Shane van Gisbergen captured the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City with an impressive lap time of 1:32.776 in his No. 88 Chevrolet. This marks the Trackhouse Racing driver’s second career pole and is his first pole of the 2025 season. Currently sitting 33rd in the championship standings, van Gisbergen strongly needs a race victory, and this pole could offer a crucial chance to disrupt the playoff picture.
Front Row Filled by Van Gisbergen and Ryan Preece
Joining van Gisbergen on the front row is Ryan Preece of RFK Racing, who prevented a Trackhouse qualifying lockout by finishing just 0.064 seconds behind van Gisbergen’s top time. Preece, still seeking his first Cup Series win, delivered a career-best qualifying effort, highlighting the competitiveness of the session.
Van Gisbergen Reflects on Qualifying Performance
Van Gisbergen commented on the performance of his car and lap times during qualifying:
“We made some big swings last night. Our No. 88 Safety Culture Chevrolet was a bit better,”
“We had a lot more front grip, which is what I needed. But my laps were average.. like you’ll see everyone was beating me on the first-half of the lap, and then my lap gets good at the end. We had a lot of speed today, which is good. It’s been a great improvement. What a really cool achievement for us and a great start for tomorrow. I’m excited. That’s really cool.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Driver
Top Qualifiers Round Out the Leading Positions
Ross Chastain put together his best qualifying run of the year, finishing third just behind his teammate van Gisbergen. Ty Gibbs secured fourth place, followed by Michael McDowell in fifth. The remainder of the top ten included Kyle Larson, Todd Gilliland, A.J. Allmendinger, Joey Logano, and hometown favorite Daniel Suarez.
Session Format and Incidents During Qualifying
The 45-minute open qualifying session was designed more like a practice run with a steady flow of drivers onto the track, rather than a scramble for laps. However, the looming threat of rain prevented teams from pushing harder early on. The first notable incident was a spin by Katherine Legge, who is participating in only her second Cup Series event. Her car ended up in the grass but sustained no damage.
Battle for Top Times and Weather Interruption
Ross Chastain narrowed the gap to within a tenth of van Gisbergen’s pole time, momentarily putting Trackhouse Racing in the first two positions. However, Ryan Preece edged between the two teammates by a mere 0.009 seconds before spinning harmlessly right after his quick lap. Some drivers, including Allmendinger and Christopher Bell, attempted second runs but failed to improve their times.
With 17 minutes remaining, NASCAR halted qualifying due to rain. The session was red-flagged as light showers began, and the event did not resume, locking in the current starting positions.
Struggles for Several Drivers in Qualifying
Several drivers found themselves in challenging starting spots after the session. Chase Briscoe, ending his streak of three consecutive Cup poles, qualified 19th. 23XI Racing saw Tyler Reddick place with their best effort of the session in 22nd. Hendrick Motorsports competitors William Byron and Alex Bowman posted disappointing results, starting 27th and 29th respectively. Christopher Bell, fresh off a recent road course victory at COTA, was surprised to qualify 31st.
Additionally, Ryan Truex, substituting for Denny Hamlin and making his first Cup start in nearly 11 years, managed 36th in a 37-car field. Katherine Legge rounded out the grid in 37th and final place.
Implications for the 2025 NASCAR Season Playoffs
Van Gisbergen’s pole position offers a potential game-changer as he aims to climb from 33rd in the standings. This performance could boost his chances for a crucial race win needed to qualify for the playoffs. The disruption caused by unexpected frontrunners like van Gisbergen and strong qualifiers such as Preece and Chastain may reshape the competitive landscape as the season progresses. Meanwhile, several key contenders will need to overcome poor starting positions to maintain championship contention.
