Mexico City – Shane Van Gisbergen once again mastered a new track – this one the iconic Mexico City road course – to win NASCAR's first Cup Series points-paying race outside the United States of the modern era.

The New Zealander led 60 of 100 laps Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to earn his first Cup victory since he won in his NASCAR debut at the inaugural 2023 street course race in Chicago. That victory changed his career trajectory and Van Gisbergen left Australia V8 Supercars, where he was a multiple champion, for a full-time move to NASCAR.

“Man, that was epic,” he said.

Although he had success in the Xfinity Series – he won three races last year as Trackhouse Racing developed him for a Cup Series ride – Van Gisbergen has struggled this year at NASCAR's top level.

He started the race ranked 33rd in the Cup standings with only one top-10 finish through the first 15 races of the season. But his victory in Mexico City earned him an automatic berth into NASCAR's playoffs with a shot to race for the Cup Series championship.

Van Gisbergen benefitted from an early pop-up rain shower on the first lap of the race because he's an exceptionally skilled driver on a wet surface. His win at Chicago was in monsoon-like conditions.

He won the pole in Mexico City and started the race as the BetMGM betting favorite, particularly since rain was in the forecast. He had to contend with several challengers, Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing among them, but took the lead for good with 31 laps remaining.

And, he won feeling under the weather. He was ill before the start of the race in what was a bizarre weekend for him. He was one of the drivers stranded in North Carolina on Thursday when his chartered plane suffered a mechanical issue on takeoff and the team was stranded until Friday morning.

Van Gisbergen arrived in Mexico City early Friday morning but was still awaiting many crew members. Then he got sick late Saturday and was sleeping on the floor of his hauler before Sunday's race.

“I felt pretty rubbish today, leaking out both holes, that wasn't fun,” Van Gisbergen said. “Our car was amazing. That last stint, man, what a pleasure just ripping lap after lap and watching them get smaller in the mirror. Unreal.”

He admitted after the race he'd texted with four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen about the intricacies of the Mexico City circuit.

“A little bit in the wet – just what lines to take and how to approach it,” he said. “What a guy.”

Van Gisbergen then did his traditional rugby-style celebration by drop-kicking a signed football into the grandstands.

Trackhouse now has two of its drivers – Ross Chastain and Van Gisbergen – locked into the playoffs. But it was a bit of a disappointment for Daniel Suarez, the Monterrey native who thrilled the hometown crowd with a win in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, as he failed to challenge his teammate for the win and finished 19th.

“I wish I was in the mix fighting for it a little more, but it just wasn't in the cards,” Suarez said.

Suarez, who appeared to be blinking back tears as he sang along with the Mexican national anthem in pre-race ceremonies, desperately wanted the home win in this contract year with Trackhouse. He was the face of this event as NASCAR ventured outside the U.S. with its top series for the first time since 1958.

Bell finished second in a Toyota for JGR – 16.567 seconds behind the winner. He was followed by Chase Elliott in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Alex Bowman, who hurt his back in a crash last week at Michigan, withstood the pain for a fourth-place finish in his Hendrick Chevrolet.

Formula One

George Russell won his first race of the Formula 1 season as the Mercedes driver held off defending race winner Max Verstappen at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday in Montreal.

It was the fourth victory of Russell’s career, and the race ended under yellow when McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris staged a wheel-to-wheel late battle that ended with Norris hitting the wall.

“It's amazing to be back on the top step,” Russell said. “I felt last year was a victory lost, so to get the victory and see (teammate) Kimi (Antonelli) on the podium, too, is an amazing day for the team. I think it shows the strength of our cars in the cooler conditions, so let's see in the coming races.”

Russell started on pole for the second consecutive year in Montreal and held the advantage for most of the race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The British driver became the fourth race winner this year, joining points leader leader Piastri, Norris and Verstappen, the four-time reigning F1 champion.

Verstappen, who has one more race to go before points drop off his license and eliminate the possibility of a one-race suspension, was satisfied with his second-place finish.

“Was quite a good race, even though in the first two stints we were struggling with the tires,” the Dutchman said. “We hung in there in the final stint. That was the maximum we could have achieved today.”

Mercedes rookie Antonelli finished third behind Verstappen for his first F1 podium.

IndyCar

Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global won for the second consecutive race, his third win of the season, Sunday night at Gateway outside St. Louis. He also won last week’s Detroit Grand Prix.

Only Kirkwood and two-time reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou have won this season. Palou has five wins.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden flipped his car upside down midway through the race after contact with Louis Foster.

Foster spun into the wall and shot across the track, stopping directly in Newgarden's path. Newgarden was unable to avoid the direct collision and his car launched into the air, damaged the SAFER barrier, landed on its roof and then skidded for a considerable distance.

The IndyCar safety crew immediately helped Newgarden from his car and he radioed his Team Penske crew he was fine.

IndyCar's safety team had to turn the No. 2 Chevrolet back on its wheels after Newgarden was out of the car and the race was under yellow for the clean up.

"I got a bit of a wiggle ... got a bit too high and went into the marbles," Foster said. "I just couldn't stop the car from spinning and, obviously, a pretty scary impact with myself and Josef. I'm glad he is OK."

Newgarden declined to comment after he was released from the medical center.

Earlier in the race, Newgarden teammate Will Power crashed when a cut tire caused him to hit the wall. Power had started on the pole. Team Penske is winless this season.