It’s a weekend of firsts as NASCAR takes its big-league Cup Series to Mexico City for the first time.
Include Saturday’s qualifying, when pre-race favorite Shane van Gisbergen became the first-ever pole winner south of the border. His fastest lap averaged 93.904 mph around the 15-turn track that measures 2.4 miles.
The 55-minute qualifying session was cut 17 minutes short due to rain. Ryan Preece was second fastest and will start alongside van Gisbergen.
Van Gisbergen, a road-course specialist, will lead the field to green Sunday afternoon in the inaugural Viva Mexico 250 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Coverage starts at 3 p.m. on Amazon Prime.
The Xfinity Series is also in Mexico City, where that circuit raced from 2005-08. The Chilanga 150 is slated for this afternoon. Coverage begins at 4:30 on The CW.
Watch NASCAR action from Mexico City
NASCAR lineup for Mexico City
How to watch Sunday NASCAR race
3 p.m.: Cup Series, Viva Mexico 250 (Prime).
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR qualifying results: Starting lineup set for Sunday race in Mexico on Amazon Prime
Reporting by Ken Willis, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
