Shane Van Gisbergen described a harrowing experience during his recent flight to Mexico ahead of the Viva Mexico 250 race weekend, as his plane unexpectedly “launched itself” during takeoff before the trip was ultimately canceled for safety. To ensure he arrived in time for Friday’s practice sessions, the Australian driver took an early morning alternative flight.
Most drivers were slated to arrive in Mexico City on Thursday, June 12; however, mechanical difficulties caused delays affecting various teams, who were left grounded in Charlotte, North Carolina. Reports surfaced of a loud noise during a plane’s attempted takeoff, while a different aircraft suffered engine problems.
In a pre-practice interview at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, Van Gisbergen recounted his tense journey.
“Yeah, it wasn’t fun. Yesterday was a long day. But yeah, pretty scary when the plane launched itself on take-off. But yeah, they stopped and were just trying to get another plane. And then it was first thing this morning, so early start this morning. I think we got up at 3:30 am at home and got an early flight down here,” he said via Speedwaydigest.
Strong Practice Shows Van Gisbergen’s Road Course Strength
A former Australian Supercars champion recognized for his skill on road courses, Van Gisbergen showed his ability during Friday’s sessions. He consistently placed within the top 10 throughout both practice runs, signaling competitive form ahead of the race weekend.
Anticipation Builds for a Series of Road Course Races
This season marks Van Gisbergen’s first full year competing full-time in the Cup Series, where he has managed only one top-10 finish in 15 starts so far. That result was a sixth place at the Circuit of The Americas, an event favoring his road racing expertise, which contrasts with his difficulties on oval tracks. The forthcoming schedule, featuring numerous road courses including the Viva Mexico 250, offers him a valuable opportunity to capitalize on this strength.
Van Gisbergen reflected on his preparations ahead of Sunday’s race.
“Unfortunately, I missed the track walk this morning, so the first look will be on the drive around. But yeah, it looks great. Should be some good racing. Nice to have a little break from the ovals for me, even though we’ve been getting a lot better the last few weeks. We’ve got a good run of road courses coming up. Time for us to start getting some good results,” he said via Speedway Digest.
Recent Performances and Championship Standing
Recently, Van Gisbergen showed promise by securing pole position for the All-Star Open race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, leading for 54 laps before narrowly missing a top-10 finish. His latest race at Michigan International Speedway resulted in an 18th-place finish out of 36 competitors. Currently piloting the #88 Chevy for Trackhouse Racing, he sits 33rd in the Driver’s Championship standings with 192 points and maintains an average race finish of 25.
Fans can catch the Viva Mexico 250 on Sunday, June 15, airing on Prime Video at 3 PM ET.