NASCAR Cup Series Practice Sessions at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
NASCAR hosted two practice sessions on Friday for the Cup Series teams at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, allowing drivers to acclimate to the road course ahead of the upcoming race.
Session Overview
In the first practice, drivers faced challenges learning the track’s limits, with several instances of lock-ups and excursions into run-off areas. Notably, Noah Gragson crashed into the outside wall, resulting in significant damage to his No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford. The team confirmed they will switch to a backup car. Cody Ware and Carson Hocevar also experienced spin-outs but avoided major incidents.
Michael McDowell topped the charts with a lap time of 1:34.024 in his No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. He was followed by Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, Austin Cindric, and Kyle Larson in the top five.
The second session was shorter and included all drivers except Gragson. Ty Gibbs spun out after bottoming out over the curbs but continued without damage. Todd Gilliland emerged as the fastest driver of the day during a mock qualifying run, clocking 1:33.496, surpassing McDowell’s earlier time.
Key Performances
Top Times:
- Todd Gilliland – 1:33.496
- Ross Chastain – P2
- Ty Gibbs – P3
- Ryan Blaney – P4
- Chris Buescher – P5
Christopher Bell led in ten-lap averages, followed by Chastain and Buescher, indicating strong long-run performance.
Driver Insights
Gilliland commented on his performance, stating, "That’s always my goal when coming to a road course. We’ve had good speed… Overall, really happy with our execution of both practices."
Daniel Suarez, the only Mexican-born driver in the Cup Series, placed 12th in the first session and improved to 9th in the second, reinforcing solid pacing throughout the day.
Conclusion
As teams prepare for the race, the practice sessions revealed a competitive landscape, with drivers pushing the limits of their cars while contending with the unique challenges of the Mexican road course. The performance metrics from these sessions will inform strategy as teams finalize their setups for the event.
