The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will head back to America’s heartland this weekend to take on Iowa Speedway, with the 7/8-mile oval welcoming the sport back for its second consecutive doubleheader event.

Chevrolet will look to earn its first trip to victory lane in NASCAR’s top division at the Iowa short-track, while the manufacturer will return to the venue as the defending winner in the Xfinity Series.
 

Chevrolet at Iowa Speedway:

The NASCAR Cup Series’ sole visit to Iowa Speedway saw three Chevrolet organizations earn a combined five top-10 finishes – led by a pair of podium results by Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron (second) and Chase Elliott (third). A win in Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol would make Chevrolet the only manufacturer to earn a trip to victory lane in all three NASCAR national series at the Iowa short-track.

The Bowtie brand has tallied a total of 10 victories across the NASCAR national ranks at Iowa Speedway, including five in the Xfinity Series and five in the Truck Series. Chevrolet owns the first and most recent Xfinity Series wins at the Iowa short-track – both powered by a pair of JR Motorsports Chevrolet’s (Brad Keselowski – Aug. 2009; Sam Mayer – June 2024). Four Team Chevy Cup Series regulars have an Iowa triumph to their name – led by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who leads the series’ active drivers with three Xfinity Series wins at the track (2011 sweep; May 2012). William Byron has made two trips to victory lane at the Iowa short-track, with one in the Xfinity Series (June 2017) and one in the Truck Series (June 2016). The pair of Richard Childress Racing teammates, Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon, also each have a NASCAR national series win at Iowa on their resume, with Busch owning one Xfinity Series victory (July 2010) and Dillon with one Truck Series victory (July 2010).
 

TEAM CHEVY TRIO BATTLES FOR REGULAR SEASON TITLE

The battle for the NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Championship title is heating up with the top-four drivers sitting just 20-points apart. The four-way battle is led by a trio of Team Chevy drivers – Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, William Byron and Kyle Larson. Byron has been a steady fixture atop the points standings through much of the regular season, but Elliott took over the lead prior to the Indianapolis race weekend after a stellar five-race stretch that saw the 29-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native make the move to the top from the fourth position and a 104-point deficit. Elliott and Larson have been familiar faces in the run for the regular season title in recent years – partaking in a three-way battle all the way to the final race at Darlington Raceway one year ago. The pair each have one regular season title on their resume, with Larson earning the honors in his championship season (2021) and Elliott taking the title in 2022.
 

Stenhouse Stellar Iowa Stats:

With just four races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet team sit in a ‘must-win’ position in order to keep their championship hopes alive. Hungry for a trip back to victory lane, Stenhouse Jr. returns to a track where he has shared a fair amount of success over his NASCAR career. The 37-year-old Olive Branch, Mississippi, native leads the series’ active drivers in wins in the NASCAR national ranks at Iowa Speedway with three-straight Xfinity Series triumphs (2011 sweep; May 2012). In his last five starts at the Iowa short-track, Stenhouse Jr. has finished no worse than fifth, including a top-five finish in the Cup Series’ inaugural event last season.
 

EXTENDING A RECORD-SETTING STREAK

For the third-straight weekend and series-leading fifth time this season, Connor Zilisch and the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team earned a trip to victory – taking the checkered flag in Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The triumph added onto an already dominate season for the Chevrolet camp in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the 19-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native delivering the manufacturer its 19th win in 21 races. Dating back to Kyle Larson’s victory at Bristol Motor Speedway in April, Chevrolet has been the only manufacturer to pay a visit to victory lane in the division – heading to America’s heartland with a streak of 13-straight wins. Chevrolet is the only manufacturer in Xfinity Series’ history to hit a double-digit win streak in a single season – also accomplishing the feat in 1999 (10-straight), 2000 (11-straight) and 2022 (10-straight).
 

JR Motorsports Joins Elite All-Time Wins List:

Kissing the iconic bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was even sweeter for JR Motorsports with Connor Zilisch’s win earning the Chevrolet organization its 100th all-time NASCAR Xfinity Series win. Over JR Motorsports’ tenure in the series, 22 different drivers have contributed wins towards the organization’s monumental feat – led by series veteran and reigning champion, Justin Allgaier, who’s earned a quarter of those victories. JR Motorsports is just the fourth different organization to achieve the 100-win mark in the series, with Chevrolet’s Richard Childress Racing earning a spot on the elite list at Martinsville Speedway earlier this season.

Martinsville Speedway – March 29, 2025

Austin Hill, No. 21 Chevrolet

Richard Childress Racing’s 100th NXS Win

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – July 26, 2025

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Chevrolet

JR Motorsports’ 100th NXS Win
 

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 22 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:

Wins: 9

Poles: 10

Laps Led: 2,748

Top-Fives: 45

Top-10s: 95

Stage Wins: 20

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 21 NASCAR Xfinity Series races complete:

Wins: 19

Poles: 12

Laps Led: 2,506

Top-Fives: 70

Top-10s: 134

Stage Wins: 29

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 16 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complete:

Wins: 6

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 854

Top-Fives: 37

Top-10s: 77

Stage Wins: 7
 

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway with the Corvette Stingray pacing the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series in their respective events.

· Victories by active NASCAR Cup Series 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)

Kyle Busch – one NXS win (July 2010)

Austin Dillon – one NCTS win (July 2010)

· With Connor Zilisch’s win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Chevrolet carries a record-setting double-digit win streak of 13 consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series wins this season. The victory – Chevrolet’s 19th in 21 Xfinity Series races this season – have been earned by 10 drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.

· Chevrolet has earned at least half of the top-10 finishing results in 12 of the 22 points-paying races thus far this season, including a season-high seven top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

· In 130 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 61 victories – a winning percentage of 46.9%.

· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 875 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, featuring a variety of Chevrolet vehicles: Blazer EV RS, Corvette E-Ray, Corvette Z06 3LZ Convertible, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Silverado 2500 High Country, Silverado EV RST, Suburban High Country, Equinox ICE ACTIV and the Chase Elliott No. 9 Chevrolet show car.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Saturday, August 2

Jeremy Clements: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Jesse Love: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Justin Allgaier & Connor Zilisch: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Carson Kvapil: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Nick Sanchez: 1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 3

Ross Chastain: 10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.

Daniel Suarez: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Alex Bowman: 11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.

Shane van Gisbergen: 11:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Kyle Larson & William Byron: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Kyle Busch: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Friday, August 1: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 2: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 3: 8 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
 

TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol

Sunday, August 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET

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

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Hy-Vee Perks 250

Saturday, August 2, at 4:30 p.m. ET

(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
 

QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What did you learn from last year at Iowa?

“The repave is the biggest thing we learned last year, trying to learn the new asphalt from the old asphalt. It was tough to pick up quickly. We learned the basement on air pressure with the tires last year, so our focus this weekend will be on how much the race surface has aged in the last year.”

Given your sponsor and your farming background, how important is the Iowa race to you?

“Obviously, Iowa Speedway is in the middle of farmland and even though they aren’t farming watermelons in Iowa, we all still have ag in common. Iowa is known for row crops but there’s a lot of ag everywhere we go and the area is important for what we are doing with the Busch Light Farming can and car this weekend. The Farming cans bring awareness to Farm Rescue which provides aid to family farms and ranches throughout the Midwest. It’s going to be a fun weekend.”

Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Coming off your best career result at Indianapolis, your home track, what are your thoughts heading into Iowa?

“Iowa was one of my favorites last season and I’ve always enjoyed racing there. I have raced at Iowa in all three NASCAR series and have good seat time there. We’ve had a good stretch lately with the No. 7 team and we’re building momentum each week. I feel like we are in position for a good result this weekend.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“Iowa was a unique racetrack last year; with the repaved corners and the old pavement straight aways, it made the track tricky. It will be interesting to see, after a year with the repaved corners, how the track feels. Last year, we had decent speed before the issues we had. I enjoyed driving the track and I’m looking forward to getting back there, continuing the find speed in our race car and putting together a strong weekend.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“I’m looking forward to going back to Iowa with NOS Energy Drink this year. We had a great run last June with a top-five finish. The track has aged a lot, so I’m hoping we can have another great run there.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What did you learn at Iowa last year and what are you expecting to see this Sunday?

“Iowa was great. It was a fun weekend. I’ve raced there a bunch in Xfinity and ARCA. Even in years when I wasn’t running full-time in Xfinity, I’d still do the standalone races for (Joe) Gibbs (Racing) or whoever.

It was honestly my best track in Xfinity from a results standpoint, but going back there last year—it was so different. The track had aged in some areas, but then there was new asphalt and patches. It was a very different racetrack. It was still fun. Big crowd, big event. Going back this time, I think everyone is looking forward to having their cars drive a little better, getting over that bump in Turn 1 a little smoother, and not being so caught off guard by how challenging the track is. It’s another big opportunity for us.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

How do you feel about the Cup Series’ second visit to Iowa Speedway?

“I feel pretty good about it. We finished well there last year, and for the most part, we’ve been able to improve on those good finishes when we go back places. Iowa is a really fun track and the fans are always so excited when we come to town. It’s a great atmosphere that matches the racing on track.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

How do you assess your rookie season so far?

“The last month or two we really ramped up. It’s been amazing to get a couple of wins, and our oval side is getting better too. Building confidence and getting better every week, I feel like we are learning something every week and really enjoying ourselves too.”

With 25-minute practice session, what do you do to get up to speed quickly?

“Just trying to get out there and just go. My whole life, every series I raced we got multiple tires and long practices and normally a couple of practices before qualifying. Most tracks you only get a couple of laps in before the tires are gone and then you are just trying to battle the tire fall off. I love when we get the opportunity to run the long practices, it really helps me. Everything is about time and more races, (Cup) is a new experience for me. It’s so different than what I raced last year. The cars are a night and day difference. It’s basically like I started again, but I feel like I’ve been methodical about it.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Confidence from Indy?

“Yes, it won’t show in the race results (27th), but we had a really good car last Sunday in Indianapolis. We got up to 15th and thought we were going to be a factor, but that restart stack up damaged our nose and just killed the car. When you bring a good car to the track, it gives you confidence that we will have another good car for the next week and the week after that.”

What were your thoughts on the Cup Series’ first visit to Iowa last year?

“It was a good weekend for us. We were fast, had a great strategy, and quick pit stops. The track was fun. It raced well. Honestly, it raced exactly how I thought it was going to. It was a three-lane racetrack. People were able to pass, which is a good thing. I thought it was good, to be honest. I’m pretty happy with the product that NASCAR brought.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

“The bottom two lanes have been paved so Iowa Speedway is a bit of a unique racetrack, but it actually raced really well last year. My crew chief, Mardy Lindley, won the race there with Sam Mayer last year so I’m expecting to have a really good KOA Chevrolet when we get to the track this weekend. I’m excited to go there for the first time in an Xfinity car. The fans at Iowa are really awesome. The racetrack is kind of out in the middle of nowhere but people show up and support us which is really cool. I won the ARCA race there last year so that’s another track where I’m one-for one (smiles). I’m looking forward to figuring out that track in a new style of car. I’ll be going off the notes I had from the ARCA race last year and building on what I’ve learned so far this season.”

GM PR