Shane van Gisbergen loves new challenges. But the New Zealand native is admittedly worried about Sunday’s upcoming race in Mexico City — the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race to be held in Mexico.
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There are two main reasons why Gisbergen is concerned. First, it’s a brand new environment for all Cup drivers; most have never raced on the 2.41-mile Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course.
Second, drivers and cars alike will likely have issues adapting to Mexico City’s elevation, which is over 7,500 feet above sea level. Drivers will likely need oxygen on standby, while the normally aspirated engines in Cup cars could strain under the much thinner air.
“Another new track and new place that I’ve never been to before,” van Gisbergen said. “I’ve been doing a lot of sim (work) lately and it’s pretty cool, a challenging and big track. There are lots of technical sections and it’s going to be very difficult.”
Then SVG immediately went into what could happen as soon as the green flag drops.
“Turn 1 is going to be carnage, I think, with how NASCAR restarts are,” he said. “It’s going to be nuts but I’m looking forward to some right handers this weekend.”
Van Gisbergen is in a difficult spot heading into this weekend’s event. He’s currently a distant 33rd in the Cup standings, 126 points behind the 16th-place playoff cutline currently occupied by Austin Cindric.
SVG has only one way into the playoffs: Win and he’s in it
With 11 regular season races remaining, van Gisbergen’s playoff hopes are pretty simple: he has to win one of those races to get an automatic berth into the playoffs. It’s extremely unlikely that even a turnaround in performance would allow him to qualify on points.
For reference sake, van Gisbergen has just one top 10 finish in the first 15 races, a sixth place showing at the Circuit of the Americas road course in Austin, Texas.
But there’s also an ace in the hole for van Gisbergen: he’s a road course specialist and with four of the next nine races — including Mexico City as well as the street race in Chicago on July 6 — he has a good chance of pulling an upset.
“(The upcoming road courses are extremely important) one hundred percent,” he said. “Everyone expects us to perform on road courses. Not that we have been hanging out for it (road courses), but the ovals have been a big learning process the last couple of months.
“It will be nice for sure to have a bit of a break and races on the types of courses I’m used to — which means turning right.”
Mexico City is likely SVG’s best playoff hope scenario
Mexico City may be the best bet of all for SVG. When he made his Cup debut in 2023, he won the first race he entered: the Chicago Street Race. That also was a first for all Cup drivers to compete in, just like Mexico City will be.
Can lightning somewhat strike twice for van Gisbergen? “Well, you’d hope so,” he said. “I know I’ll be good at them, but having an advantage, no.
“Other people have been there before and the unknowns, the air and how different the cars will feel with no downforce and stuff, are big. I don’t think it’s an advantage, but I certainly know I’ll be okay there.”
With the odds stacked against him and the clock ticking, van Gisbergen may need another dose of street-course magic to keep his playoff dream alive.
