MEXICO CITY — Shane van Gisbergen stood tall on the highest Victory Podium step, wearing a traditional Mexican sombrero and spraying champagne to celebrate his win in Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 at the world-renowned Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
The entire sport undoubtedly felt equally as triumphant following the first international points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race weekend in half a century.
RELATED: Mexico City Cup results | At-track photos
Regardless of a couple of mid-week logistical issues, the race weekend itself was certainly viewed as a success by those who planned, those who executed, those who raced — and, as importantly, those who attended.
The facility was world-class, the fans were knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the drivers they came to watch were basking in all the Mexican amor shown to them.
From Front Row Motorsports’ driver Todd Gilliland to Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace, the drivers were surrounded by large and loud groups of avid fans wherever they roamed from paddock to fan zone.
What about Trackhouse Racing driver Daniel Suárez, who worked so hard and passionately for months to help promote NASCAR’s race weekend in his home country? He was like a motorsports version of The Beatles. Huge groups of fans followed him everywhere – chanting his name, wearing his race shirts and holding up homemade signs.
The only time Suárez wasn’t grinning this weekend came as he stood on the starting grid Sunday afternoon alongside his family, joining in with a children’s choir as they sang the Mexican National Anthem. Suárez’s emotion was palpable.
And he rewarded his massive support base, winning Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at his home road course and running up front early in Sunday’s Cup Series race, too. Even his 19th-place finish was treated more like a victory.
MORE: Homecoming king! Suárez captures Xfinity win in Mexico City | Suárez on Xfinity victory | Suárez on atmosphere: ‘I got goosebumps’
“Every single thing about this weekend exceeded my expectations, the people, the fans, the sponsors, the excitement, the energy,” said Suárez, van Gisbergen’s Trackhouse Racing teammate. “I had expectations for this weekend, not the results, but, [for] the event, and I can tell you that I personally exceeded those expectations.
“So very, very happy for that. Very blessed. I hope that we can do it many more times.”
It was certainly a prevailing theme.
NASCAR Hall of Famer and Hendrick Motorsports executive Jeff Gordon spoke with reporters before the race and expressed enthusiasm about the sport’s experience in Mexico City.
Later, he even delivered a hybrid starting command in honor of the Spanish-speaking crowd, telling the grid: “Pilatos, start your engines!”
“Listen to the fans,” he said, smiling when asked about the reception NASCAR received. “There are a large amount of fans that want to see NASCAR in person. Internationally, I think it opens a lot of doors for sponsorships and if we have a crowd that’s as energetic today as it was yesterday — of course Daniel [winning] played into that too — but to me, the most exciting thing about coming here is the passion, the excitement, the energy that fans here in Mexico bring. … that’s why I think we’re here.”
NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy wouldn’t go so far as to promise a return engagement, but he was also understandably pleased with the weekend, acknowledging there are some logistical learning curves, but overall heartened by the passion shown. He said that 90% of those who attended the race were from Mexico, with 44% coming from Mexico City.
“Today wasn’t just a race,” said Kennedy, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer. “This was a historic moment for our sport, for Mexico, for the global motorsports community and for a lot of folks that came together to be able to make this happen.”
The big question Sunday night post-race was whether NASCAR would return to Mexico City next year for an encore. Asked about it by the American NASCAR beat writers and again by members of the large international media contingent, Kennedy smiled and deferred, noting NASCAR was still working on the 2026 schedule.
But he seemed very pleased with the inaugural Mexico City weekend.
MORE: Winners of inaugural races | NASCAR’s history of racing internationally
“We’ve been bold and innovative,” Kennedy said, mentioning recent NASCAR events at the Los Angeles Coliseum and the first street race in downtown Chicago as the sport’s willingness to try new venues and travel to new destinations.
“This was the next milestone moment for us, bringing the race internationally. I can tell you, we’re very bold about continuing to bring the series internationally, and Mexico is a great place to do it. This weekend is a great example of that, and I would say we’re very hopeful to be back here.”
Kennedy added: “I think the beauty of our sport, and we’ve seen this several times over the past few years, is that no matter what’s going on outside of these four walls, outside of this race track, even outside of this country, sports can be great unifiers and NASCAR has proven that time and time again that it builds communities.
“It brings people together with shared passion and shared values. And that’s what we saw this weekend. People from all walks of life came together and watched an amazing race with the best drivers in the world, and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
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