McDowell, Gilliland top Cup Series practice sessions in Mexico City
For the first time in history, NASCAR Cup Series drivers turned laps at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City in two practice sessions.
Front Row Motorsports' Todd Gilliland was quickest in Practice 2 at 93.180 mph over Ross Chastain (93.041 mph) and Ty Gibbs (92.864 mph).
Advertisement
RELATED: Practice 2 results | At-track photos: Mexico City
Ryan Blaney (92.836 mph) and Chris Buescher (92.726 mph) rounded out the top five.
Ryan Preece (92.669 mph), Austin Cindric (92.651 mph), Joey Logano (92.641 mph), Daniel Suárez (92.632 mph) and Shane van Gisbergen (92.601 mph) completed out the top 1o.
After posting the fastest time in Practice 1, Michael McDowell (92.163 mph) was 25th-fastest in the second session.
Noah Gragson was the only driver who did not turn a lap in Practice 2, as Front Row confirmed on social media that he will go to a backup car for Sunday's race.
Practice 1
Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell topped the leaderboard in Practice 1 at 92.657 mph, besting Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Chase Briscoe (92.547 mph) and Ty Gibbs (92.542 mph).
Advertisement
Austin Cindric (92.528 mph) and Kyle Larson (92.439 mph) rounded out the top five.
Chris Buescher (92.427 mph), Joey Logano (92.401 mph), Ross Chastain (92.349 mph), Shane van Gisbergen (92.330 mph) and Todd Gilliland (92.276 mph) completed the top 10.
MORE: Practice 1 results
After being called up by JGR to replace Denny Hamlin for the weekend, Ryan Truex finished his first session in the No. 11 Toyota 36th-fastest with a speed of 90.946 mph.
As the learning process got underway, the 15-turn, 2.42-mile Mexico City circuit proved to be tricky for the drivers. Turn 4 was one of the most challenging spots as Cindric missed his braking point and Noah Gragson contacted the wall in the same area. Others had trouble slowing their cars down in time to make the corner.
Cup Series drivers get back on track Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET for qualifying (Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
This story will be updated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
NASCAR Cup Series at Mexico City odds, expert predictions for Viva Mexico 250
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Mexico City for its first-ever event in Mexico and its first international points race in over six decades. The track is most known for hosting Formula One races, but NASCAR drivers will use a slightly altered 2.49-mile layout compared to F1's 2.67-mile layout, and they'll have to complete 29 more laps than the F1 race. Advertisement It's a massive event, with high stakes for the league's work to expand internationally. Plus, a brand-new track for the Cup Series brings new intrigue and unpredictability to this weekend's race. We're bringing our questions about the race — who could excel on the track, what the high altitude could mean for teams, etc. — to our motorsports experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi. Take it away, guys! I have to start with this softball: How hyped are you for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series points race in Mexico? Jeff: My overriding emotion going into this whole experience is curiosity. I'm curious to see how the Mexican fans react — will they show up in huge numbers and bring the enthusiasm we see at Formula One races? — and how the Mexican media covers it. I'm curious to see what NASCAR drivers think of the city and the racetrack and whether they would like to return. I'm curious to see what the team members, many of whom seem somewhat skeptical about foreign travel, take away from the event. And how will the racing be? So while I'm excited, I'm also just interested in the unknowns. Jordan: Should be an electric, festive atmosphere with an environment that hopefully elevates the race to the point that people watching at home get the sense of just how big a deal this race is. Because NASCAR adding Mexico City to the schedule is a big deal. This is the first time since 1958 that NASCAR's premier series has raced outside the continental United States, and having an international points race is something NASCAR and many of its teams have sought to accomplish for some time. So the fact that they were able to pull it off is commendable. Jeff shared some insights this week into how drivers and teams are preparing for the altitude in Mexico City. Which teams do you think stand to gain the most advantage from this change? Who adapts best? Does it help even the playing field or exacerbate disparities? Jeff: I personally think the altitude thing is overblown in terms of the athletes. As a Denver resident who lives at 5,280 feet, I don't think 7,300 feet will be much of a shock to these drivers' bodies. Sure, they might get out of breath a little bit quicker. But it's not like they're climbing Everest here. That said, I don't fault anyone (like the Toyota drivers) who are preparing as much as they can; why not, right? Better safe than sorry. I think the bigger issue is the engines running hotter and generating less horsepower, which the engine builders and tuners will have to figure out. But it's hard to tell who could benefit. Advertisement Jordan: When you look back at the four-year stretch when the Xfinity Series raced at Mexico City (2005-08), the altitude didn't seem to have much effect on either the drivers or the cars' performance. And with nearly every driver in good shape, the expectation is that they should be able to adapt to conditions that will be unlike any they face throughout the season. Whether this also applies to the cars' performance or not, we'll see. One issue to be mindful of is the concern many teams have regarding overheating the engine, as the high altitude can put a strain on this, especially during caution laps when engine temperatures tend to rise more due to reduced air circulation brought on by the slower laps. If there are a number of cautions on Sunday, don't be surprised if some teams begin to fight mechanical gremlins. I love a sports crossover moment, so I really enjoyed reading your account of Chase Briscoe drawing inspiration from the Indiana Pacers' clutch play in the NBA playoffs. What is the outlook for Briscoe over the next several races? With his three consecutive starts in pole position, what's not connecting for Briscoe in his races? Do any other drivers strike you as a Pacers' comp in terms of surprising us with a second-half surge? Jeff: It's clear Briscoe has speed, but the team doesn't seem to be able to keep up with the track during the race, and they have faded (or had bad things happen). But it was only a month ago that Briscoe said he was finally getting the feel of the Joe Gibbs Racing cars after joining the team in the offseason; he still has time to put it all together and win a race before the playoffs (thus eliminating the points-bubble talk). In terms of other drivers who could be a 'We should have never counted this person out!' Pacers-like performer? I'll go with Brad Keselowski. He's had a horrible start to the year, but has shown enough flashes of speed lately that you could see him jumping up and salvaging the season with a victory before the playoffs. Jordan: Briscoe has had a good start to his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing. He's won a series-best four poles, his six top-five finishes rank sixth best, and he is 21 points above the cut line to make the playoffs. But the one thing Briscoe has yet to do is win, and this, ultimately, is likely going to define whether his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing is deemed successful. His team has had speed most weeks, especially on intermediate-sized tracks, and now they have to convert this speed into consistent top-end results. Who is your favorite to win this week? Jeff: This is going to be tough as we sit here before seeing any practice, as this is NASCAR's inaugural visit to the track. In addition, the Xfinity Series race here in the mid-2000s (the last of which was won by Kyle Busch) had a different layout. But without the ability to see who unloads fastest and gets up to speed quickly, I'll jump on board with Tyler Reddick. Yes, it's tempting to pick Shane van Gisbergen — but he's a fairly significant favorite, and sometimes that can be a trap. Reddick has won four career road course poles, including the inaugural NASCAR race at the other shared F1 track, Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin. He has never finished outside the top 10 when he wins a road-course pole. If you look at his team as a whole, including the pit crew, it is stronger than SVG's. Maybe I'm talking myself into it just to pick someone other than SVG, but Reddick is a good choice. Jordan: This is actually a more wide-open race than many think, and a good case could be made for any number of drivers. Denny Hamlin would have been near the top of the list, but won't race due to the birth of his son. Reddick is certainly up there, and so too are Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell. But this is also a great opportunity for the likes of van Gisbergen and AJ Allmendinger, two drivers who excel on road courses and likely need a win to make the playoffs. So, forced to go with a pick, let's go with van Gisbergen. He should have little issue getting up to speed, and his team knows they need to win and that points are rather meaningless, which allows them to set up their strategy accordingly. All the unknowns favor a driver who won the last time NASCAR visited a track so different than what NASCAR typically races on (the Chicago street course). Advertisement Who is a long shot you like? Jeff: Looking at the odds list, the lowest I'd go is Briscoe at +4000. He's a good road racer and will have a fast car, so he should be higher than that. Austin Cindric has the same odds and is another solid pick on road courses, but he had a very disappointing outing at COTA earlier this season, which gives me pause. But there are plenty of excellent road racers with so-so odds who could win: Michael McDowell at +2500, Ty Gibbs at +3000. Heck, Alex Bowman is +3000 and won the Chicago street course race last year. Jordan: Austin Cindric at +3500 is enticing, considering the Team Penske driver comes from a road-course background and should be among the contenders on Sunday. Don't overlook Bowman, who may be in a slump but did surprise everyone by winning at Chicago last year. And Kyle Busch at +1400 has good value considering he nearly won at COTA earlier this year. Betting/odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Daniel Suarez: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
NASCAR Insider Has Important Message About Coca-Cola 600
NASCAR sprints into the streaming era by starting a prolonged stint on Amazon Prime Video. This Sunday, Prime Video will exclusively stream the Coca-Cola 600. It's the first of five consecutive Cup Series races on the platform, which already holds the rights to the NFL's Thursday Night Football and will begin a working relationship with the NBA next season. Advertisement As other leagues have already discovered, many fans don't like change. Those not subscribed to Prime or any other streaming services may also be confused about how to access these NASCAR races. On Monday, published a guide on how to watch races on Prime. While a Prime subscription costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year, fans can avoid extra fees by signing up for a 30-day trial. The Athletic's Jeff Gluck shared the story with a "PSA" on Thursday morning. He also reminded everyone that all Prime Video content is included for Amazon Prime members signed up for its shipping features. "If you don't have Prime, there's a free 30-day trial," Gluck wrote. "So you can basically get all five NASCAR races for free." Advertisement Prime Video makes its NASCAR debut when streaming the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 25. The five-race arrangement runs through Pocono Raceway on June 22. NASCAR fans should thus wait until the weekend to sign up for a 30-day Prime trial. Another important PSA: Set a reminder to cancel the trial before it automatically renews and bills you $14.99 for the next month. CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 29: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 29, 2022 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images Prime landed some big names for its NASCAR coverage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the broadcast booth alongside play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander and crew chief Steve Letarte. Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie will provide post-race analysis with Danielle Trotta. Advertisement "Man, I'm excited," Edwards said in a Monday teleconference, per "I think I should be really nervous, but I don't know if I am yet. For me, it's a lot like going to my first Cup race. It's like, man, I really don't know what to expect. I feel like I'm kind of prepared, but I'm just so grateful for this team, to be with Steve and Dale and Corey and Danielle and Alex, everybody — all these people now. It's wild how much talent is here and represented by this Prime broadcast. And that part really makes me feel comfortable. So I'm just ready to go have some fun. I think this is really going to be cool." Sunday's Charlotte Motor Speedway Race starts at 6 p.m. ET. Related: NASCAR Makes Decision On Coca-Cola 600 Payouts NASCAR Insider Has Important Message About Coca-Cola 600 first appeared on The Spun on May 22, 2025
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
How to watch NASCAR FireKeepers Casino 400 live from Michigan for free
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 Castrol Edge Ford, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 18, 2024 in Brooklyn, Michigan NASCAR's 2024 Rookie of the Year, Carson Hocevar, will return home this weekend for the league's annual contest at Michigan International Speedway. Advertisement It's time for the FireKeepers Casino 400! The 400-mile race on a two-mile track consists of 200 total laps, divided into three stages of 45, 75, and 80 laps. Michigan native, Hocevar, finished in second during last week's Cracker Barrel 400 to tie his career-best finish, so it's safe to say that he has momentum heading into his hometown race this weekend. what to know about nascar in nashville Race: FireKeepers Casino 400 Date and time: Sunday, June 7, 2 p.m. ET Venue: Michigan International Speedway (Brooklyn, Michigan) Streaming: Prime Video (30 days free) Last year, this race was won by Tyler Reddick, who currently sits in sixth place overall in the NASCAR standings. Here's everything you need to know about today's NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan. FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400 ON PRIME VIDEO FireKeepers Casino 400 start time: What time is today's NASCAR race on? Today's (June 7) NASCAR race, the FireKeepers Casino 400, begins at 2 p.m. ET. What channel is today's NASCAR race on? Like last week, today's NASCAR race won't be on traditional television; it will air exclusively on Prime Video. How to watch the FireKeepers Casino 400 for free: If you aren't a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year. Advertisement PRIME VIDEO All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, you'll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six years and get all the perks. PRIME FOR YOUNG ADULTS With Prime Video, you can also take advantage of the streamer's Shop the Race storefront, exclusively on the Amazon mobile app, to shop gear, flags, and more for your favorite driver. NASCAR on Prime Video 2025 schedule: Prime Video will broadcast four more NASCAR races this season, including today's. Advertisement FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400 ON PRIME VIDEO Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post's streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she's also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews
