By Arthur Justin

NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol

The Place: Iowa Speedway

Track Length: 0.875 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Sunday, August 3

The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $9,797,935

TV: USA Network, 3 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 306.25 miles (350 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 70),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 210), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 350)

Sunday, August 3

NCS Race: Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol (USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM at 3:30 p.m. ET)

NASCAR Cup Series

Iowa Storylines and Insights:

·       This weekend marks the second running of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway (2024-2025).

·        There are four races left in the NCS regular season: Iowa, Watkins Glen, Richmond and Daytona.

·       Chase Elliott leads the regular season point standings by four points over William Byron; Chase Elliott won the 2022 Regular Season Championship.

·       The top four in the regular season points standings are separated by 20 points, the closest after 22 races since 2012 (17 points).

·       A Hendrick Motorsports driver led the regular season point standings following each of the last 20 races (Ryan Blaney led the points following the first two race of the year).

·       The top-three drivers in 2025 regular season standings are all Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers (Chase Elliott-first, William Byron-second and Kyle Larson-third), it’s the seventh race this year that the top-three in regular season standings were all Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers (2025 is the most races Hendrick held each of the top-three positions in points).

·       The Playoff bubble is 42 points between Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece, the largest bubble of the season.

·       A driver pointed their way into the Playoffs from below the cutline this late into the season once in series history under the current points format (2017-2024) – Clint Bowyer was two points back after race 24 in 2019

·       In every season of the Next Gen car (2022-2025), at least one driver won into the Playoffs from below the cutline in the final four races of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season.

·       Last year, three drivers that were above the cutline at this point or later in the regular season ended up missing the Playoffs (Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace).

·       Five of the last seven races on ovals in 2025 were won by drivers getting their first win of the season.

·       In the Playoff era (2014-2025), 40 of 45 races at short tracks were won by drivers above the Playoff cutline, the last driver to win from below the cut was Austin Dillon at Richmond last year.

·       Hendrick Motorsports is the only team with at least one car finishing in the top-10 in all 22 races in 2025.

·       Hendrick Motorsports had at least one car finish inside the top-10 in the last 30 races, the longest streak by a team in the Next Gen car.

·       Kyle Larson (four), Denny Hamlin (four) and Ryan Blaney (three) combined won 11 of the last 14 short-track races.

·       Denny Hamlin finished top-five in the last five races on short-tracks including a win at Martinsville and a second at Bristol in the two short-track races this year.

·       Denny Hamlin’s last finish outside the top-five on a short track was his 24th-place finish at Iowa last year, he started 12th but was running 34th by lap 32 and spent over 100 laps off the lead lap.

·       Kyle Larson finished in the top-10 in the last five short-track races, tied for his longest top-10 streak on short-tracks.

·       The last time the pole winner won a short track race was Denny Hamlin in August 2019 at Bristol.

·       A different manufacturer won the last three short track races.

·       The last six short track winners were all over 30 years old.

·       The leader of the most laps went on to win six of the last nine short track races.

·       The last four short track races ended with a green flag run of at least 75 laps, the longest streak on short tracks since at least 1978.

·       Hendrick Motorsports (five) and Joe Gibbs Racing (three) combined have won the pole for the last eight short track races.

·       Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing lead all teams with six wins each on short-tracks in the Next Gen car (19 Next Gen short track races)

·       William Byron has led a lap in 13 of the first 16 races of the season but hasn’t led in the last six.

·       Chase Elliott is the only driver without a DNF in 2025.

·       2025 is the second straight season that Elliott completed all but one lap raced in the season entering the 23rd race of the year.

·       Chase Elliott’s 726 points scored in 2025 is the fewest ever by the points leader after 22 races under the current points format (since 2011).

·       The eventual winner has not led before lap 124 in 16 of the last 20 short track races.

·       John Hunter Nemechek will make his 100th Cup start this weekend.  Five drivers have won in their 100th start, most recently Erik Jones at Darlington in September 2019.

NCS Clinch Scenarios Following Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

Already Clinched

·       The following six drivers have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field: Chase Elliott, William Byron, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Shane Van Gisbergen.

Can Clinch Via Previous Wins

·       The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Chase Elliott, William Byron, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric or Shane Van Gisbergen:

•        Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 23 points

•        Chase Briscoe: Would clinch with 40 points

•        Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help

•        Joey Logano: Could only clinch with help

·       The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs or Josh Berry:

•        Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 48 points

•        Chase Briscoe: Could only clinch with help

•        Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help

·       The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by AJ Allmendinger:

•        Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 41 points

•        Chase Briscoe: Would clinch with 55 points

•        Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help

·        The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Michael McDowell:

•        Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 38 points

•        Chase Briscoe: Would clinch with 54 points

•        Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help

·       The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by John Hunter Nemechek:

•        Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 36 points

•        Chase Briscoe: Would clinch with 52 points

•        Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help

·        The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Erik Jones (or another winless driver lower in the standings):

•        Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 23 points

•        Chase Briscoe: Would clinch with 40 points

•        Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help

•        Joey Logano: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

·       The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

•        Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry

·        The following drivers could clinch with a win and help:

•        Alex Bowman: Could only clinch with help

•        Chris Buescher: Could only clinch with help

NASCAR & Iowa, Etc.

Historical and Significant Events at Iowa Speedway:

• Iowa Speedway is a state-of-the-art 7/8 mile asphalt paved tri-oval race track and motorsports facility located in Newton, Iowa, 30 miles east of Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa Speedway also features a 1.3 mile road course.
• Conrad Clement and his family (former president of Featherlite Trailer company) recently bought US Motorsports Corp. which was the primary ownership group of the speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace designed and was a minority owner of the track.
• Iowa Speedway is modeled after Richmond Raceway and designed for year-round use and includes 25,000 permanent grandstand seats with a multi-tiered RV viewing area along the backstretch.
• Iowa Speedway was designed as the first track in the world to protect fans and drivers through the use of SAFER barrier technology surrounding the entire perimeter of the track.
• NASCAR announced in November 2013 that they purchased the speedway, one month later they named Jimmy Small track president.
• David Hyatt, former president of MRN was named track president at the beginning of 2018.
• Eric Peterson, NASCAR and Kansas Speedway executive, was appointed Iowa track president at the start of 2024.

Iowa Speedway Important Dates:

• Broke Ground: June 2005
• Opened: September 2006
• First Race: September 2006 – USAR Hooters Pro Cup won by Woody Howard
• First ARCA Race: October 2006 – won by Steve Wallace
• First NASCAR Race:  May 2007 – K&N East –West race (now ARCA) won by Joey Logano
• First Indy Car Race:  June 2007 – Won by Dario Franchitti
• First Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Race: July 2007
• First Xfinity Series Race: August 2009 won by Brad Keselowski
• First Truck Race: September 2009 won by Mike Skinner
• NASCAR purchases the speedway in November 2013
• October 2023 NASCAR announces that Iowa Speedway will host a Cup series race in 2024
• All four turns at Iowa were partially repaved in May 2024

Latest Track News at Iowa Speedway:

• Country music sensation Corey Kent will bring high-octane energy to Iowa Speedway on Sunday, August 3, as part of the Busch Light Summer Music Series. The red dirt hitmaker will perform just before the green flag drops for the highly anticipated Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol NASCAR Cup Series race. Known for his dynamic performances and chart-topping hits such as “Wild As Her” and “This Heart,” Kent will deliver an electrifying show on the frontstretch that blends modern country with southern rock grit.
• NASCAR and Iowa Speedway announced that tickets are sold out for the NASCAR Cup Series’ Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol race on Sunday, Aug. 3. It also announced that Iowa Corn will continue as the entitlement partner through a multi-year extension with The Fastest Short Track on the Planet.
• NASCAR is bringing high-octane excitement to the heart of downtown Des Moines with NASCAR’s Iowa Fan Fest on Thursday July 31. This free community celebration will be held from 4-7:30 p.m. at Cowles Commons, 221 Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309. Fans of all ages are invited to enjoy an evening packed with racing-themed fun, local flavor, and exclusive experiences, including NASCAR driver appearances and free Deardorff Sweet Corn for the first 500 guests, provided by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Hy-Vee.
• Other Fan Fest highlights will include Show Cars by Chevrolet, Iowa Corn Trailer, Live DJ spinning music all evening, KIX 101.1 Horsepower Hour live radio broadcast, Interactive kids activities, Local food vendors.

COURTESY NASCAR COMMUNICATIONS