NASCAR’s first trip to Mexico City was always going to be wild, but nobody expected the absolute chaos that unfolded during the restarts. The Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez made history as the first Cup Series points race outside America in nearly 67 years.
Ryan Truex got the call Wednesday night to fill in for Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota while the latter was on paternity leave. The 33-year-old hadn’t made a Cup start since 2014, so this was basically like being thrown into the deep end of a very chaotic pool.
Early afternoon drizzle and overcast skies added complexity to an already challenging weekend. Multiple incidents characterized the race, with restarts becoming particularly hazardous as drivers navigated the tight confines and technical layout of the Mexican circuit with little margin for error.
Ryan Truex Gets Swallowed Up in Restart Chaos
Truex’s opportunity came while Hamlin was on paternity leave, forcing Joe Gibbs Racing to work quickly to adapt the No. 11 car for their substitute driver. The team made necessary interior adjustments and ensured Truex was comfortable behind the wheel, which wasn’t easy considering the circumstances.
The race was basically one big crash-fest from the get-go. Kyle Busch started the carnage early when he spun under braking, taking out Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger, and Justin Haley in the process. But that was just the appetizer for what was coming on the restarts.
When the field bunched up for one particularly nasty restart, all hell broke loose. Cars started banging into each other as drivers fought for every inch of track position. Truex found himself in the worst possible spot – boxed in with absolutely nowhere to go. His No. 11 Toyota got swallowed up in the mayhem as cars went spinning in every direction.
Restartta kaos! pic.twitter.com/X2PxBd4pq0
— NASCAR Türkiye 🇹🇷 (@nascarturkiye) June 15, 2025
Chase Elliott, who somehow managed to finish third in all this madness, perfectly summed up the restart nightmare after the race, saying: “It was a lot going on, for sure… from the restarts. But once it singled out, it really became a normal road course… but the restarts were crazy. Just… you get in those situations, and it’s just so tough, because… you don’t want to be the one to run in there and kind of gouge people out of the way. And as soon as you don’t, you get gouged from… behind.”
“So… I don’t love that, but… that’s kind of what we got now. These bunkers are so strong… just chaos there for a few laps,” he added.
Elliott’s comments perfectly captured how drivers were forced to make aggressive moves just to avoid getting run over by the guy behind them. It was survival of the fittest out there.
Despite the short notice, Ryan Truex tried to stay positive about the whole situation. He went into the weekend just grateful for the opportunity and wanting to enjoy his return to Cup Series racing. The team had given him a full day in the simulator to familiarize himself with the Mexico City track, and his recent Xfinity Series experience with JGR definitely helped.
While Shane van Gisbergen cruised to victory from pole position, giving Trackhouse Racing a dominant win, guys like Truex were just trying to make it to the finish line in one piece. The Mexican fans got one heck of a show, but for Truex, it was a brutal reminder of just how unforgiving Cup Series racing can be.