Cindric, Team Penske, MenardsQuaker State Ford Mustang
Viva Mexico 250 – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Mexico City, Mexico – June 15, 2025
AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/QUAKER STATE FORD MUSTANG START: 20TH STAGE 1: 19TH STAGE 2: 22ND FINISH: 18TH POINTS: 15TH RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric fired off from the 20th position for the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series points race in Mexico City following a rain-shortened qualifying session Saturday. Shortly after the drop of the green flag, wet weather returned, bringing out the first caution of the day. While many drivers opted to pit for rain tires, Cindric opted to stay out on slicks and restarted on the front row, but lost ground quickly. A few laps later the yellow flag waved again for a multi-car incident and Cindric reported that the track surface was very sensitive to the conditions. As the rain was lightening up, the Menards/Quaker State team again opted to stay out on slicks. When Stage 1 concluded, Cindric was scored 19th. With the track continuing to dry, Cindric stayed out during the break and restarted seventh. In the second segment, he began to lack rear grip, but continued to fight for track position. Crew chief Brian Wilson elected to pit with four laps remaining in the segment, calling the Team Penske driver to pit road for four fresh slick tires and fuel. Cindric finished Stage 2 22nd as varying strategies played out. He restarted 16th and steadily gained position, reaching the top 10. He was racing in the third position when the No. 77 brought out a caution on Lap 64 and headed to pit road for fresh tires and fuel. The No. 2 Ford Mustang Dark Horse restarted 21st, but nifty work by Cindric gained him multiple spots as he maneuvered through chaos that was transpiring ahead of him. When the checkered flag waved on the historic event, Cindric crossed the line in the 18th position.
CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “All in all, it was a great experience getting to race in Mexico City for the first time, and everything about the weekend was unique. The conditions and strategy definitely made for an interesting race, but I’m proud of the effort from our No. 2 Menards/Quaker State team.”
RYAN BLANEY No. 12 WURTH FORD MUSTANG START: 18TH STAGE 1: 2ND STAGE 2: 4TH FINISH: 14TH POINTS: 7TH RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Wurth Ford Mustang Dark Horse scored a pair of top-five stage finishes en route to a 14th-place finish Sunday in Mexico City. The NASCAR Cup Series’ inaugural race in Mexico City saw a caution for rain on the opening lap, prompting a majority of the field to hit pit road for wet weather tires as a steady rainfall around the 15-turn road course set in. After restarting 19th, crew chief Jonathan Hassler made the call to leave Blaney on track while a majority of the leaders hit pir road under green prior to the stage end. Blaney cycled to second in the running order while chasing down the No. 60 for the stage win, but ultimately settled for a second-place finish in Stage 1. After making the change back to slick tires during the stage caution with the weather having moved out of the area, the No. 12 team remained on the same strategy as the opening stage as Blaney worked his way back up to fifth in the running order by lap 40. He picked up another spot in the final five laps of the segment to come away with a fourth-place result in Stage 2. Blaney lined up to restart 25th following a four tire stop under yellow before making his way up to seventh when the caution flag flew in the middle of the green flag pit cycle on lap 65. The Wurth Ford took the ensuing green flag from 15th with 32 laps to go as the 100-lap event stayed caution-free the rest of the way with Blaney taking the checkered flag 14th.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Good points day for our 12 group and proud of the effort all weekend. I felt like we had a shot at a top-10 during that final run but came up a little short at the end. It was a great experience here in Mexico City and it was cool to see it all come together the way it did.”
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG START: 9TH STAGE 1: 24TH STAGE 2: 29TH FINISH: 21ST POINTS: 9TH RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse came away with a 21st-place finish Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series’ inaugural race in Mexico City. After gaining three spots in the first few corners of the opening lap, rain brought out the first caution of the afternoon before the field made it back to the start-finish line, prompting teams to pit for wet weather tires. On the ensuing run, crew chief Paul Wolfe made the call to pit for four slick tires with three laps remaining in the opening stage in an effort to flip track position, resulting in a 24th-place finish in Stage 1. After staying out during the stage caution, Logano moved up to 11th in the running order to take the green flag for Stage 2 but was pushed off-track in turn four by the No. 3, dropping the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford back to 29th. Logano worked to regain ground on the field prior to another four tire stop prior to the stage end on lap 41, culminating in a 29th-place finish in Stage 2. Following a caution on lap 65, Logano lined up to take the green from 22nd with 32 laps to go and worked his way back into the top-20 early in the run before settling for a 21st-place finish.
LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “Just a couple unfortunate moments early on that set back our Shell-Pennzoil team and forced us to flip our strategy. We never really had a chance to recover from that but still proud of the effort from the 22 team this weekend.”
The NASCAR Cup Series heads north to Pocono Raceway on Sunday, June 22. Coverage of The Great American Getaway 400 begins at 2:00 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Josh Berry and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team had an up-and-down day in the Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and came away with a 26th-place finish.
Berry started the 100-lap race over the 2.429-mile, 15-turn course from 13th place. The race was less than a lap old when the caution flag flew for rain. Berry, like most of the other drivers in the field, made a pit stop and the DEX Imaging crew replaced his slick tires with a set of treaded rain tires.
He returned to the track for a run in the rain spent most of the first 20-lap Stage running inside the top 20 before ending that segment in 14th place. Berry continued to run in the top 20 for most of Stage Two before making a green-flag pit stop with 13 laps remaining in the Stage. The stop dropped him to 28th and that’s where he finished the Stage.
In the third and final segment of the race he worked his way into the top 10 during a round of green flag pit stops, then dropped to 25th when he made his stop. Berry was running 22nd on Lap 42 when Austin Dillon came to a stop ahead of him, blocking the track. Berry stopped to avoid a collision but the lost time dropped him to 30th in the running order with 27 laps to go.
He regained three of the lost spots before making his final pit stop with 16 laps remaining. He returned to the track in 30th place and gained four positions over the final laps to take the checkered flag in 26th place.
Berry and the team will return to action next week for the the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway.
About DEX Imaging DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEXsells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES: Reducing Operating Costs Reducing Paper Consumption Increasing Productivity
DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.
About Wood Brothers Racing Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.
Buescher Leads RFK Racing South of the Border Chris Buescher 10th, Ryan Preece 15th, Brad Keselowski 25th
MEXICO CITY (June 15, 2025) — It was a historic day at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, as the NASCAR Cup Series made its Mexico City debut. Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing secured a place in the history books as well, with Ryan Preece winning the first stage of the event. Chris Buescher led the team with a 10th-place finish, while Preece earned his third career stage win with a strong opening segment. Brad Keselowski showed poise and adaptability in his 50th career road course start.
No. 17 Chris Buescher
After winning at Watkins Glen last season, Chris Buescher entered Sunday’s race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez among the favorites. Throughout Stage One, he validated those expectations. After rolling off from the 16th starting position, the No. 17 BodyGuard Ford quickly gained ground. When rain began on Lap 1, the team strategically chose to stay out, foregoing rain tires in favor of track position. As others pitted, Buescher moved to the front and briefly led. However, as rain persisted, he slipped back. By Lap 7, he pitted for wet-weather tires and rejoined the field near the rear. When the track dried, the team returned to slicks with a four-tire stop. Buescher ended Stage 1 in 29th.
Using strategy again to begin Stage Two, the No. 17 stayed out while several competitors pitted. The move resulted in a 13-position gain, and Buescher restarted 16th. He advanced further, navigating the corners with precision and making noticeable progress. By the end of the stage, he was running seventh and positioned for another road course top-10.
With track position critical, crew chief Scott Graves opted not to pit between stages. Buescher restarted fifth and stayed in line with the leaders, showing speed and control through the technical layout. On Lap 67, Buescher made his first pit stop since Lap 17, taking on fuel to reach the end. Relegated to 28th, he climbed steadily with a combination of pace, consistency and pit cycle timing. He rose as high as sixth before ultimately finishing 10th, recording his 16th career top-10 on a road course.
“A decent finish overall. We tried something and stayed out on slicks, hoping that rain shower was quick and gone and that just wasn’t the case. That was my call, and it was the wrong one,” Buescher said. “The team did a good job with strategy, getting us back up front and earning some stage points and a top-10 on the day.”
No. 60 Ryan Preece
Ryan Preece delivered one of his most competitive road course performances to date. After qualifying second, he lined up on the front row Sunday. The No. 60 Kroger/Colgate Ford showed strong early pace, even after switching to rain tires on Lap 2 due to wet conditions. Though he slipped to fourth by Lap 6, Preece maintained strong grip and cornering speed, eventually retaking the lead and winning Stage 1 – a historic first in Mexico City.
Following the stage win, Preece pitted for four tires and fuel, rejoining the field in 20th. Over the next 10 laps, he moved up six spots. A caution on Lap 33 prompted crew chief Derrick Finley to bring him in again, giving up some track position, but Preece steadily climbed back to finish Stage 2 in 12th.
He began the final stage from 10th, but contact with the wall on Lap 55 dropped him 13 positions. A pit road violation, driving through too many pit boxes, during his final stop forced him to restart at the rear. Still, the No. 60 Ford maintained its speed, moving into the top 20 by Lap 75 and gaining five more spots to finish 15th.
“We had a really fast Kroger/Colgate Ford today, so it’s a bit of a bummer to finish 15th,” Preece said. “I’m really proud of our team for bringing a fast race car, and we’ll look forward to doing the same at Pocono next weekend.”
No. 6 Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski marked a personal milestone with his 50th career NASCAR Cup Series road course start, approaching the event with a strategy-first mindset. Starting 30th, he immediately gained a position and stayed composed as weather quickly became a factor. A caution for rain prompted a switch to wet tires, and Keselowski avoided a multi-car incident shortly after. As the track dried, the No. 6 team returned to slicks on Lap 17 and closed Stage One in 27th.
Stage Two highlighted Keselowski’s veteran skill and adaptability. Restarting 14th, he steadily worked his way toward the front, driving the Castrol Ford into the top 10 by Lap 32. The 2012 Cup Series champion remained focused on improving his line and communicated consistently with the team. After getting bumped off track briefly, Keselowski regained control and continued to push. A pit stop three laps before the stage end dropped him to 27th, but set him up with fresher tires for the final run.
With a long-run strategy in place, Keselowski began Stage Three with a tire advantage over much of the field. However, a stop-and-go penalty mid-stage for shortcutting a corner set him back. Undeterred, he gained ground in the closing laps, ultimately finishing 25th.
Up Next:
Pocono Raceway (Long Pond, PA) Sunday June 22, 2025 on Amazon Prime @ 2:00pm
About RFK Racing RFK Racing, in its 38th season in 2025, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion Brad Keselowski and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988, and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass 300 wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content, and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.
If you’ve ever sat in a racing simulator and felt the seat move, that’s motion feedback at work. One of the most important types of movement is called linear motion. It helps make the simulator feel more real by copying what happens in an actual race car.
What Is Linear Motion?
Linear motion means movement in a straight line. It’s not spinning or tilting. It’s just moving forward, backward, left, right, up, or down. In a racing simulator, linear motion usually happens when you:
Speed up (the seat moves backward)
Brake (the seat slides forward)
Turn (the seat shifts slightly side to side)
Drive over bumps (the seat moves up or down)
Why It’s Used in Simulators
In a real race car, you feel constant changes in pressure, balance, and motion. These forces help you understand the car’s grip, speed, and weight transfer. Without them, it’s harder to judge what the car is doing. When a simulator includes linear motion, it gives you:
A better feel for how the car behaves
More natural timing for braking and turning
Feedback that supports what you see and hear
This kind of movement is called haptic feedback. That just means you’re feeling the same kinds of forces you’d feel in a real car. In training, these physical cues help you learn faster. In games, they make the experience more lifelike. Either way, linear motion adds useful information for your body and brain to work with.
How Linear Motion Works
Linear motion systems are built with several key parts. Each one plays an important role in making the simulator move in a way that feels right.
1. Actuators
Actuators are machines that move something. A linear actuator moves in a straight line. In simulators, these actuators push or pull parts of the seat or platform.
Most racing simulators use electric actuators. These include a motor, a shaft, and a drive system. When the motor turns, the shaft extends or pulls back. That moves the seat forward, backward, or in other directions.
Some systems use belt drives or ball screws to control this motion. Each type has its own feel and speed.
2. Motion Controller
This is the “brain” of the system. It takes data from the simulator software and tells the actuators how to move.
The motion controller checks your virtual car’s speed, acceleration, gear shifts, and road surface. Then it creates a matching motion. For example, if the software says you just hit the brakes, the controller might tell the front actuator to move forward fast.
3. Motor Drivers and Power Supply
Actuators need power, and they need to be controlled carefully. That’s where the linear motor driver comes in. It controls the motor’s speed and direction.
The power supply gives electricity to the whole system. It must be strong enough to power the actuators during fast moves like sudden braking or bumps.
How It Helps with Racing
Linear motion is used in both training and entertainment. Once you sit in a system with linear motion, you start to notice the difference right away. Even small movements help you feel more connected to the car. Pro drivers use simulators to stay sharp. Motion feedback helps them work on timing, handling, and muscle memory. It can also help them learn new tracks safely.
In the current digital age, antivirus software is no longer a choice but a requirement. With cyberattacks like malware, ransomware, phishing, and spyware evolving daily, it’s crucial to have adequate antivirus protection for both personal and business use. The right antivirus software can keep you safe, safeguard sensitive data, and maintain the system’s health.
This article provides a comprehensive comparison of the top antivirus software in 2025, highlighting the key features to consider when selecting the right option.
Why Antivirus Software Matters
Cybersecurity threats are becoming increasingly complex and frequent. Antivirus software acts as your first line of defense, detecting, blocking, and removing harmful programs before they can damage your device or steal your data. Whether you’re browsing the web, downloading files, or opening emails, antivirus software works in the background to ensure your safety.
In addition to real-time protection, most antivirus software offers supplementary features, including firewall management, parental controls, password managers, and secure browsing capabilities.
Best Antivirus Software in 2025
Below is a comparison of some of the most reliable antivirus software based on performance, features, usability, and pricing:
1. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus: Bitdefender is always among the top-rated antivirus software. It provides multi-layer ransomware protection, secure VPN, web attack blocking, and real-time threat detection. Bitdefender has a minimal impact on system performance and an intuitive interface.
2. Norton 360: Norton 360 offers a comprehensive set of tools, ranging from antivirus and firewall protection to a password manager, cloud backup, and dark web monitoring. It is perfect for people who prefer a do-it-all security suite. Norton also offers mobile protection and parental control capabilities.
3. Kaspersky Total Security: Kaspersky offers excellent malware detection rates and includes additional features such as encrypted file storage, webcam protection, and a VPN. It has an excellent rating for security and is user-friendly. Kaspersky’s light software ensures that it won’t bog down your computer.
4. McAfee Total Protection: McAfee provides cross-platform protection, identity theft protection, and performance enhancement tools. It provides a personal firewall and safe web browsing functionality. McAfee’s user-friendly dashboard is perfect for both beginners and experts to maintain their digital security.
5. Avast Premium Security: Avast is renowned for its robust free edition, but its paid suite offers additional features, including real-time Wi-Fi security notifications, ransomware protection, and sandbox analysis for suspicious files. Avast also has a secure browser to maximize web privacy.
How to Select the Best Antivirus Software
When choosing antivirus software, look at these key factors:
Protection Capabilities: Select software that regularly ranks high in independent lab tests for malware and virus detection.
Performance Impact: Select solutions that do not slow down your system when scanning or using it daily.
Ease of Use: A user-friendly and clean interface means having your antivirus managed easily and hassle-free.
Additional Features: Consider seeking out additional features such as VPNs, password management tools, or identity theft protection, depending on your specific requirements.
Device Compatibility: Check that the software is compatible with all your devices, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
Pricing and Value: Compare plans to determine if the included features are worth the price.
Security in a Marketing World
Businesses compete today in more digital landscapes, and platforms such as Linkhouse realize the importance of maintaining private marketing information and customer communications. Through secure access controls and encrypted content delivery capabilities, Linkhouse demonstrates how digital solutions can strike a balance between productivity and security without compromise.
Conclusion
Selecting the right antivirus software is crucial for maintaining digital security. With numerous options available, it’s essential to assess the features, protection levels, and usability of each program. Whether you’re securing a personal laptop or a network of business systems, antivirus software helps ensure your devices remain protected from threats in a constantly changing cyber landscape.
Rookie Shane van Gisbergen withstood a challenging start to his first full-time NASCAR Cup Series campaign and the series’ inaugural race event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. He captured a dominant victory from pole position in the Viva Mexico 250 on Sunday, June 15.
The three-time Supercars champion from Auckland, New Zealand, led five times for a race-high 60 of the 100 scheduled laps. He led the field to the green flag from pole position for the first time in his Cup career. Despite battling illness and wet, slippery conditions at the start of the event, van Gisbergen dominated.
He led 11 of the first 18 scheduled laps before opting to pit for slick tires before the first stage’s conclusion. He then rallied to assume the lead with two laps remaining in the second stage period, capturing the stage victory.
Restarting with the lead in the final stage with 51 laps remaining, van Gisbergen continued to dominate at the front. He then strategically pitted under green flag conditions with 37 laps remaining. Following a late caution period, two laps after he pitted, van Gisbergen cycled back into the lead. Then, the majority of the field, led by Ty Gibbs, pitted their respective entries.
Van Gisbergen outdueled Christopher Bell during the next (and final) restart with 32 laps remaining. He never looked back as he proceeded to extend his advantage to as high as 16 seconds. Van Gisbergen cruised to his first elusive Cup Series victory of the season and into Playoff eligibility.
On-track qualifying determined the starting lineup on Saturday, June 14. Rookie Shane van Gisbergen notched his first Cup career pole position with a lap at 93.904 mph in 92.776 seconds. Joining van Gisbergen on the front row was Ryan Preece, with a qualifying lap at 93.839 mph in 92.840 seconds.
Before the event, Noah Gragson dropped to the rear of the field in a backup car after wrecking his primary car during practice.
Green Flag
When the green flag waved, Shane van Gisbergen dueled with Ryan Preece and teammate Ross Chastain for the lead. The field fanned out through the frontstretch. Van Gisbergen gained the upper hand, muscling his No. 88 Safety Culture Chevrolet entry ahead through the first three braking turns.
Meanwhile, Carson Hocevar, who was racing in the mid-pack region, went off the course entering Turn 3. Amid the on-track bumps within the field and Hocevar’s off-track excursion, the event remained under green flag conditions. Van Gisbergen led from a straightaway in between Turns 3 and 4 and through the Esses (a series of right- and left-hand turns) from Turns 5 to 10.
As the field approached the stadium, section turns in Turn 11, the event’s first caution flew for precipitation. The field returned to the frontstretch under a cautious pace. Van Gisbergen, who was battling illness, led the first lap.
He was followed by teammate Ross Chastain, Preece, Michael McDowell, and Ty Gibbs, respectively. During the caution period, with on-track precipitation increasing, nearly the entire field, led by van Gisbergen, pitted for wet-weather tires. Chris Buescher and Austin Cindric remained on the track on their slick tires.
The beginning of the subsequent restart on the fourth lap featured both Buescher and Cindric struggling to launch on their slick tires. Chastain attempted to make a bold right-hand move to gain the lead. In the process, Ty Gibbs drove alongside Chastain and overtook him. He then challenged Cindric for the lead through the frontstretch.
Buescher began to struggle with maintaining pace with the leaders and dropped out of the top-five mark. Gibbs emerged with the lead through the first three turns. The field behind fanned out, bumped, and jostled through the wet, slippery conditions. The field continued to muscle through the damp conditions through every turn and straightaway. Gibbs, however, retained the lead for a complete cycle before leading the following lap.
On the sixth lap, the event’s second caution flew. Kyle Busch, racing within the top-15 mark, veered sideways while trying to brake his No. 8 Lucas Oil Chevrolet entry amid the slick conditions entering the first turn. In the process of his spin, Busch collided with the rear of Justin Hale, proceeded to spin, and collided with both Kyle Larson and AJ Allmendinger.
Zane Smith and Chase Briscoe would also veer sideways off the course’s first turn. Smith slipped sideways on the slick course and collided with Briscoe, while the rest of the field managed to remain on the course and dodge the carnage. At the moment of caution, Gibbs retained the lead while van Gisbergen, Chastain, Ryan Preece, and Daniel Suarez were scored in the top five, respectively.
During the caution period, some, including William Byron, Buescher, and Joey Logano, pitted their respective entries. The rest, led by Ty Gibbs, including Cindric, who was still racing on slick tires, remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, Busch and Larson nursed their damaged entries to the garage for repairs.
As the event restarted under green on the eighth lap, Gibbs and van Gisbergen dueled for the lead in front of a stacked field that had fanned out through the frontstretch. Like the previous restart, Gibbs gained the upper hand by muscling his No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE entry ahead through the first three braking turns.
Van Gisbergen, however, would get beneath Gibbs through the straightaway in between Turns 3 and 4. He then muscled ahead with the lead through the latter turn and the Esses. Despite nearly getting sideways through the Esses, van Gisbergen maintained the lead through the stadium turns and fended off Gibbs entering the frontstretch to lead the following lap.
Through the first 15 scheduled laps, van Gisbergen was leading by five seconds over runner-up Gibbs. Preece, Chastain, and Ryan Blaney occupied the top five spots ahead of Ty Dillon, Suarez, Michael McDowell, Todd Gilliland, and Christopher Bell, respectively.
Behind Erik Jones, Cole Custer, Chase Elliott, Carson Hocevar, and Bubba Wallace were racing in the top 15 ahead of Tyler Reddick, rookie Riley Herbst, Joey Logano, Josh Berry, and AJ Allmendinger. Ryan Truex, Alex Bowman, Brad Keselowski, William Byron, and Austin Dillon trailed in the top 25 ahead of Cody Ware, Chris Buescher, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Noah Gragson, and John Hunter Nemechek.
Then on Lap 17 and with the track conditions slowly transitioning to dry conditions, select names that included Gibbs, Custer, Logano, Bowman, Byron, Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Cody Ware, Buescher, Gragson, and Nemechek pitted their respective entries for slick tires. On the following lap, the leader van Gisbergen and Ty Dillon pitted before pit road was closed, signifying the upcoming conclusion of a stage period. Van Gisbergen’s move allowed Preece to cycle the No. 60 Kroger Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry into the lead.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 20, Preece muscled to his second Cup stage victory of the 2025 season. Ryan Blaney followed suit in second. Chastain, McDowell, Gilliland, Erik Jones, Hocevar, Bubba Wallace, Elliott, and Suarez were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, van Gisbergen and Gibbs were mired in 17th and 18th, respectively.
Under the stage break, a majority of the field led by Preece pitted their respective entries, primarily for slick tires. The rest, led by McDowell, remained on the track. Among those who also stayed on the track with McDowell were Carson Hocevar, Suarez, Stenhouse, van Gisbergen, Gibbs, Cindric, Bell, Ty Dillon, Custer, Logano, Bowman, and Byron.
Stage 2
The second stage period started on Lap 24 as Spire Motorsports’ McDowell and Hocevar occupied the front row. At the start, McDowell retained the lead through the frontstretch and in front of the field that had fanned out. With Gragson spinning in the first turn, Suarez made his move beneath McDowell through the first three turns. He then muscled into the lead to the delight of his home crowd.
Gibbs and van Gisbergen both overtook McDowell on the track to complete the top three spots. Suarez retained the lead through the Esses before Gibbs drew alongside Suarez exiting Turn 10. They remained even entering Turn 11 before Gibbs reassumed the lead through the stadium turns. Gibbs would proceed to lead the next lap while Suarez fended off teammate van Gisbergen for the runner-up spot.
Over the next five laps (Laps 25 to 29), a handful of on-track incidents and various pit strategies ensued. For the on-track incidents, Nemechek spun in Turn 3 on Lap 26 while racing within the top-20 mark. Gilliland, who was also racing in the top-20 mark, spun in Turn 14 a lap later.
As for the pit strategies, Hocevar, Suarez, McDowell, and Stenhouse pitted under green for slick tires. Meanwhile, Gibbs was leading by less than two seconds over van Gisbergen at the Lap 30 mark. Bell, Cindric, Custer, Bowman, Byron, Ty Dillon, Keselowski, and Logano all pursued in the top 10, respectively.
On Lap 31, the caution flew when Ryan Truex, subbing for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Yahoo! Toyota Camry XSE entry, slipped sideways. He spun from off the course in Turn 9 while racing outside the top-20 mark. During the caution period, select names that included Custer and Preece pitted their respective entries while the rest, led by Gibbs, remained on the track.
When the event restarted under green on Lap 34, the field fanned out through the frontstretch. Gibbs, van Gisbergen and Cindric all dueled against one another in a three-wide formation for the lead. Through the first three turns, van Gisbergen battled alongside Gibbs for the lead as Keselowski went off the course.
With the rest of the field managing to navigate through the first three turns without igniting another wreck, Gibbs maintained the lead from Turn 4 to the Esses, Turn 10, and the stadium turns. He cycled back to the frontstretch and led the following lap. As Gibbs led, van Gisbergen retained second place over Cindric, Bel,l and Byron. Alex Bowman, Ty Dillon, Blaney, Elliott, and Austin Dillon finished in the top 10, respectively.
At the Lap 40 mark, Gibbs stabilized his lead to nine-tenths of a second over van Gisbergen. Bell, Cindric, and Bowman were racing in the top-five mark ahead of Byron, Blaney, Elliott, Ty Dillon, and Wallace, respectively. Meanwhile, Logano, who raced off the course in Turn 4 on Lap 35, was mired back in 24th place. Erik Jones, who pitted to have a flat left-front tire changed, had dropped to 33rd place on the leaderboard.
Another lap later, pit strategies ensued as Cindric, Ty Dillon, and Keselowski pitted their respective entries under green. More names, including Byron, Elliott, Wallace, Bery, Logano, Reddick, Gragson, and the leader Gibbs, pitted during the next two laps before pit road became inaccessible due to the conclusion of the second stage. With Gibbs pitting, van Gisbergen, who had been slowly reeling in on Gibbs for the lead, assumed the top spot.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 45 and with potential threats of rain looming, van Gisbergen claimed his first Cup stage victory of the 2025 season. Bell trailed in second place by only two seconds. Bowman, Blaney, McDowell, Austin Dillon, Buescher, Herbst, Hocevar, and Suarez were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, Gibbs was mired in 21st place ahead of Cindric, Elliott, Byron, and Wallace.
During the stage break, some led by Blaney and including Austin Dillon, Stenhouse, Allmendinger, Gilliland, Katherine Legge, Reddick, and Cody Ware pitted their respective entries. The rest, led by van Gisbergen, remained on the track.
Final Stage
With 51 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as van Gisbergen and Bell occupied the front row. At the start, van Gisbergen and Bell fiercely dueled for the lead through the frontstretch as the field behind fanned out. Entering the first braking turn, van Gisbergen appeared to have the edge, but he slightly over-drove the first turn.
As van Gisbergen was drawn in a side-by-side battle with Bell, McDowell drove off the course through the first three turns while the field behind bumped and scattered. More names that included Briscoe and Logano would also drive off the course. Amid the on-track chaos through the first three turns, Bell managed to outduel van Gisbergen for the lead in Turn 4 as the former proceeded to lead through the Esses.
Despite having van Gisbergen trying to reel in from behind, Bell retained the lead through the stadium turns and back to the frontstretch as he led the following lap. By then, Bowman, McDowell, and Buescher trailed in the top five while Chastain proceeded after he spun in the stadium turns.
With 49 laps remaining, more on-track issues ensued as Stenhouse, who was racing in the top-24 spot, received a bump from Keselowski in Turn 15 that sent him spinning. Howeve,r he managed to continue without drawing a caution. Not long after, van Gisbergen drew alongside Bell exiting the stadium turns before he rocketed past the latter prior to the following lap.
With Bell in pursuit, van Gisbergen proceeded to lead by nine-tenths of a second with 45 laps remaining while McDowell, Bowman, and Gibbs trailed in the top five, respectively.
Down to the final 40 laps of the event, van Gisbergen extended his advantage to more than four seconds over Bell. Third-place McDowell and fourth-place Gibbs both trailed by five seconds. Meanwhile, fifth-place Cindric trailed by 11 seconds while Bowman, Elliott, Buescher, Suarez and Custer were racing in the top 10, respectively.
Then a lap later, Bell surrendered the runner-up spot to pit his No. 20 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE entry under green. During the next lap, more drivers, including Bowman, Buescher, Preece pitted their respective entries. Leader van Gisbergen pitted with 37 laps remaining. By the time van Gisbergen returned to the track, he managed to blend ahead of Bell while Gibbs, who had yet to pit, and cycled into the lead.
Then, with 35 laps remaining, the caution flew due to Hocevar spinning and stalling his entry in Turn 14. During the caution period, a majority of the field led by Gibbs pitted their respective entries. The rest led by van Gisbergen and including Bell, Bowman, Custer, Buescher, Briscoe, Nemechek, Chastain, Herbst and Ryan Truex remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, van Gisbergen reported potential concerns of having a loose wheel on his entry, but he opted to remain on the track with the lead.
The start of the following restart with 32 laps remaining featured van Gisbergen and Bell dueling for the lead through the frontstretch. But van Gisbergen muscled ahead and retained the lead through the first three turns. Behind van Gisbergen, Bowman overtook Bell for the runner-up spot while Truex got sideways as the field bumped and jostled for spots.
With every competitor proceeding without drawing a caution through the first three turns, van Gisbergen led entering Turn 4, the Esses and the stadium turns before he cycled back to the frontstretch and led the next lap. As Bowman, Bell, Nemechek and Custer trailed in the top five, Gibbs was mired back in ninth place behind Elliott while van Gisbergen continued to lead with 30 laps remaining.
Over the next five laps (Laps 71 to 75), a handful of on-track incidents occurred. Notably, Logano sent Austin Dillon for a spin in the stadium section turns with 28 laps remaining. During the following lap, Byron spun Herbst just past Turn 11 while both were battling for 13th place. As Herbst attempted to spin his car and continue straight, he nearly collided with Stenhouse. But they both managed to continue without drawing a caution.
Amid the incidents, Keselowski was penalized for cutting the course. Meanwhile, van Gisbergen continued to lead by one-and-a-half seconds over Bowman. Bell, Nemechek and Custer retained the remaining top-five spots. Behind Elliott, Buescher, Chastain, Gibbs, and McDowell occupied the remaining top-10 spots.
With 20 laps remaining and reports of rain being reported around the course, van Gisbergen maintained the lead that stood to more than a second over Bowman. Bell, Elliott and Nemechek were scored in the top five. Behind, Gibbs, who was trying to carve his way back to the front, was mired back in ninth place behind Custer, Buescher and Chastain. Briscoe occupied 10th place. Throughout the next five laps, Bell battled and overtook Bowman for the runner-up spot while van Gisbergen extended his lead to nearly five seconds with 15 laps remaining.
Down to the final 10 laps of the event, van Gisbergen retained the lead by more than six seconds over Bell. Bowman, Elliott and Nemechek trailed in the top five, with Nemechek trailing by as far back as 14 seconds. By then, Custer, Buescher, McDowell, Chastain and Briscoe followed suit in the top 10. Both Stenhouse and Hocevar were trying to rally from a run-in in the stadium section turns, where Hocevar ran into the rear of Stenhouse and sent the latter getting sideways while the former went off the course.
With five laps remaining, van Gisbergen’s advantage grew to 12 seconds over Bell. Elliott, Bowman and Nemechek trailed by 12, 14 and 16 seconds, respectively. Van Gisbergen, who was on cruise control at the front, stretched his advantage to as high as 14 seconds over Bell during the next three laps. Fifth-place Nemechek pursued but was as far back as 26 seconds.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, van Gisbergen remained in the lead by nearly 17 seconds over Bell. With Bell too far behind to cut the deficit, van Gisbergen was able to smoothly navigate his way through Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez’s series of turns from the first three sections to the Esses and the stadium section turns. Ultimately, he cycled back to the frontstretch and streaked across the finish line to claim the checkered flag by 16 seconds over Bell.
With the victory, van Gisbergen achieved his second career win in the Cup Series division. He also became the 144th competitor overall to achieve multiple wins in NASCAR’s premier series and the fifth competitor overall to notch his first two Cup career victories on new venues. The victory, van Gisbergen’s first since the Chicago Street Course in July 2023, was the sixth of the 2025 season for the Chevrolet nameplate and the second for Trackhouse Racing.
As a bonus, van Gisbergen, who came into the event mired in 33rd place in the driver’s standings, automatically earned a guaranteed spot in the 2025 Playoffs. It will mark his first-ever appearance in the Cup Series’ post-season field as a title contender. Before van Gisbergen’s Mexico City victory, he had only finished in the top 10 once, which was a sixth-place run at Circuit of the Americas in early March.
Van Gisbergen’s Mexico City victory also capped off an eventful weekend for the New Zealander. In addition to managing his illness and on-track slick conditions, he and several Trackhouse Racing crew personnel faced dilemmas in traveling from North Carolina to Mexico. This was due to their chartered plane encountering engine issues before the race weekend. Eventually, all personnel, including van Gisbergen, were able to travel to Mexico between Friday and Saturday of the race weekend.
“What a week,” van Gisbergen, who kicked a rugby ball in the low stadium section, said on Prime Video. “I’ve really enjoyed myself here. I felt pretty rubbish today. Leaking out both holes, that wasn’t fun, but thank you to Safety Culture, Trackhouse, Chevy and ECR Engines. Our car was amazing.
“I think [Ty Gibbs] was close, but that last stint man, what a pleasure just ripping lap after lap and watching them get smaller in the mirror. Unreal. I’ve been privileged to have some great [cars] in my time, but when I go slow, I just lose concentration. I was just trying to stay in a rhythm and a routine. Man, that was epic.”
Christopher Bell, who led four laps, settled in second place for a third time in 2025. Chase Elliott, who was pursuing an eighth career road course victory, finished in third place. It was his fourth top-five result of the year. Bell and Elliott celebrated with Suarez on the podium. It was part of NASCAR’s first inception of featuring podium celebrations following a race.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 15: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Safety Culture Chevrolet (C) winner, Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Mobil 1 Toyota (L) second place, and Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 LLumar Chevrolet, third place celebrate in victory lane the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images).
Alex Bowman rallied from finishing no higher than 29th over his previous three starts to finish in fourth place. Michael McDowell achieved his first top-five result of the year after overtaking John Hunter Nemechek in the closing laps. Nemechek, Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, William Byron and Chris Buescher completed the top 10 in the final running order.
Notably, Ty Gibbs, who led 27 laps, fell back to 11th place after he was unable to carve his way back to the front following the final restart. In addition, hometown hero Daniel Suarez, who won the Xfinity Series event at Mexico City, ended up in 19th place. Ryan Truex ended up in 23rd place while subbing for Denny Hamlin after Hamlin opted not to compete in the event following the birth of his third child.
Notably, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who finished in 27th place, confronted Carson Hocevar on pit road during post-race activities following their late run-in. This marked their second run-in of the year. Their first run-in at Nashville Superspeedway two races ago, when Hocevar wrecked Stenhouse.
There were 14 lead changes for eight different leaders. The race featured six cautions for 16 laps. In addition, 31 of 37 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the 16th event of the 2025 Cup Series season, William Byron leads the regular-season standings by 67. He is followed by teammate Kyle Larson, 80 over Christopher Bell, 104 over teammate Chase Elliott, and 110 over Denny Hamlin.
Results:
1. Shane van Gisbergen, 60 laps led, Stage 2 winner
2. Christopher Bell, four laps led
4. Alex Bowman
5. Michael McDowell, two laps led
6. John Hunter Nemechek
7. Chase Briscoe
8. Cole Custer
9. William Byron, one lap led
10. Chris Buescher, one lap led
11. Ty Gibbs, 27 laps led
12. Bubba Wallace
13. AJ Allmendinger
14. Ryan Blaney
15. Ryan Preece, four laps led, Stage 1 winner
16. Ross Chastain
17. Erik Jones
18. Austin Cindric, one lap led
19. Daniel Suarez
20. Tyler Reddick
21. Joey Logano
22. Todd Gilliland
23. Ryan Truex
24. Justin Haley
25. Brad Keselowski
26. Josh Berry
27. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
28. Austin Dillon
29. Riley Herbst
30. Noah Gragson
31. Cody Ware
32. Katherine Legge, one lap down
33. Ty Dillon, one lap down
34. Carson Hocevar, one lap down
35. Zane Smith – OUT, Drivetrain
36. Kyle Larson, 42 laps down
37. Kyle Busch – OUT, Accident
Next on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, for The Great American Getaway 400. The event is scheduled to take place next Sunday, June 22, and will air at 2 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet Team Slowed By On-Track Incident in Mexico City
Finish: 28th Start: 21st Points: 27th
“I’m proud of everyone in NASCAR for coming together to bring our sport to Mexico City. I just wish our Boot Barn Chevrolet team could have had a better end to the race weekend. We had some positives, such as finishing sixth in Stage 2 to earn stage points. We were just too tight for the majority of the race. Our RCR team kept fighting and put us in position to salvage a solid finish. Unfortunately, I got spun with less than 25 to go and we couldn’t make up any ground in the final stretch. That’s how these races go sometimes. We’ll take it and move on to Pocono.” -Austin Dillon
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Lucas Oil Chevrolet Team Retire From Mexico City Race Early Following Lap Six Spin
Finish: 37th Start: 11th Points: 18th
“Frustrating day for everyone on the Lucas Oil Chevrolet team. We were racing in the rain to start the race. I went down into Turn 11 and got on the brakes pretty hard and everything was fine. Everything was comfortable. Our Chevy stopped really good, and I thought ‘okay, I can be a little bit more aggressive this time’. Getting back into Turn 1, I went to the 10 marker. If there is a 10 marker, it’s the bridge, and we’ve been going much further past the bridge all day on dries. So on wet tires, I figured it was going to be fine. As soon as I went to the brakes, it was just on ice and I was sliding. For about a second and a half, I was just trying to figure out which direction to go, and then I was like, ‘I’ve got to turn this thing around backwards because I’m going to nail some people’. I hate it for all those that were involved in my mishap, and I hate it for Lucas Oil, RCR, ECR, and all of the guys on the No. 8 team. Yesterday in qualifying, our Chevy was really good. It felt like we were going to be really sporty in the dry. I hate that the rain came. We’ll just have to fight for more points another week.” -Kyle Busch
AJ Allmendinger qualified eighth for the Viva Mexico 250. On lap one, the caution was displayed for rain and the No. 16 came to pit road for wet weather tires. Allmendinger drove up to seventh before being involved in a wreck on lap seven, bringing out the caution. The team came to pit road for damage repair and restarted in 32nd place. Despite the damage, Allmendinger was still able to make passes, gaining nine positions in four laps. Before the end of the stage, the No. 16 was running top five lap times. During the stage break, Allmendinger pit for one-lap scuff tires to restart the second stage. Under the caution on lap 31, Allmendinger told the team the No. 16 Chevy overall was not bad with the damage, but he lacked overall speed. During green flag pit stops, Allmendinger drove up to 14th before the caution flag was displayed on lap 65. He came to pit road for tires and fuel and restarted in 21st. Allmendinger drove up to 13th place, where he ended the race.
“Honestly, I felt like we were going to have a really good car, even the way it felt in the rain. It’s easy to say that, but I really thought the car had a lot of speed. For as destroyed as it was, we still had decent speed and it drove well on wet and dry tires. I definitely think we could have ran top five all day, but unfortunately, we’ll never know. Just proud of the guys; from the way we started this weekend, we kept fighting and making it better. We had something there to be competitive and have a really good run. Our 16 group did everything they could to keep me out there and I’m never going to quit on them. just absolutely frustrating day, but proud of the effort for days like this, just keep fighting.” – AJ Allmendinger
As the green flag waved for the Viva Mexico 250, rain began pouring, and the caution flag waved before completing a lap, allowing teams to change to wet-weather tires. Restarting 20th on lap four, Dillon raced his way through the top 20, avoiding a pileup on lap seven. He came out on the other end in 10th place, working his way up to sixth place by lap 10. Crew chief Andrew Dickeson told the No. 10 crew to get dry-weather tires ready, as the rain had stopped. He made the call with three laps remaining in the stage to pit for dry tires, and Dillon stayed out during the first stage break to start the second stage from ninth place. The team planned to short-pit the stage, as Dillon had worked his way up to seventh, before pitting under green with five laps remaining in the second stage. He finished the second stage in 26th place and stayed out during the break to start the final stage from 20th. Following a lap-64 caution, a stack up on the restart caused Dillon to sustain a right-front flat, forcing him to pit under green for fresh tires. He was trapped a lap down, as the field stayed green for the remainder of the race. He was scored 33rd.
About Kaulig Racing
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (June 15, 2025) – The NASCAR Cup Series went international for its first ever points-paying race in Mexico City for Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. LEGACY MC teammates, John Hunter Nemechek piloting the No. 42 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Camry XSE and Erik Jones in the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE were ready to take on the foreign road course. Shane Van Gisbergen led the field to the green flag after Saturday’s qualifying session was shortened by 17 minutes due to weather. At the end of the race, it was Van Gisbergen who defended his pole and took home the win in Mexico City.
Below is a look at how the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries fared:
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP: START: 32ND | FINISH: 6TH | POINTS: 23RD It only took one lap for the rain to make its way into the storyline in Mexico City. On Lap 2 the field pitted for rain tires and John Hunter Nemechek found himself in the 29th position as the race restarted. Lap 6 saw another caution and Nemechek said the No. 42 Pye-Barker Toyota needed some grip as he found himself in the 23rd position. On Lap 10 Nemechek ran off course due to the slick conditions as it continued to rain and fell to 31st. On Lap 17 the No. 42 pitted for tires and fuel, as part of their strategy. Nemechek would finish Stage 1 in 31st place.
Nemechek would start Stage 2 from the 18th position. While running 20th he spun during Lap 25 into the grass falling back to 32nd in the running order. He pitted again on Lap 32 under yellow for tires and fuel, stating the car lacked grip. Crew chief Travis Mack called for an adjustment and Nemechek restarted the race in 26th. He finished Stage 2 in the 14th position.
At the stage break Nemechek told Mack that he was a little tight on entry and free on exit, but Mack said he was “looking good”. More rain began to threaten the race on Lap 46.
Nemechek started the final stage in the 12th position. By Lap 50 Nemechek powered his way to ninth. On Lap 60 Nemechek was running 18th when green flag pit stops started. On Lap 64 Nemechek pitted under green and he made it to the end of pit road when a caution flag flew. He restarted seventh and in one lap clawed his way to fourth in the running order with 30 to go.
In the closing laps, the tire wear proved to be what ultimately caused Nemechek to forfeit fifth, and he brought the No. 42 Pye-Barker Toyota home in sixth, his best career finish on a road course.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTABLE:
“Hats off to this whole No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team. The Pye-Barker colors looked really good on our Camry this weekend, and I’m super stoked on a sixth-place finish. Our road course program has not been good here at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, so a solid run for us after the last three weeks we’ve had – two wrecks, and not so good run in Nashville – we needed this as a team to get back on track. I had a lot of text messages from my wife (Taylor) and had a lot of text messages from Jimmie (Johnson, co-owner, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) yesterday – I was pretty down after qualifying, and beating myself up pretty bad, but we executed during the race. I got spun out a couple of times and still came home sixth. Hats off to Travis (Mack, crew chief) on the strategy. He called a really good race, and we were able to execute and come home sixth. Proud of the day.”
(Photo Credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB / NKP)
ERIK JONES NO. 43 FAMILY DOLLAR TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP: START: 14TH | FINISH: 17TH | POINTS: 22ND Erik Jones was ready for a new challenge as he took on NASCAR’s Viva Mexico 250 in Mexico City. After rain brought out the early caution, the No. 43 Family Dollar team brought Jones down pit road to put on a set of rain tires after starting 14th for the inaugural event. He restarted in the same position and despite being cautious in the rain, he was able to work his way up into the top-10 before putting on slick tires as the rain went away. Crew chief Ben Beshore opted to keep his driver on the track while others were short pitting the first stage to finish sixth and gain five valuable stage points.
This strategy caused Jones to be stuck deep in the field for the start of Stage 2 where Jones restarted 22nd. He was attempting to make moves on the opening laps of the stage when he was shoved off course by a spin and fell back to 29th. He kept his head in the game though and found himself back in 22nd by the lap-32 caution. Trouble hit during the next green flag run though as Jones was forced to come to pit road for an unscheduled stop on lap 38 for a flat left front tire. He stayed on the lead lap but was far behind the leaders in 33rd, where he finished as the rest of the stage went green.
In the final stage, Jones was once again deep in the field after restarting 32nd. In one lap though, he drove his way all the way up to 20th as he used advantage of the speed he had found on the restart. He continued to work his way up to eighth by the lap-65 caution where he took a trip down pit road for four tires and fuel. Jones restarted 16th and avoided chaos on the first few turns to battle in the top-15 in the final laps. As the race went green though, Jones started to struggle with a tight-handling racecar and fell back to 17th, where he ultimately finished.
ERIK JONES QUOTABLE:
“Today was honestly a roller coaster. We had so much speed that first stage and even got bonus points. I think we could’ve worked our way back into the top-10 for the second stage if it weren’t for that flat tire. I’m still proud of my No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota team for giving us a fast car this weekend. We’re working on improving our road course package, and I think you’re seeing that overall at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.”
(Photo Credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB / NKP) NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Pocono (Pa.) Raceway for The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA.COM on Sunday, June 22. The race will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET with coverage on Amazon Prime, MAX, MRN and Sirius XM.
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.
Custer Scores Season-Best Eighth in Strategic Run at Cup Series Debut in Mexico City Creed Finishes Just Outside Top 10 at AMS; Mayer 23rd
Cup Series
Cole Custer recorded his strongest points performance of the year and best Cup Series finish since 2022 at Bristol, placing eighth in Sunday’s debut Cup race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Driving the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford, Custer benefited from a savvy early pit strategy called by crew chief Aaron Kramer to short pit Stage One.
A lap-one caution allowed the team to bolt on rain tires as incoming showers loomed, giving Custer a grip advantage. He surged to 12th by lap six, then pitted early for slicks as the track began to dry. Though he finished Stage One in 22nd, a strategic pit cycle gave him a 10th-place restart spot for Stage 2 as others pitted.
Custer made a bold dive into turn one on the restart, climbing to fifth by lap 30. He pitted on lap 33 for four fresh tires and fuel, surrendering the position, and cycled back to 16th. He gained three positions by the end of the stage, finishing 13th in Stage Two.
Restarting 11th for the final and longest stint, he picked up two spots by lap 64 just before a caution for a spin in turn 11. Having pitted moments earlier, Custer gained key track position, restarting fourth with 30 laps to go. He stayed clean and consistent through the final green-flag run, earning an eighth-place result—his season-best to date.
“It was a really solid points day, and I can’t say enough about our guys and everything they had to go through this weekend,” Custer said. “I had a really solid car and great strategy from Aaron (Kramer), so hopefully we can keep moving in the right direction.”
Xfinity Series
Sheldon Creed came close to securing a top-10 finish as the NASCAR Xfinity Series made its long-awaited return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the first time since 2008. Restarting in 31st with just 14 laps remaining, Creed charged through the field, picking up 20 positions in a determined late-race push to finish 11th in his Pit Boss Ford. Meanwhile, his teammate Sam Mayer recovered from an early-race incident and battled back to take 23rd place in his Audibel Ford.
After strong performances in both practice and qualifying on Saturday morning, the Haas Factory Team (HFT) duo earned solid starting positions, with Mayer lining up sixth and Creed taking the green from 13th. However, the race took an early turn just three laps in when Mayer got loose entering Turn 11 and slid into the tire barrier, triggering the event’s first caution. Despite sustaining damage, the No. 41 crew worked quickly to make necessary repairs, allowing Mayer to continue and remain in contention.
“It was definitely a crazy weekend in Mexico, but we showed speed and enjoyed our time here,” Mayer said. “I’m looking forward to the next one here, and appreciate all the hard work from our team to make this possible.”
Both Haas Factory Team cars opted for a strategic move in the opening stage, choosing to pit just before the stage break in order to gain track position for Stage Two. The decision paid off particularly well for the No. 00 team, which capitalized on the strategy to stay near the front and secure a third-place finish in the second segment—netting eight valuable stage points. Meanwhile, after additional repairs to his car during the pit stop, Mayer restarted deep in the field and was scored 23rd at the end of the stage.
Just one lap into Stage Three, Creed was caught up in a multi-car incident while exiting Turn 2, forcing the No. 00 team to bring the car to pit road for a quick damage assessment. Despite the setback, Creed restarted 31st with only 14 laps remaining and charged through the field, gaining an impressive 20 positions to finish 11th. Meanwhile, Mayer continued to battle back from multiple challenges throughout the race and ultimately brought the No. 41 car home in 23rd, capping off a gritty day for the Haas Factory Team.
“It was an okay day for us, but I felt like we had the potential to finish inside the top five,” Creed said. “We got caught up in the restart mess, but were able to fix it and charge through the field from the back for an 11th-place finish.”
Next weekend at Pocono Raceway is the final race of the Driving 4 a Difference presented by the Gene Haas Foundation, a new in-season Ford tournament within the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Sheldon Creed leads after four races with 112 points, followed by teammate Sam Mayer (97), Harrison Burton (70), Ryan Sieg (57) & Kyle Sieg (25).
Up Next The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Pocono Raceway next weekend for the 17th points race on the NASCAR Cup Series/Xfinity schedule. Race coverage for the Xfinity series is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on the CW, and Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on Prime for the Cup Series.
About Haas Factory Team The Haas Factory Team is a NASCAR Cup and Xfinity program owned by Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. Beginning in 2025, the team will feature Cole Custer driving the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series, while Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer take on the Xfinity Series in the No. 00 and No. 41 Ford Mustangs, respectively. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the Haas Factory Team reflects a commitment to performance and engineering excellence, carrying forward Gene Haas’s commitment to motorsports.
