NASCAR headed to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit in Mexico City with a points race for the first time in the sport’s history. In typical F1-celebratory fashion, the sport carried out a podium setup including champagne bottles and trophies, and Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell were definitely not ready for the surprise.
However, things didn’t turn out as planned, as the drink did not spray out in the way the drivers intended. This led to a hilarious but awkward moment for Elliott, Bell, and others witnessing the moment.
Shane van Gisbergen stood on the top step due to his exceptional performance around the road course circuit. Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott finished right behind the Trackhouse Star as the race became unpredictable owing to the rainy conditions. As the inaugural Mexico City race ended on a highly positive note, the managers decided to celebrate the top three finishers by spraying champagne and awarding them trophies.
NASCAR drivers aren’t typically accustomed to full podium celebrations, even if they’ve sprayed champagne on personal occasions and events. As a result, Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell struggled to pop their bottles, leading to an awkward moment between them and the nearby crew. Shane van Gisbergen, however, handled it like a pro, unleashing a full spray over both drivers.
Chase Elliott took to X to address the awkward podium celebration at the Mexico City race. The P3 finisher admitted they were unfamiliar with this kind of champagne-spraying tradition. While he and Bell initially struggled, Christopher Bell eventually figured it out and managed a decent spray by the end. In the end, all three drivers shared a hilarious but memorable moment on the podium of NASCAR’s first overseas race in a long time.
We’re kinda new to this podium champagne stuff.
Chase Elliott said on his X account, @chaseelliott
We’re kinda new to this podium champagne stuff pic.twitter.com/50mkIY14Ga
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) June 15, 2025
Christopher Bell, alongside almost all drivers, raced around the Autodromo Hermano Rodríguez circuit for the first time in their careers. While the NASCAR drivers have experienced racing in the road course layout, the Mexican circuit was unlike any other. Still, Bell reckons that there are a lot of similarities between the Mexico circuit and the Indy Road Course circuit.
After achieving a runner-up finish in Mexico, Christopher Bell revealed that the layout of the Mexican circuit reminded him awful lot of the Indy Race Course road. The technical path and narrow lanes in Mexico and the grip levels while racing through the tracks were parallel as well. As such, this helped Bell put his head in the game and fight on the track for a great finish in the end.
I don’t know about one word, but for me, it really reminds myself of Indianapolis, the Indy Road Course. It has a lot of similarities. I feel like the grip level um and and honestly the track layout is very similar.
Christopher Bell said via Cup Scene.
NASCAR executives will now look closely at the attendance and viewership of the Mexico City race as they have to decide whether to return there or not. The race was definitely action packed with weather conditions adding to the excitement. However, the logistics of traveling overseas aren’t very easy, as many drivers and teams faced issues regarding this matter. As such, the sport must ensure better conditions in order to race around the beautiful country of Mexico again.
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John Hunter Nemechek is one of the eight drivers still left in contention for the $1 million prize that NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge offers. The 28-year-old overcame former Cup Series champion Chase Elliott in the Chicago Street Course on Sunday and is now seeded against his teammate, Erik Jones, for the third round of the tournament at Sonoma Raceway. Before the race in Chicago, he spoke to the press along with Elliott and expressed how he was worried about beating the Most Popular Driver, since it would get him on the bad side of many fans. Nemechek joked, “Hopefully, the fans don’t hate me too bad after we beat the most popular driver today. No, it’s all fun and games. It’s a lot of fun. Hopefully, we both can have some really good days and race it out at the end.” Elliott looked on with a smile as Nemechek called his win early on and responded, “Usually John Hunter and I get along pretty good. So, I am trying to figure out how to hate him. I don’t know, I am working on it. His little jab helped.” The friendly rivalry between the two was one of the most adorable exchanges all weekend. But little did Elliott know then that Nemechek would go on to prove his call. The Legacy Motor Club driver finished the race in 15th place, just ahead of Elliott in 16th. Despite the loss, it is not likely that Elliott has developed any ill feelings toward his friend. Nemechek’s teammate, Jones, finished in 25th place and beat Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The contest between the two in Sonoma will be one of the most interesting match-ups in the third round. Jones holds an average finish of 17.7 across 10 starts at Sonoma. Meanwhile, Nemechek has only one Cup Series appearance at the track — P29 in 2024 — though he logged a best finish of eighth in two Xfinity Series outings. In their head-to-head battles, Jones leads Nemechek 30–25, based on Racing Insights. Nemechek and Co. reach new heights after a year of change The addition of Travis Mack as the crew chief of Nemechek’s No. 42 team was one of the many changes that Legacy Motor Club went through after the 2024 season. Following a year of struggle and learning, performances are improving for the team, all thanks to the combined efforts within the organization. The No. 42 Toyota Camry driver is currently 20th in the points table. He has had a career-high six top-10 finishes so far in the season. This performance is a sign of how Mack and the rest of the team have worked with him to deliver the car he needs. It all goes back to Mack listening to the radio communication between Nemechek and his former crew last year. Mack had learned one too many things from it. He told NBC Sports, “In his past, in lap one or two, they were on the radio already telling him how to drive. They were trying to lecture him on what he needed to do differently, how to drive like somebody else.” Mack set this right, and the newfound freedom allowed Nemechek to soar. The driver, too, expressed strong faith in the car he was being given. He said, “I think it’s confidence in your equipment. When I go out on the racetrack, I’m confident that I know that the car is going to stick and that I can push it.” Hopefully, this run of form will lead him to Victory Lane sooner rather than later.
WNBA officials have faced considerable criticism from both players and coaches this season, and Angel Reese believes the league has a significant problem on its hands. Reese became the latest player to publicly blast the officiating following the Chicago Sky's 80-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday. The Sky attempted only eight free throws in the game compared to Minnesota's 17, and Reese did not think that was because her team fouled more. Following the game, Reese told reporters that she called attention to the free-throw discrepancy and was dismissed by a referee. "It's tough when you talk to officials, and I asked them, 'Hey, we've only been to the free throw line twice up until the fourth quarter,' and she tells me it's not her job," Reese said, according to ESPN. "So it's frustrating because I know how hard we are battling inside, and I think that we came down and fought as hard as we could with what we had, and I just know we continue to grow in this." Reese added that she is happy with the way the Sky have been playing but urged the WNBA to do something about its officiating. "And I don't give a damn if I get fined because that s--- is cheap, and I'm tired of this s---. 'Cause I've been nice, and I've been humble with it, but I am tired of this s---," Reese said. Reese did not stop there. She later took to social media to tell the WNBA to "DO BETTER." The criticism from Reese was a continuation of a clear trend that has been seen across the WNBA this season. Caitlin Clark was animated toward the officials while she sat out with an injury during the Indiana Fever's game on Tuesday night. Other players and coaches have publicly complained, although the WNBA's commissioner does not sound overly concerned. One thing is for certain: it is not a great look for the WNBA to have its most recognizable figures sounding off about the officiating.
Three years ago, Brian Gutekunst got close to pulling the trigger on his most aggressive move as the Green Bay Packers general manager. Right before the trade deadline, he offered a second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool. Happily for the Packers, though, the Steelers took a similar offer from the Chicago Bears expecting a higher pick—the correct guess. Claypool's experience with the Bears went really bad, and his experiences with the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills weren't much better for his value. However, the former second-round pick is getting ready for an NFL comeback. On his Instagram profile, Claypool posted a testimonial about his recovery process. "I tore a ligament and a tendon in my second toe and have been rehabbing, working out, and recovering every day for the past year. I am back to being the strongest and fastest I’ve ever been and couldn’t be more excited to step back out on the field and let my actions speak for themselves. I deeply and truly believe that the pieces will align, and I will work my way into the position to show off what’s been suppressed these last two years." — Chase Claypool. The Packers were obviously lucky that the Steelers didn't accept their offer in 2022, but it's clear how much Brian Gutekunst liked him as a player. Sure, nobody would come close to sending any type of draft pick for him, but this is not where things are anymore. Claypool just wants a chance on a 90-man roster, and this is something the Packers can offer. Especially with Christian Watson hurt, Green Bay could sign the wide receiver for the veteran minimum and allow him to compete for a roster spot—or at least a practice squad spot down the road. Even though Claypool has been disappointing for several reasons, the talent is there. He had two 800-yard seasons to start his career for the Steelers, and there's little doubt that head coach Matt LaFleur would be better than Claypool's former coaches to extract more out of him. Moreover, the Packers do have a strong culture to absorb this type of bet. Earlier this offseason, Green Bay already signed another former second-round pick, 27-year-old veteran receiver in Mecole Hardman. Creating more competition without compromising any real asset wouldn't be a bad strategy, and it might make sense considering where Claypool is at this point of his journey.
In theory, the Pittsburgh Pirates do not need to trade pitcher Mitch Keller. Keller is under team control through 2028 with a total of $55.7M over the final three years of his five-year, $77M extension. His contract is a bargain, even for a team with payroll concerns such as the Pirates. However, Pittsburgh has a lot of young pitchers on the cusp of reaching the majors. Pitchers Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington have already made their major league debuts. Prospects Hunter Barco and Bubba Chandler are expected to reach the majors this season. Injured pitcher Jared Jones will be back in 2026. Keller is expendable, especially for a team lacking talented young position players. Let's take a look at three potential landing spots for Keller ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. New York Mets The Mets pitching depth has been tested this season, as pitchers Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga and Tylor Megill all spent time on the injured list. Griffin Canning is lost for the rest of this season and may not return until 2027. Montas has already returned to the rotation while Manaea and Senga are expected back this week. Questions remain in the rotation even with that trio returning. Montas has allowed 10 runs on 15 hits and four walks in his three starts since returning from the IL. Clay Holmes has already surpassed his career high for innings. It is not a surprise that New York is reportedly interested in acquiring Keller to shore up the rotation. Chicago Cubs The Cubs lead the NL Central despite a rotation that is questionable at best. First time All-Star Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga are a respectable one-two punch, but the rest of the rotation is not playoff caliber. Injuries to pitchers Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele only magnified those question marks. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Taillon's injury has put more pressure on Chicago to trade for a pitcher. Accordingly, the Pirates' price tag has increased. As Keller would be a long-term solution for the Cubs rotation, Chicago may not balk at the higher prospect cost. Toronto Blue Jays Keller would solve a problem for the Blue Jays both this season and into the future. Toronto has struggled to find a viable option as a fifth starter all season while future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer has been a shadow of himself when he has been able to take the mound. The Blue Jays also need to find options for the rotation in 2026 onward. Scherzer and Chris Bassitt will be free agents at the end of this season. Alec Manoah should be back at some point but he has been unable to replicate his All-Star performance in 2022. Keller would be a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm for a team looking to reach the postseason.