Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Iowa Speedway
Sunday, June 16, 2024
0.875-Mile Oval
7:00 PM ET
Location: Newton, Iowa
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (17 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 1st

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

WIN COUNTRY: On Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, Kyle Larson made the winning pass with eight laps to go to capture his third victory of the NASCAR Cup Series season. The Elk Grove, California, native also won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March and Kansas Speedway in May. Following his triumph in northern California wine country, Larson reclaimed the top spot in the Cup standings and is now 14 points ahead of Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, who ranks second.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY: Larson has won the two most recent Cup races held on Father’s Day. He went to victory lane at Michigan International Speedway on June 18, 2017, in the first Father’s Day event following the birth of his son, Owen. He won at Nashville Superspeedway on June 20, 2021, after the arrival of daughter Audrey. Sunday will be the first Father’s Day race since Larson and wife Katelyn welcomed son Cooper to the family.

SHORT TRACK SUCCESS: Sunday will mark the first Cup Series visit to the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway. Larson, driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, has competed at the Midwest short track twice in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, posting a pair of fifth-place finishes in 2013. At the Cup level, the 31-year-old driver has finished sixth or better in nine of the last 10 short track events. This year, Larson is the only driver in the series to finish in the top five in all three short track races.

IN GOOD COMPANY: In just his fourth year driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has already accumulated 20 points-paying wins, which rank him third in team history. He trails only NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (93) and Jimmie Johnson (83) in victories for the organization, which has won Cup races with a record 20 different drivers.

QUICK WORK: Larson’s Sonoma win came in his 123rd Hendrick Motorsports start, making him the fastest driver to reach 20 Cup Series victories for the team. Gordon delivered his 20th win in his 125th start, and Johnson’s came in his 150th.

OUT FRONT: With 10 races to go in the regular season, Larson again sits atop the Cup Series standings. The 2021 champion also has accrued the most playoff points (22), stage wins (seven) and laps led (675) while being tied for most victories (three), top-five finishes (seven) and pole positions (three).

FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM pit crew holds the seventh-fastest average four-tire pit stop time in 2024 at 10.937 seconds. Larson’s pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).

AWAY BUT ALWAYS AVAILABLE: In 2024, the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM team recognizes “home” events by wearing white firesuits and “away” with blue. Its home races come at tracks with nearby Hendrick Automotive Group car dealerships. This weekend, the team races away just outside of Des Moines, Iowa. However, you can pick up a new set of keys from any one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealerships nationwide. Customers can also shop from the convenience of their home selecting the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP IS HIRING: Join the more than 10,000 people across the United States who work for Hendrick Automotive Group. The company is hiring technicians and other positions at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Individuals who are interested can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 2nd

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

SUMMING UP SONOMA: In Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Sonoma Raceway, Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team started fourth after leading the Hendrick Motorsports four-car contingent in qualifying. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native finished fourth in stage one and followed it up with a 31st-place result in stage two after short pitting as part of the team’s strategy. In the final stage, Elliott took over the lead on lap 81 during the pit cycle prior to visiting pit road on lap 84 for four tires and fuel. Rejoining the race in the 12th position, he advanced to fourth before the checkered flag waved. The finish marked his fourth consecutive top-eight effort at the Napa Valley, California, road course.

GOING STRONG: Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, is having one of the best seasons of his young Cup career. Following his fourth-place Sonoma finish, he jumped to second in the standings and is now just 14 points behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. His average result of 9.5 leads the series in 2024 and is the best of his career through 16 races. Elliott, who has completed more laps than any other competitor (4,452 of 4,453), is the only driver to finish every event inside the top 20 with one win (Texas Motor Speedway), six top-five finishes and eight top-10s on the year. A result of fifth or better Sunday would make him the fifth-youngest driver to reach 100 Cup Series top-fives at the age of 28 years, 6 months and 19 days.

IOWA EXPERIENCE: Elliott will be one of the drivers in the field with previous experience at Iowa Speedway, which will host its inaugural Cup Series race Sunday night. The 2020 Cup Series champion has made four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 0.875-mile oval, finishing all of them inside the top 10. His best effort was a runner-up finish in the spring of 2015 when he led 114 of 259 laps. At Iowa, he has also made two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts with a best finish of fifth in 2013 and earned an ARCA Series East/West win in 2012.

SHORT TRACK PERFORMANCE: Sunday’s race in the Hawkeye State will mark Elliott’s 49th short track start in the Cup Series. In his previous 48 races, he garnered one win (Martinsville Speedway in November 2020), two pole awards, 16 top-five finishes, 26 top-10s and 1,648 laps led. The 28-year-old driver finished inside the top 10 in five of his last seven short track appearances. In three points-paying starts this season on tracks measuring less than 1 mile in length, he placed eighth at Bristol Motor Speedway, fifth at Richmond Raceway and third at Martinsville. On short tracks in 2024, Elliott is one of only two drivers to finish inside the top 10 in all three short track races and is tied for the fourth-most points scored (114).

TALKIN’ NEXT GEN: Since the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022, Elliott has earned six victories, which is tied for fifth on the Cup Series wins list. In that span, he holds the best average finish (12.1). On short tracks in the Next Gen era, Elliott has the third-best average finish (8.67).

GREAT GUSTAFSON: Now in his 20th season as a Cup Series crew chief, Alan Gustafson will call his 111th short track race on Sunday. In his previous starts on tracks measuring less than 1 mile in length, Gustafson has four victories. The veteran shot caller won at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2007 with Kyle Busch and three times at Martinsville: twice with NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (2013 and 2015) and once with Elliott (2020). Last weekend at Sonoma, Gustafson earned his 200th top-five finish in the Cup Series after Elliott took the checkered flag in the fourth position.

FOUR TIRES FAST: Through 16 Cup Series races in 2024, the No. 9 pit crew ranks first in average four-tire pit stop time (10.618 seconds). In April at Texas, the five-person team knocked out the fastest four-tire stop of the season with a time of 9.076 seconds. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman).

BACK IN BLUE: This weekend marks the return of NAPA Auto Parts’ blue-based livery, which was last on the track for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May when Elliott earned an eighth-place result. While this weekend marks the Cup Series’ first visit to Iowa Speedway, NAPA was Elliott’s primary sponsor for all four of his Xfinity Series starts at the track. Get a look at all the angles of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 here.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 6th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

IOWA ELITE: While Sunday will be the first time the NASCAR Cup Series will race at Iowa Speedway, William Byron has had prior success at the short track. His first start at the Newton, Iowa, facility came in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2016 when Byron qualified fifth, led 107 laps and captured the checkered flag. After moving up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2017, he picked up where he left off at Iowa, qualifying sixth, leading 78 laps and once again taking home the win. He followed it up with a ninth-place finish in the fall Xfinity race.

FUGLE FILES: While some will visit Iowa Speedway for the first time this weekend, Rudy Fugle has an extensive history at the 0.875-mile track. The No. 24 team crew chief has eight total NASCAR national series starts with eight top-10 finishes (one in the Xfinity Series and seven in the Truck Series). In fact, in his seven Truck Series appearances, Fugle’s drivers have collected two pole awards, two wins, five top-five finishes and seven top-10s while leading 380 laps and completing 100% of laps attempted (1,412).

24 IN ‘24: Byron’s 2024 Cup Series campaign started off hot with three wins (currently tied for the most), including the season-opening DAYTONA 500. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has five top-five finishes (sixth in the series) and is tied for the second-most top-10s (nine). After 16 races, he sits sixth in the 2024 standings and holds 16 playoff points.

NEXT GEN DUO: Since the Next Gen Cup Series car was introduced in 2022, Byron and Fugle have a series-leading 11 wins. The duo is ahead of teammates Larson (10 wins) and crew chief Cliff Daniels (nine wins). Byron also has the second-best average finish (13.24) in the Next Gen car behind teammate Chase Elliott as well as two wins on short tracks in this car style (tied for the second).

PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 16 races in 2024, the No. 24 pit crew continues its success from last year, ranking third in fastest average four-tire pit stop (10.799 seconds). The No. 24 pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).

LIBERTY U IS BACK: Byron will feature Liberty University on his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for this weekend’s race at Iowa Speedway. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will surely stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron, starting in 2014 in the late model ranks. It has been Training Champions for Christ since its founding in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offer more than 600 degree programs, from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 ALEX BOWMAN

Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 11th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

I-O-WIN: Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, goes into Sunday’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway with winning experience. In 2012, he dominated the ARCA Series field at the short track, leading 93 of 202 laps en route to victory. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Bowman has posted top-10 finishes in two of his three starts in the Hawkeye State.

SHORT-TRACK SUCCESS: Bowman has enjoyed success on Cup Series short tracks with wins at Richmond Raceway in April 2021 and Martinsville Speedway in October 2021. The two victories place him in a three-way tie for the seventh-most amongst active drivers, alongside teammate William Byron. In 2024, Bowman has earned the seventh-most points on short tracks (95) in the Cup Series.

FAST IN 2024: Going into the season’s 17th race, Bowman ranks 11th in the standings, 116 points behind the leader. So far in 2024, he has secured four top-five finishes, tied with 2021 for his most through 16 starts. The Tucson, Arizona, native has also earned an impressive nine top-10 finishes, placing him a three-way tie for second-most. The Ally Racing team has finished in the top 10 in eight of the last 12 Cup Series events.

SONOMA SUMMARY: On Sunday, the Cup Series competed at Sonoma Raceway where Bowman drove a Pride-themed No. 48 Ally Chevrolet for a fourth consecutive year. The team was fourth in practice and qualified eighth overall. In the first stage, Bowman withstood three cautions and gained three positions on his starting spot, earning valuable stage points in the process. During stage two, he raced in the top 10 until he pitted for four tires and fuel with three laps to go in the second segment, dropping to 33rd. In the final stage, Bowman raced forward in the field and finished 15th at the checkered flag.

REVVED UP ON RACE DAY: On Sunday, fans can #Rally48 with Bowman in person at Iowa Speedway. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will make an appearance at 3:05 p.m. local time at the track’s Chevrolet Stage located in the fan zone.

PAWS-N-CLAWS IOWA: 2024 marks the fourth consecutive year Bowman and Ally are supporting Best Friends Animal Society and its vast network of partners. Every race weekend, the pair donates a total of $4,800 to help homeless pets. This weekend, the charitable donation will go to Paws-N-Claws Iowa. If you’re in the Newton, Iowa, area for the race, stop by and check out the shelter, which is located less than a 10-minute drive from the track.

CONLEY’S HOME TRACK: The Ally Racing pit crew ranks 10th on pit road for the best average four-tire stop in 2024 (11.050 seconds). The five-man unit is composed of jackman Allen Holman, tire carrier Brandon Grier, front-tire changer Donnie Tasser, rear-tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth and gasman Jacob Conley. Conley is from Omaha, Neb., and considers Kansas Speedway and Iowa Speedway his home tracks. The 34-year-old played football at Doane College in Nebraska before joining the No. 48 team. He has worked at Hendrick Motorsports for 12 years and been a member of the No. 48 team for eight seasons. Outside of racing, Conley enjoys golfing, cooking and spending time with his wife, Claire, and their three children and two rescue dogs.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

2024	All-Time	Iowa
Races	16	1,361	–
Wins	7*	308*	–
Poles	4*	250*	–
Top 5	22*	1,254*	–
Top 10	34*	2,146*	–
Laps Led	1,053	80,810*	–
Stage Wins	9	107	–

BIG DADDY: Sunday’s inaugural race at Iowa Speedway falls on Father’s Day, which has traditionally been a good omen for Hendrick Motorsports. The team has won five of the last nine NASCAR Cup Series events that fell on the holiday: Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008 and 2012; Jimmie Johnson in 2010 and 2014; and most recently Kyle Larson in 2021.

KNACK FOR NEW TRACKS: Hendrick Motorsports has won four of the last 10 points-paying races held at new tracks on the Cup Series schedule. Chase Elliott went to victory lane in 2020 at the Daytona Road Course and in 2021 at Circuit of The Americas and Road America (which previously held its most recent Cup race in 1956). Also in 2021, Larson posted a win at the inaugural Cup event at Nashville Superspeedway.

THE LONG AND SHORT: Hendrick Motorsports’ record on short tracks dates back to its first win at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway in 1984. Today, the organization has 58 Cup Series victories on short tracks, which is the most of any active team.

CELEBRATING 40: In 2024, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The team holds the all-time NASCAR Cup Series records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), wins (308), pole positions (250) and laps led (80,810). This season, it leads all Cup organizations with seven points-paying victories through 16 races.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing on the partially repaved surface at Iowa: “We got to test there a few weeks ago, and I think the track will change a ton because it was very slick. The entry zone into turn one is real bumpy because that is the old pavement. The groove in the corner (on the new pavement) wasn’t that wide because we only had three cars running during the test. With the practice day and all the cars on the track plus the other series racing, hopefully it will widen out significantly prior to our race on Sunday.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the recent test and partial repave at Iowa Speedway: “I have raced at Iowa (Speedway) previously and we did the test there a few weeks ago. The track had just been repaved in patches – or in sections. The test taught us a few things, but the track was dirty and the new pavement hadn’t really come in yet, even by the end of the test. We’re still going to have a bit of the unknown when we hit the track on Friday.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to Iowa after racing there in the NASCAR Xfinity Series: “It’s been a while, but I look forward to going back. I do think it is a good track and at least when I was running there, it was very wide. You had a lot of options. The track had a lot of character with a lot of big bumps and different things. It’s a good facility. It’s weird, they kind of tried to replicate Richmond (Raceway) and it’s nothing like Richmond. So I find that kind of interesting about Iowa (Speedway). I look forward to going back and I know the fans up there were always super enthusiastic about NASCAR being there, even in the truck and Xfinity events. I’d have to imagine that a Cup race will be accepted well.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on heading to Iowa Speedway for the first time: “This weekend will be interesting for sure. I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone to a track to race for the first time without having been there for a test or anything beforehand. So it’ll be cool to sort of experience driving into the infield and actually seeing the garage and pit road for the first time. And I’m looking forward to the race. Chase has some experience at this track, so I think that will be good as we get on track for practice on Friday. I’m just looking forward to getting there and seeing where we stack up.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how he thinks the track will race with the repave: “Iowa (Speedway) is going to be a challenge. It’s a partial repave in the corners. Turn one may be the trickiest as you will enter on old pavement and then you will run into the new pavement through the corner. Turns three and four are repaved a little bit more all the way through. The times I ran (previously) at Iowa, the groove eventually moved up towards the top, but that lane wasn’t touched in the repave. That probably won’t be the preferred lane now. You’ll be able to run high but only high enough in the new pavement.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the challenges of racing at Iowa Speedway: “Racing from trucks to Cup cars at a track is a difference for sure, especially with the aero package and the soft tire. You want to have so much rear grip and security that you end up making the car tight in the center. It’s just a weird balance to find in the Cup cars. I think Iowa (Speedway) will be a lot like Gateway (WWT Raceway) and a lot like Richmond (Raceway). Starting up front will be key because it will be hard to pass a ton of cars in one run. There’s going to be some surprises, too. The straightaways are really rough with a lot of bumps since only the corners were touched on the repave. The track has a lot of character and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve had a decent amount of success there and so has William (Byron). We’re looking forward to that challenge.”
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Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his goals while racing at Iowa Speedway: “I’m excited about the Cup Series making its debut this weekend at Iowa (Speedway). I’ve had the opportunity to compete in ARCA and the Xfinity Series there and performed pretty well. This Sunday will be a new experience, though, in the Cup Series and with the Next Gen car. It’s a sold-out race so hopefully we can put on a good show and find our way to victory lane, or at least secure our team’s 10th top-10 (finish) this season.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on competing at Iowa Speedway for the first time Sunday: “I’ve actually never been to Iowa (Speedway). I know Alex (Bowman) has been there a few times with the (NASCAR) Xfinity Series and has an ARCA win there, too. I look forward to making the trip and tackling it with Alex and our team. I think it should be interesting with the partial repave and short amount of practice time. It should be a good challenge, though, and I look forward to figuring it out.”

NASCAR Cup Series Racing in The Hawkeye State… Iowa Speedway will host the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time in track history this weekend for the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. The 7/8-mile facility opened for business in 2006 and successfully hosted the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series from 2009 through 2019. The ARCA Menards Series has competed at the track in all but one season since the facility opened in 2006. RCR’s full roster of drivers (Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Austin Hill and Jesse Love) have previously competed at Iowa Speedway.

RCR: A Winning Tradition at Iowa Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has two wins at Iowa Speedway. Elliott Sadler won the 2012 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway from the pole position while Austin Dillon was victorious in the 2010 Truck Series race at Iowa – also winning from the pole.

Catch the Action… NBC Sports begins its portion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series this weekend at Iowa Speedway, highlighted by the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol in primetime at 7 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The HyVee Perks 250 at Iowa Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, June 15 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Iowa Speedway… While this weekend marks the inaugural race for the NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa Speedway, Dillon has considerable experience at the track. In six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Iowa Speedway, Dillon earned three top-five and four top-10 finishes. He is a NASCAR Truck Series race winner at the track, claiming his career-first Truck Series victory in dominate fashion in 2010 during his rookie year of competition in the series, and has two top-10s in three Truck Series starts at the track. Dillon has one top-five finish in one ARCA Menards Series start at Iowa Speedway, and two top-10 finishes in two NASCAR Pro Series East starts at the track. He has earned poles in both NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series competition at Iowa Speedway.

Winning Memories… Dillon’s career-first NASCAR Truck Series win came at Iowa Speedway in 2010 driving the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. He led 187 of 200 laps in the race.

Delivering Performance on the Track and For the Planet… Dillon will race the Get Bioethanol Chevy at Iowa Speedway, showcasing the performance benefits of racing with earth kind and engine-smart bioethanol blended fuel, Sunoco Green E15. Whether it’s delivering cleaner and cooler high-octane on the racetrack or a more affordable option for summer road trips, plant-based bioethanol makes a positive impact on our planet. NASCAR drivers have now officially raced 23 million NASCAR miles driven on Sunoco Green E15, a notable milestone for the environment as NASCAR’s partnership with Get Bioethanol has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent across its three national touring series while also increasing horsepower on the track. Learn more about bioethanol at getbioethanol.com.

Meet Dillon… Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at Casey’s General Store (4400 LA Speedway Drive, Newton, Iowa, 50208) on behalf of Get Bioethanol and Iowa Corn on Friday, June 14 at 12 p.m. local time. Stop by to meet the driver of the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet in advance of the race weekend. Dillon is also scheduled to make a stop at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Iowa Speedway Fan Midway on Sunday at 1:20 p.m. local time.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

This weekend marks the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway. What are your expectations?

“I love Iowa Speedway. It’s a place where I learned a lot about racing early in my career. I’ve been there multiple times in different series. Those Midwest fans really show up. It’s a kind of Field of Dreams mentality. You’re out in the middle of nowhere and everybody just shows up. It’s a cool track and had a lot of character the last time I was there. I’m interested to see what it’s like when we put the NASCAR Cup Series cars on it.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Iowa Speedway… Kyle Busch will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Iowa Speedway this weekend when NASCAR’s premier series makes its debut at the 7/8-mile track. Busch has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Pro Series East divisions at the Newton, Iowa track. He scored a dominating Xfinity Series victory in 2010, leading 209 of 250 laps (83.60 percent) and finishing with an average running position of 1.212. In 2009, Busch won the Pro Series East race from the pole, leading 168 of 200 laps in a race that also featured Busch’s current RCR teammate Austin Dillon plus 16 competitors from the Pro Series West division.

Stat of the Week… Busch will be making his 114th career short track start in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. The Las Vegas native enters the race with 17 wins and 69 top-10s, scoring a top-10 finish in an impressive 61.06 percent of those starts.

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KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

You have two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Iowa Speedway, scoring a dominating victory in 2010 and a second-place finish in 2009. Is there anything from that past experience that you can use in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race?

“I have enjoyed my past races that I’ve run at Iowa Speedway. Running there in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and a NASCAR Pro Series East race there years ago was pretty fun. I think the track is going to be vastly different than I remember it with the old asphalt. The new asphalt in the various parts of the racetrack will make it way different.”

Is racing at Iowa Speedway similar to racing at Richmond Raceway?

“As similar as Iowa and Richmond are to each other in their size and how they look, the tracks are not even close to each other at all in how they race. I feel like the biggest challenges at Iowa with the Next Gen Cup car will be the aero deficiencies in traffic and how wide the new asphalt allows you to work your way outside of the wake of the other cars in front of you.”

Do you think adding another short track race to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is a good thing?

“I have always been a supporter of short track racing and enjoy racing at the short tracks, but with this Next Gen Cup car, it is probably one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever had of putting on good racing at short tracks.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS at Iowa Speedway… Jesse Love will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway on Saturday. The current Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader has made four ARCA Menards Series starts at the 7/8-mile facility, posting one pole, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. Last season, Love started from the fifth position and crossed the finish line in third place.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

Meet Love… On Friday, June 14 at 2 p.m. local time, Love and his Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill are scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer in the Midway at Iowa Speedway. On Saturday, June 15 at 9:45 a.m. local time, the Menlo Park, California native will answer fan questions at the Team Chevy Display in the Midway at Iowa Speedway. Meet the rookie sensation before he takes the green flag and purchase your No. 2 gear.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

The Xfinity Series has not been at Iowa Speedway since 2019, but you have competed there for the last four years. What do you expect from this weekend’s race?

“The first time I raced at Iowa Speedway, I wasn’t great. The second time I went back, I was dominant – sat on the pole, led the most laps, and almost won the race, but our alternator died with four laps left. Iowa Speedway is a place that I understand well, but I do think the repave is going to change a lot of the characteristics. The repave has left a lot of question marks, so we will have to see how the track handles during practice. After talking to some other drivers who tested there, it’s interesting. You would think with the repave, the bottom would be tremendously faster, but it sounds like there is less grip. The progressive banking has increased, so I feel like a lot of things will be different this time around.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Iowa Speedway… Austin Hill will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, as the series returns to the Newton, Iowa facility for the first time since 2019. However, Hill has plenty of experience at the 7/8-mile facility, having competed in two NASCAR Truck Series (best finish of 12th) and six NASCAR Pro Series East (best finish of seventh) events.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

Meet Hill… On Friday, June 14 at 2 p.m. local time, Hill and his Richard Childress Racing teammate Jesse Love are scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer in the Midway at Iowa Speedway. On Saturday, June 15 at 9:30 a.m. local time, the 30-year-old driver will answer fan questions at the Team Chevy Display in the Midway at Iowa Speedway. Stop by to purchase your new No. 21 gear and meet Hill before the green flag waves.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

You haven’t raced at Iowa Speedway in a handful of years. What are your thoughts going into this weekend?

“I look forward to going back to Iowa Speedway for the first time in a few years. I’ve raced there a handful of times throughout my career, whether in the Truck Series or Pro Series East. The results haven’t always been the greatest, but I do like that the track is different than others that we go to. I’m interested to see what the repave has done to the surface and how it reacts to balance adjustments. I hope we will be able to keep the same racing, but time will tell. The practice session on Friday will be very important for our No. 21 team specifically, to get our balance right and the car dialed in for the race.”

NOAH GRAGSON
Iowa Advance
No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol (Round 17 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 16
● Location: Iowa Speedway in Newton
● Layout: .875-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 350 laps/306.25 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 140 laps / Final Stage: 140 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After a trip to the West Coast this past weekend at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to America’s Heartland for its inaugural race this Sunday at Iowa Speedway in Newton. While the track is new to the Cup Series, it is not new to NASCAR. The .875-mile oval located less than 40 miles east of the capital city of Des Moines played host to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from 2009 through 2019, holding a total of 33 races (20 Xfinity Series races and 13 Truck Series races). NASCAR has been absent from Iowa since 2020, with this year providing a welcome return to a track many in the industry have come to love. The D-shaped oval was designed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace, and its similarity to the .75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway is no coincidence. Wallace claimed Richmond as one of his favorite tracks, and when he joined Iowa’s design team in 2003, Wallace used Richmond as his baseline. Iowa features variable banking, with the turns banked between 12-14 degrees, the frontstretch at 10 degrees and the backstretch at 4 degrees. Construction of Iowa began on June 21, 2005 and the facility made its public debut on Sept. 15, 2006 with a Hooters Pro Cup Series race during which driver Woody Howard became the track’s first victor. ARCA Menards Series races followed in 2006 and the IndyCar Series joined Iowa’s lineup in 2007.

● Despite the NASCAR Cup Series having never run at Iowa Speedway, Noah Gragson is a veteran of the track. The driver of the No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing has made four starts at Iowa – two in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and two in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He has never finished worse than sixth to earn an average result of 4.5.

● In Gragson’s two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Iowa – both of which came in 2019 (June and July) – the Las Vegas native finished sixth and fourth, respectively, completing all the laps available.

● In Gragson’s two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Iowa – which came in 2017 and 2018 – he finished sixth and second, respectively. In the 2017 race, Gragson won the pole with a lap of 23.136 seconds at 136.151 mph. He was the only driver to crack the 136 mph mark, with Christopher Bell qualifying second, .059 of a second behind Gragson at 135.805 mph. Gragson led the race’s first 16 laps before finishing sixth. In Gragson’s Truck Series return to Iowa in 2018, he qualifying third and finished second, leading seven laps in between.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse

It seems like everyone is genuinely excited to race at Iowa this year. Why is that?

“I think everybody just knows how great of a racetrack Iowa is. When they designed that track, Rusty Wallace was involved with it, and he had emphasis on how that place was built and shaped, the amount of degrees of banking in the corner. What I love about that racetrack is that there are so many options for a driver. There’s a lot of character. It’s a progressive-banked racetrack, so you can take away a lot of distance running the bottom in the corner, but it’s flatter so you can’t go as fast, or you can get up against that outside wall – the further each lane you move up, the more banking. And you can run three- or four-wide around that whole track just because of the way it’s shaped, the way the banking is. It’s a perfectly designed racetrack to put on a great show for the fans. I always loved running up in that top lane up against the outside wall and felt like I could make a lot of speed there. It might be a little bit different with the repave. They repaved certain sections, so that’ll be interesting. But overall, they did a great job designing that racetrack. It’s obviously new on the schedule and Cup’s never been there, so there’s excitement there. I would say 95 percent of the Cup drivers have been to Iowa at least once in their career and just know how good of a racetrack it is and how fun it is to drive.”

You raced at Iowa twice in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and twice in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, never finishing lower than sixth. What do you need to be good at Iowa?

“It’ll be interesting to see with them repaving certain patches around the racetrack. The foundation of the track has definitely settled over time, and there are big bumps, especially over the tunnel in (turns) one and two. So it’ll be interesting to see when they repaved it, if those bumps are gone or they’re still there. I think getting through the bumps and being pointed and having your angle right for exit to where you’re kind of straight across the bump instead of pointed to the outside wall across the bump in the center of the corner is really key. And then, just having a car that’ll maneuver each lane, having good grip on the bottom, the middle or the top, where you could go different places. If your car’s only good on the bottom and you’re too loose to run the top, or if you’re good up top and you’re too loose or tight to run the bottom, it makes for a long day. So, having options to go to different lanes and having your car drive good is definitely key.”

You get a rare Friday practice session at Iowa. How helpful will that real-world track time be for you?

“It’s going to be really key to go out there and really maximize the practice at Iowa because it’s a new track for us in the Cup Series. We have no notes. Us drivers obviously have some experience there, but it’s so different in the NextGen car that we’re really going to have to figure it out pretty fast. There’s a little bit of time to make changes, but not a ton. It’s not like back in the day where you had three 50-minute practices and you could put in three or four different setups if you wanted to. You’ve only got 50 minutes and every minute on the track is valuable.”

Iowa is new to everyone, at least when it comes to racing there in a NextGen car. For someone who is still in the beginning of their Cup Series career and just 16 races into their tenure with their race team, does the newness help create a level playing field, as everyone is starting from square one at Iowa?

“It’s definitely an even playing field, an even opportunity going to that track, how well you hit it. But there is an advantage for the guys who did the tire test there (Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell). This year at North Wilkesboro, they repaved that place, and I wish we could’ve been a part of the tire test there. Those laps are definitely valuable for the guys who are able to go there and kind of fine-tune their setup because, when they go back there, the guys who have tested there, they know exactly where every crack, every bump, every seam is with the different patches that have been laid down. They’ve been able to massage their cars since the test, they’ve been working on changes and coming up with the best possible way to go fast. I wouldn’t say they have a huge advantage, but it definitely can’t hurt to go out there and get laps. We saw at North Wilkesboro, the guys who tested there – (Joey) Logano, he ran pretty dang good there. Other tracks like that where we’ve been to for the first time, people who have tested there run pretty good. I’m excited nonetheless, because I really love and enjoy that racetrack. It’s so much fun to drive.”

How helpful is the simulator in getting your mind to understand how Iowa drives in a Cup car compared to what you experienced there in Xfinity and Trucks back in 2017, 2018 and 2019?

“The Cup car drives so much differently. It seems like you used to have to mount a run and get your momentum rolling on the top side. When the tires would wear out, the bottom didn’t work as good. With us shifting and being so high up in the RPMs, when you downshift, you can run the bottom for a lot longer at a lot of these racetracks. You used to get so bogged down on the bottom because you’d slow the pace way down in the Truck or Xfinity car that you’d just naturally move up to keep the momentum rolling. I don’t entirely know what it’s going to be like. I assume the different lane options with the progressive banking will certainly help give us options, but I imagine the bottom will hold on a lot longer than it would in Xfinity or Trucks.”

Does Iowa have some tendencies of Richmond or other tracks where you’ve competed?

“It’s kind of its own animal. It’s shaped very similar to Richmond, but it has a lot more banking, it’s a lot wider and there are a lot of different bumps. It’s its own animal.”

No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Menards/MasterForce Tools team are headed to Iowa Speedway for Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350, the first Cup Series race on the 7/8-mile oval in Newton, Iowa.

While it’s the first stop there for the Cup Series, Burton and his crew chief Jeremy Bullins have raced on the track in their Xfinity Series days.

Burton raced there once, in 2019, and finished fourth.

Bullins has been a crew chief for six Xfinity races at Iowa, with two wins, with Brad Keselowski driving in 2013 and 2014 and a runner-up with Ryan Blaney in 2014. His other three finishes were top-10s, giving him an average finish there of 5.2 and a pole by Blaney to go along with the finishes.

But it’s the races where Bullins got the big trophy that mean the most and have him excited about returning there.

“Personally, I have some great memories of some Xfinity series wins from Iowa, so I’m definitely looking forward to getting back out there,” Bullins said. “I’m glad to see the Cup series race there, because the area is such a great market for motorsports in general.”

NASCAR hasn’t run a national series race at Iowa since 2019, and officials determined that some repaving in the turns was needed before this weekend’s race. That will be a challenge for drivers and crew chiefs.

“The partial repave will be interesting with the corners being freshly paved and smoother than before, but the straightaways will still be a bit rough so corner exit and corner entry could be a little challenging at the transitions,” Bullins said.

A 50-minute practice session is set to kick off Friday at 4:35 p.m. Central Time (5:35 p.m. Eastern), and qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 12:05 p.m. (1:05 Eastern).

USA Network will carry the TV coverage of practice, with NBC broadcasting the qualifying session.

Sunday’s 350-lap, 306.25-mile race should get the green flag shortly after 6 p.m. (7 p.m. Eastern) with TV coverage on USA.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 70 and 201.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Iowa Advance
Event Overview

● Event: Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol (Round 17 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 16
● Location: Iowa Speedway in Newton
● Layout: .875-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 350 laps/306.25 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 140 laps / Final Stage: 140 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 MotoRad Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● The NASCAR Cup Series moves from California’s Wine Country to America’s Heartland for its inaugural race at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Though it’s the first time the Cup Series will take on the .875-mile oval, the track is familiar to NASCAR fans and many of its drivers who competed at the venue that hosted the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from 2009 through 2019.

● While this is the first year Iowa has been included on the Cup Series schedule, Rick Ware Racing (RWR) driver Justin Haley has five previous starts at the track. The MotoRad driver made his Xfinity Series debut at Iowa on June 17, 2018, when he started 13th and finished 12th for GMS Racing. In three Xfinity starts at Iowa, he finished no worse than 13th and earned a best finish of eighth in the last NASCAR event held at the track. In his first Craftsman Truck Series start at Iowa in 2017, Haley started seventh and finished 10th. It was the fourth of eight consecutive top-10 finishes during a streak that began with the fourth race in his rookie season in the Truck Series.

● The 2016 K&N Pro Series East champion also made four starts at Iowa in what is now the ARCA Menards Racing Series from 2014 to 2016. Haley finished fourth three times in a row – May and July 2015, and July 2016.

● Despite retiring from the race early in last Sunday’s event at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway due to steering issues, Haley is ranked seventh among drivers in laps completed (4,416) and eighth in miles completed (5,579).

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 Remixers.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Remixers.com returns to Kaz Grala’s No. 15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the Cup Series’ first event at Iowa. Like his RWR teammate, Grala is already familiar with the track, having competed there in the Xfinity Series, Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Racing Series.

● Grala competed just once in the Xfinity Series at Iowa, earning a 10th-place result for Fury Race Cars in June 2018. It was the second top-10 for the team in just four races. Grala also competed at Iowa twice in the Truck Series, but fared better in the ARCA Menards Racing Series, where he earned two top-10s in four races during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

● In last weekend’s event at Sonoma, Grala drove the No. 15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse to a 23rd-place finish after battling power steering problems early in the race. It was his fourth top-25 in 13 races this season and just his 20th start in the Cup Series.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) racers Kody Kopp, Briar Bauman, and Shayna Texter-Bauman are back in action this weekend at the Orange County Half-Mile in Middletown, New York. Mission AFT SuperTwins rider Bauman has one win on the season and sits fourth in the standings. He returns to Orange County, where he finished second in the 2023 event. In AFT Singles, Kopp looks for his fourth win of the season at a track where he is the defending winner. He leads the championship by 22 points.

● In last weekend’s Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series events at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway, Top Fuel driver Clay Millican won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for the first time in his 11,000-horserpower Parts Plus/RWR dragster, going 3.839 seconds at 302.41 mph to eliminate Shawn Langdon in the specialty race. Millican also claimed the No. 1 spot in qualifying for the first time this season and the 26th time in his career with a run of 3.786 seconds at 325.06 mph Friday. He advanced to the semifinal round Sunday, where he was defeated by eventual event-winner Tony Schumacher.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age six when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), where RWR won the 2022 SX2 championship with rider Shane McElrath.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

You ran fairly well at Iowa Speedway in the Xfinity and Truck Series. How did you feel when it was added to the Cup Series schedule?

“Yeah, Iowa was always pretty good to me. We did really well there in K&N and I got to make my first Xfinity start there. I just remember it being really hot and really feeling like we were fighting for position every lap. Iowa has always put on a great show and the fans always turn up, so I’m excited for all of them to finally get to see Cup cars there.”

How much does the full practice on Friday help with race preparation?

“It makes a big difference. You definitely want to show up with a few different things you want to try, and that extra time helps so much, especially for the smaller teams like Rick Ware Racing. It’s a level playing field for everyone this weekend and that practice session could put us ahead of some of the other teams we’re usually battling. We’ll learn a lot about what the track is like now and how that compares to what I remember and what we’ve looked at in sim. More track time is always better, we just have to use it to our advantage.”

Is Iowa a chance for the No. 51 team to get back on track after the last weekend’s struggles at Sonoma?

“I think so. One off race doesn’t take away everything we’ve been working on. We’ve come a long way since the start of the season and I expect we’ll continue to improve. Everyone has off days. You hope you don’t, but it happens, and it’s how you handle it and move forward that really shows what the team is capable of. I’m excited for this weekend and I think we’ll do really well at Iowa.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

There has been a lot of push from drivers and fans to add Iowa to the Cup Series schedule. Why do you think there is so much excitement around this race?

“I’ve raced at Iowa a bunch of times in Trucks, Xfinity, and K&N, and it’s always been such a great racetrack. It always puts on a good show, it’s fun, the fans always show up, and I feel like it was the perfect place to have a race. I am curious to see how the track’s going to race now because, of course, it is not the same race track that it was when we last raced it in 2019. I think even those of us who have raced at Iowa before are treating this like a brand new racetrack. We’ll be starting from scratch with a 50-minute practice and, hopefully, we figure it out quicker than other people. I feel like weekends like that you have an opportunity to do so, when we all start from ground zero.”

There has also been a lot of talk about the repave or patching that has been done at Iowa. How do you expect that to impact things?

“From what I’ve heard about this, it’s pretty much almost a repave but only on the bottom lane or lanes. It’s going to be pretty narrow and, of course, that’s going to be worth a lot of grip. So that means if you’re off, you’re going to have zero grip. I expect it’s going to be the world’s most single-grooved racetrack. Now, that might actually make the racing exciting because you might be able to get guys out of the groove and create a race with a lot of passing. But it’s hard to say exactly how it’s going to race until we actually get out there.”

Rusty Wallace modeled Iowa after a few other tracks when he was designing it, but does it actually race like any other track we visit?

“It’s always reminded me of Richmond, but in Iowa you always had a wider track where you could move around a lot more and there were bumps. So there were some things that you didn’t fight at Richmond that you would fight in Iowa. So, I guess the answer is yes and no, to an extent. We’ll see how things plays out this weekend with the patchwork and everything else.”

Do you remember what it was like the first time you drove up to Iowa and saw a racetrack in the middle of a cornfield?

“Yeah, it is in the middle of nowhere, but it is so cool. I always found it fascinating that when we were there in K&N or Trucks, there was really nothing around there, but you get to the track and it’s packed and there’s always a ton of fans. People love it. So you know, wherever they’re coming from, they’re all about it.”

RYAN PREECE
Iowa Advance
No. 41 Morton Buildings Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol (Round 17 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 16
● Location: Iowa Speedway in Newton
● Layout: .875-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 350 laps/306.25 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 140 laps / Final Stage: 140 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece and the No. 41 Morton Buildings Ford Mustang Dark Horse team are set to compete in Sunday’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton. The .875-mile oval boasts 10 degrees of banking on the frontstretch, 4 degrees on the backstretch, and progressive banking from 12 to 14 degrees in its corners. The Cup Series heads to Iowa after NASCAR previously hosted Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series races there from 2009 to 2019.

● Preece has three starts in the Xfinity Series at Iowa, with a July 2017 victory for Joe Gibbs Racing in his most recent outing. It was his first NASCAR national series win. Preece held off runner-up Kyle Benjamin in overtime by a .054 of a second. It was a dominating performance for Preece as he led 141 of 254 laps, won the first stage and finished second in the second stage. Preece is among 19 of the 36 drivers starting Sunday’s Cup Series race who has won previously at Iowa.

● Last weekend at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Preece got off to a strong start, finishing with a top-five overall lap average in Saturday’s practice session. He started Sunday’s 102-lap Save Mart 350k 30th, but a fast racecar and strategy calls placed him and the No. 41 team second by the end of the second stage, earning nine stage points, Preece finished the race 18th after a late spin. Preece earned 28 points throughout the day, moving him up three spots in the driver standings from 29th to 26th. He heads to Iowa 11 points behind 25th-place Erik Jones.

● Morton Buildings will be the primary sponsor of Preece’s No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Iowa. The industry-leading company in post-frame manufacturing and construction previously adorned the hood of Preece’s racecar April 28 at Dover. Based in Morton, Illinois, Morton Buildings is distinguished by meticulous attention to detail. The company sets itself apart with leading-edge innovations, top-tier warranties and highly skilled craftsmen, all aimed at exceeding customer expectations. With a construction legacy extending over a century and a clientele exceeding a quarter-million satisfied customers, Morton Buildings takes pride in its 100-percent employee ownership structure. Recognized for its commitment to employee ownership, the company holds the prestigious rank of No. 65 on the National Center for Employee Ownership’s 2022 Employee Ownership 100 list, which showcases the nation’s largest companies predominantly owned by employee stock ownership plans. For additional details, visit www.mortonbuildings.com.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Morton Buildings Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You were a part-time driver with only four scheduled starts when you scored your first win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017 at Iowa. What did that win do for your career?

“Ultimately, that win changed my life. I went from living in a small condo in Connecticut to eventually having an opportunity to race for one of the best teams in NASCAR. When I moved home in 2017, before that win, the whole dream of chasing after a career in the Cup Series had pretty much fizzled out, but then the opportunity came along to run those races for Gibbs in the Xfinity Series. Iowa changed my life.”

You haven’t competed at Iowa since your life-changing win there in 2017. What’s your confidence level like heading back to Iowa?

“I think the racetrack has changed since the last time I raced there, but I certainly feel good about our chances this weekend. It’s obviously a place that I’ve run well at in the past, and it’s a style of racetrack that I’ve had a lot of success on. I’m definitely excited about going back for the first time since that win. It will be special.”

Iowa was typically a multi-groove racetrack when the Xfinity Series and Truck Series competed there. What do you think the on-track product will look like for the Cup Series on Sunday?

“I’m sure the product will be good. I think you’ll see drivers running all over the racetrack, but I think the bottom will be the fastest way around until the top is worked in later in the race.”

There is more practice time this weekend for drivers and teams. How important is practice at Iowa?

“Practice is important everywhere, but having the extra practice time this weekend will certainly give us somewhat of an understanding of what to expect on Sunday.”

How do you feel the season has been going so far, and what are your expectations going forward?

“We started getting momentum heading into Dover, but then the issue there set us back on so many different things. I feel like our team is heading back in the right direction. Sonoma showed a little bit of light for us. We had some speed there, and I feel optimistic about the races coming up. I’ve won at Iowa, New Hampshire and Nashville, so hopefully we can keep moving the needle forward this weekend.”

No. 41 Morton Buildings Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Sherman Timbs

Hometown: Indianola, Mississippi

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Iowa Speedway
June 15-16, 2024

HEADING TO THE HEARTLAND

Iowa Speedway will welcome NASCAR back to its facility for the first time in five years, featuring the NASCAR Cup Series’ (NCS) debut in Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. A unique 7/8-mile oval located just outside the state’s capitol of Des Moines – Iowa Speedway has already previously played host to the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS), with Saturday’s HyVee Perks 250 marking the series’ 21st appearance at the track. NASCAR’s highly anticipated trip to the Iowa short track will be celebrated by a sold-out crowd for both days of the doubleheader weekend.

NUMBERS AT NEW TRACKS

Since the beginning of the 2020 season, Iowa Speedway will mark the eighth new track to host an inaugural points-paying race for NASCAR’s premier series. The elite list of recent new venues features a variety of track configurations, including a set of new road courses, a pair of intermediate-style ovals, a dirt track and a street course.

In seven inaugural points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races over the past four seasons, four drivers from three different Chevrolet organizations have earned a combined five victories. In fact, only one other driver from a competitive manufacturer has found victory lane in a NCS inaugural points-paying race in that time span, which was Ford’s Joey Logano (Bristol Dirt – 2021; World Wide Technology Raceway – 2022).

· Daytona International Speedway Road Course (2020) – Chase Elliott

· Circuit of The Americas (2021) – Chase Elliott

· Nashville Superspeedway (2021) – Kyle Larson

· Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (2021) – AJ Allmendinger

· Chicago Street Course (2023) – Shane van Gisbergen

In four of those events, Team Chevy drivers collected a combined six top-10 finishes – highlighted by a one-two-three finish at Nashville Superspeedway, and a sweep of the top-five at the Chicago Street Course.

PAST WINNERS AT IOWA SPEEDWAY

While it might be the NASCAR Cup Series’ first-ever appearance at Iowa Speedway, a handful of Team Chevy drivers have found success in the NASCAR national ranks at the 7/8-mile oval. Topping the list is Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who is a three-time NASCAR Xfinity Series winner at Iowa Speedway – all of which were recorded in consecutive events (2011 sweep, May 2012). William Byron has made two trips to victory lane at the Iowa short track, with one in the NXS (June 2017) and one in the NCTS (June 2016). The pair of Richard Childress Racing teammates, Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon, also each have a NASCAR national series win on their resume, with Busch owning one NXS victory (July 2010) and Dillon with one NCTS victory (July 2010).

LARSON BACK TO THE LEAD

Despite losing the NASCAR Cup Series points lead following his absence from the Coca-Cola 600, it took just two races for Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson to find his way back to the top. The 31-year-old Elk Grove, California, native turned in a top-10 finish at World Wide Technology Raceway before heading back to victory lane at his home track of Sonoma Raceway.

The green-flag in Sunday’s race at Sonoma Raceway saw then-points leader Denny Hamlin experience an engine failure in the opening laps that forced his departure from the race. Capitalizing on the misfortune, Larson grabbed early points in Stage One. While strategy shook-up the running order for much of the race, a fresh set of tires gave Larson the ability to click-off positions towards the front in the final stage – ultimately leading the final nine laps en route to his third NCS victory of the season. The triumph made Larson the third three-time winner in NASCAR’s top division this season – joining his Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron and Denny Hamlin (Toyota).

Chase Elliott also made a move up the standings following a fourth-place finish at Sonoma Raceway, with the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 now sitting in the second position with a 14-point deficit to the lead. The 28-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native has executed a season of consistency thus far, with Elliott being the only driver to finish inside the top-20 in each of the series’ 16 points-paying races in 2024.

Larson’s victory also quickly moved Chevrolet back atop the NCS manufacturer points standings, with the Bowtie brand holding an eight-point advantage heading into the Iowa race weekend. On top of leading the manufacturer points standings across all three NASCAR national series, Chevrolet also continues to maintain a winning percent of at least 50 percent in each series with eight NCS wins, nine NXS wins and eight NCTS wins.

ROOKIE REPEAT

Just one week following his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, Shane van Gisbergen paid a second trip to victory lane after powering his No. 97 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS to a hard-fought win at Sonoma Raceway. An automatic favorite heading into any road course event, the 35-year-old Auckland, New Zealand, native started the weekend at the Northern California circuit by capturing his first career pole. Van Gisbergen went on to tally his first career stage win and led a race-high 32 laps en route to the victory. The rookie is now just the series’ third repeat winner of the season – joining fellow Team Chevy driver Austin Hill and Chandler Smith (Toyota). The triumph extended Kaulig Racing’s series-best road course record in the NXS to 11 victories – all recorded in partnership with Chevrolet.

Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Iowa Speedway:

For the first time since July 2019, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will make its return to Iowa Speedway, with Saturday’s 250-lap race marking the series’ 21st appearance at the track. Chevrolet has tallied four NXS victories at the 7/8-mile venue, including the series’ inaugural event courtesy of Brad Keselowski behind the wheel of a JR Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet. JR Motorsports has earned three of Chevrolet’s four NXS victories at Iowa Speedway, with William Byron collecting the victory in June 2017 and, most recently, with Justin Allgaier in June 2018. Richard Childress Racing’s NXS program has also made a trip to victory lane at the track – recorded by Elliott Sadler in Aug. 2012.

Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Brad Keselowski, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet NXS Inaugural Race Win at Iowa Speedway

Aug. 1, 2009

Credit: Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Justin Allgaier, No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Chevrolet’s Most Recent NXS Win at

Iowa Speedway – June 17, 2018

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the doubleheader race weekend at Iowa Speedway. The Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s HyVee Perks 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol.

· With 43 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has a winning percentage of 58.1% with 25 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – eight wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – nine wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – eight wins).

· Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR national ranks at Iowa Speedway:

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – three NXS wins (2011 sweep; May 2012)

William Byron – one NXS win (June 2017) and one NCTS win (June 2016)

Justin Allgaier – one NXS win (June 2018)

Kyle Busch – one NXS win (July 2010)

Austin Dillon – one NCTS win (July 2010)

· Since the beginning of the 2020 season, seven different tracks have hosted an inaugural points-paying race for NASCAR’s premier series, with four drivers from three different Chevrolet organizations earning a combined five victories in those events.

· In 88 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 45 victories – a winning percentage of 51.1%.

· With his victory at Sonoma Raceway, Kyle Larson is the second driver to hit a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era with 10 triumphs. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron leads the series’ all-time win record in the Next Gen era with 11 victories.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 859 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
FOR THE FANS:

• Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Iowa Speedway.
• Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Team Chevy Racing Display including: Traverse Z71, Trax Activ, Silverado 2500 HD, Blazer EV, Colorado Trailboss, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Corvette Stingray, Tahoe Z71
• Fans can also view William Byron’s No. 24 Camaro ZL1 show car.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Friday, June 14

Connor Zilisch: 12:45 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Brandon Jones: 1 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Sammy Smith: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Shane van Gisbergen: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Mason Mitchell: 4 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Saturday, June 15

Sam Mayer: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Austin Hill: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

Jesse Love: 9:45 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Zane Smith: 11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Anthony Alfredo: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Justin Allgaier: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 16

Ross Chastain: 2:45 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Alex Bowman: 3:05 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.

Chase Elliott: 3:20 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.

AJ Allmendinger: 3:35 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Kyle Busch: 3:45 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Kyle Larson: 4 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Friday, June 14: 12 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 15: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday, June 16: 11 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 582
Toyota: 574 (-8)
Ford: 548 (-34)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 530
Toyota: 492 (-38)
Ford: 434 (-96)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 458
Toyota: 425 (-33)
Ford: 384 (-74)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol

Sunday, June 16, at 7 p.m. ET

(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

HyVee Perks 250

Saturday, June 15, at 3:30 p.m. ET

(USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 Busch Light FOR THE FARMERS CAMARO ZL1

What kind of challenges do you expect at Iowa in the Cup Series?

“Yeah, it’s a new track for the Cup car and we’ll all be learning together. There’s some repaved spots from the last time some of us were there for Xfinity and Trucks, so it has been a while for me and for most of us.”

Do you think there is any advantage this weekend if you’ve raced at Iowa before for Xfinity or Trucks?

“For sure. If nothing else, it makes you feel more confident when you’re driving out through about 20 miles of corn fields, and bean and wheat and ag. Most people are going to think they’re going the wrong way, but go 20 miles past the last building and you’ll get there.”

How do you think the atmosphere is going to be since it’s sold-out?

“It’s huge. We’ve seen what they’ve been doing with IndyCar there and that atmosphere has grown. I remember being there in Xfinity and Trucks and the fans hollerin’ they want a Cup race. So they’re finally getting it and it sounds like ticket-wise they’ve shown their support. You know its a little bit of a risk for the series and the sport to go out to an unproven track for Cup. It sounds like the fans are going to make the drive and fill that place up.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 ZONE CAMARO ZL1

You have two NXS starts at Iowa, scoring a dominating victory in 2010 and a second-place finish in 2009. Is there anything from that past experience that you can use at the Cup race?

“I have enjoyed my past races that I’ve run at Iowa. Running there in the Xfinity Series and a Pro Series East race there years ago was pretty fun. I think the track is going to be vastly different than I remember it with the old asphalt. The new asphalt in the various parts of the racetrack will make it way different.”

Is racing at Iowa similar to Richmond?

“As similar as Iowa and Richmond are to each other in their size and how they look, the tracks are not even close to each other at all in how they race. I feel like the biggest challenges at Iowa with the Next Gen Cup car will be the aero deficiencies in traffic and how wide the new asphalt is that allows for you to work your way outside of the wake of the other cars in front of you.”

Do you think adding another short track race to the Cup schedule is a good thing?

“I have always been a supporter of short track racing and enjoy racing at the short tracks, but with this Next Gen Cup car, it is probably one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever had of putting on good racing at short tracks.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ACTION INDUSTRIES CAMARO ZL1

“It’s always fun to go to a track I haven’t been to before. Iowa Speedway is a unique oval that isn’t similar to most of the tracks we race at. I’m looking forward to running both the Xfinity and Cup races this weekend and having that extra time on track.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

“There are a lot of unknowns this weekend in the Cup car at Iowa. I always enjoyed racing there in other series, but this will be a different animal. I’m looking forward to the challenge of another short track with this No. 31 group.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER / NOS ENERGY DRINK CAMARO ZL1

How much confidence do you have entering the race at Iowa after your success there in the XFINITY Series in 2011 and 2012 with three consecutive victories?

“Yeah, it’s been a while since 2012, since I’ve physically been on the race track. I ran SIM (simulation) this week, which was kind of nice getting back and making laps at Iowa and some of those little nuances of that track that I kind of remember were kind of still there. But a totally different race car and it will be obviously totally different with the repave in sections, but definitely a lot of confidence going there. Any time that you can go back to a track that you have a 50 percent win rate feels pretty good. It will be cool to get back there. I know the fans are super pumped. A little Sunday night race so that will be cool in primetime. And going to a track that Cup has never been too and it’s been a while since NASCAR has been there as well. I know there’s a lot of hype around it, which is great!”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 KUBOTA CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on Iowa Speedway?

“I like that track. We had a lot of success there in the past. I won six poles in the Xfinity Series and two of them came in Iowa and we had a good race driving Kyle Busch’s truck a few years ago. But I haven’t been back in a while so getting that practice on Friday will help a lot.”

Is Iowa an important market for NASCAR?

“I am a big fan of taking our sport to new places. When people get to see the cars on the track for the first time and feel the energy, see the speed, they become fans for life. I’m always going to be for visiting new places and I think people coming to see our race on Sunday are going to be coming back for a long time.”

You have had fast cars the last two weeks, does that give you more optimism?

“Of course it does. We were top-10 at Charlotte but we were penalized right before the rain stopped the race so we thought we were going to get a better finish. We struggled at St. Louis but we qualified well and ran pretty good at Sonoma. We want better, but we are showing progress. My team and I tried a lot, and learned a lot the last couple of months but now it is time for us to start getting good finishes. You just can’t turn it on once the playoffs start so we want to create a lot of momentum going into the playoffs.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2023): 42

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2024 STATISTICS:

Wins: 8

Poles: 5

Laps Led: 1,431

Top-five finishes: 30

Top-10 finishes: 61

Stage wins: 10

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 7

· Ross Chastain: 1

· William Byron: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 859 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 748

Laps led to date: 250,606

Top-five finishes to date: 4,328

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,921

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,193

       Chevrolet: 859

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 830                                                           

       Ford: 730

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 186

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

JOSH BERRY
Iowa Advance
No. 4 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol (Round 17 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 16
● Location: Iowa Speedway in Newton
● Layout: .875-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 350 laps/306.25 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 140 laps / Final Stage: 140 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● This Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series will take on Iowa Speedway in Newton for the first time. While the track is new to NASCAR’s premier series, Josh Berry arrives with a pair of NASCAR Xfinity Series on his resume at the .875-mile oval surrounded by cornfields. Both came behind the wheel of the No. 8 entry for JR Motorsports, and the first marked his Xfinity Series debut, resulting in a 12th-place finish after qualifying 10th in August 2014. Berry returned for the July 2016 race, qualifying sixth and finishing ninth.

● Last Sunday, Berry took on the serpentine Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway layout for his second Cup Series road-course race in 2024. Berry took advantage of a rare, 50-minute practice session on Friday to learn the track and get into a comfortable rhythm. He started 32nd in Sunday’s race and saw his day come to an early end when he was sidelined with a bent suspension after a lap-36 incident. He was left with a 32nd-place result.

● With just 10 races left in the 2024 Cup Series regular season, Berry and the No. 4 team are ranked 23rd in the standings, 103 points behind Joey Logano in the 16th and final playoff position. Berry is also ranked second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, 10 points behind leader Carson Hocevar.

● Overstock.com adorns Berry’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Iowa. The partnership amplifies the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Iowa is a new track for the Cup Series. Do you view a more even playing field an advantage or disadvantage for Sunday’s race?

“I think it’s a mix between both, honestly. As a driver, I think it’s nice to have some laps there. Obviously, it is a different scenario this weekend than when I went there with Xfinity, but the interesting part is that a lot of my race team actually hasn’t been there, so they are all excited about that – a little nervous, too, but I am sure we will develop a good plan and go do the best we can like every other week.”

How do you predict the race will go based on your simulator work? Will the tires play a part in the way strategy will be planned?

“The track is going to be unique after they did some patchwork on the track, resurfacing some spots. We will be running hard the whole time, but those repaved spots make the groove unique and a bit of a challenge to set up for. Regardless, it will be interesting and new and the challenge will be fun. I am just excited to get there and see how it feels in practice.”

What other tracks the Cup Series already visits compare to Iowa, and how has that helped you prepare for this weekend’s race?

“I don’t think we can really look at other places since they patched the bottom two or three grooves of the corners, which was a pretty rough area on that track, so all of us will be fighting to get down in those grooves pretty much the whole race. That could be a good thing and could be a bad thing, I just think there are a lot of unknowns, and the simulator can only do so much. We will just have to see how it goes when we get there and adapt when we get some time on the track.”

You have 10 races left in the 2024 Cup Series regular season and are sitting 23rd in the driver points – second in rookie points. What are the expectations for the No. 4 team as you look to close out these races heading toward the playoffs?

“I still feel really confident we can accomplish Rookie of the Year and the next stint of tracks, I think, are really good for our team. It comes down to executing on our plans. We have been running better than we have been finishing, but we have also been able to put it together and show that our group is able to contend. The most recent example was Darlington. We didn’t qualify all that great, but we had a really solid car, solid day on pit road, and came away with a top-five. If we can do that a few more times in the next couple of weeks, I don’t see why we can’t contend for a spot in the playoffs and win Rookie of the Year.”

No. 4 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

Team Interstate Brings Dual Threat to Hawkeye State with NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Denny Hamlin at Iowa Speedway and Sprint Car Racer McKenna Haase at Knoxville Raceway

DALLAS (June 12, 2024) – Whether you’re a fan of stock cars pounding pavement or sprint cars slinging dirt, Iowa is the place to be this weekend. Just ask Interstate Batteries.

The leading replacement battery brand with the largest independent battery distribution system in North America will have a strong presence in the Hawkeye State as Denny Hamlin carries the iconic green Interstate Batteries colors in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday at Iowa Speedway in Newton while sprint car racer and Iowa native McKenna Haase represents Interstate Batteries at Knoxville Raceway Friday and Saturday during the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event.

Hamlin opens the race weekend Friday afternoon with a 50-minute practice session on the .875-mile oval in Newton. The driver of the No. 11 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing is currently third in the championship standings, but has already punched his ticket to the NASCAR Playoffs with three wins in the 16 races run this season. The 43-year-old Virginian is having one of his best seasons and has positioned himself as a championship favorite, a seeming rite of passage for anyone wheeling a NASCAR Cup Series stock car emblazoned with Interstate Batteries.

“I have great memories of that Interstate Batteries scheme,” Hamlin said. “I was watching Bobby Labonte in the Interstate Batteries car beat Bill Elliott, who was my favorite driver, for a championship way back in the day. For Interstate to be part of the sport, and not only part of the sport, but with the same team for such a long time, it’s certainly special.”

Since Interstate Batteries became the founding partner of Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992, a who’s who of NASCAR talent has sat behind the wheel of an Interstate Batteries-branded racecar. Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth are four NASCAR Hall of Famers who have sported Interstate Batteries green, as well as two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch. Hamlin is currently in his 19th fulltime NASCAR Cup Series season, and with every year coming at Joe Gibbs Racing, he is the most tenured active member of Team Interstate.

“As things change, it’s weird how your mind changes over time, because for so long it was like, ‘Well, that’s Kyle Busch’s car,’ Hamlin explained. “Next thing you know, we’ve got a family of Interstate Batteries drivers at Joe Gibbs Racing with Team Interstate. It’s just really cool to be a part of the team with Norm (Miller, chairman emeritus), Lain (Hancock, president and CEO) and their whole team. They certainly love racing and activating around it. Anytime you have a sponsor that is as excited about the sport as we are, it’s always going to make for a good partnership, which is why it’s been going on for more than three decades now.”

While Hamlin is the undisputed veteran of Team Interstate, Haase (pronounced Hah-see) is the newest.

As a 15-year-old in her hometown of Carlisle, Iowa, Haase sold Interstate Batteries door-to-door in an effort to raise enough money to buy her first sprint car. Now 27, Haase carries the familiar bright green colors of Interstate Batteries on the 410 winged sprint car she owns and races at some of the most prominent sprint car events in the United States.

“It’s really amazing to have this relationship with Interstate Batteries,” Haase said. “To be affiliated with a company that is so iconic in motorsports and in business is really, really special. I absolutely love motorsports and the history of NASCAR. NASCAR, in general, was a big part of the reason I fell in love with the sport. And to be able to represent a company that is so meaningful from both a motorsports perspective and a faith perspective is really, really cool.”

The 12-year link between a teenage Haase and the Haase of today is LinkedIn. In March 2023, not long after Lain Hancock was named president and CEO of Interstate Batteries, Haase used LinkedIn to message Hancock with her marketing deck. She wasn’t asking for money, but rather a critique of her pitch. It resonated with Hancock enough that Haase’s proposal began making the rounds within Interstate Batteries’ Dallas headquarters. Today, Haase’s relationship with Interstate Batteries comes full circle with the “Outrageously Dependable” battery brand sponsoring her alongside existing partner Hy-Vee.

“It’s been a long time coming, getting the Cup Series to Iowa,” said Haase, who grew up in the suburbs of Des Moines. “I’m sure it will be absolutely huge because Iowa is a big NASCAR state. I’m excited to watch. I was actually at Iowa when Kasey Kahne raced in the ARCA race there. And my first-ever NASCAR race was at Iowa Speedway back in 2008. So to have a Cup race there now in 2024 kind of makes me feel old, but it’s also really cool.”

And while Haase will be keeping tabs on the NASCAR happenings in Newton, she will have her hands full with her own racing activities in Knoxville, driving her 900-horsepower sprint car around the hallowed half-mile dirt oval.

“I’ve basically grown up racing at Knoxville,” Haase said. “It’s a track that I’m very proud of and wish that everybody could visit and witness how special it is. It’s home to the Knoxville Nationals, and that’s such an incredible event. I’m just super thankful that I get to call this place home.”

The World of Outlaws race this weekend at Knoxville serves as a tune-up for the biggest World of Outlaws race – the Knoxville Nationals Aug. 7-10.

“As far as goals for the weekend, Nationals in August is the main focus for our team,” Haase said. “We aren’t on the national tour and don’t have the same budget as some of the other established teams. We’re always trying to learn and take whatever we can from the races that we do get to race in and put it toward the Nationals. For us, it’s all about making features and getting into the big race. So, we’ll keep working toward that goal.”

Haase’s race weekend at Knoxville begins at 6:30 p.m. CDT Friday with hot laps and qualifying prior to the night’s feature races. She returns to Knoxville Saturday night with another 6:30 p.m. CDT start before the second consecutive night of feature races. Fans can watch Haase in person or live on DIRTVision, the official pay-per-view provider for Knoxville Raceway and the exclusive live streaming home of the World of Outlaws.

Hamlin’s race weekend in Newton begins at 4:30 p.m. CDT Friday with a 50-minute practice. Qualifying begins at 12 p.m. CDT Saturday. The Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol goes green at 6 p.m. CDT Sunday. USA will provide live coverage of each day’s on-track action.