Ryan Blaney is advocating for a full repave of Iowa Speedway’s asphalt surface following a partial resurfacing last season, emphasizing that the track’s progressive banking combined with a new, consistent asphalt layer could open opportunities for a third racing lane within a few years. Blaney, a driver for Team Penske, praised the quality of the new asphalt and suggested that completing the repave would help unlock more dynamic racing on the 0.875-mile oval in Iowa.
Last year, only the bottom two lanes in the track’s corners received fresh asphalt, while the straightaways retained the original pavement from 2006. During a recent SiriusXM NASCAR Radio interview, Blaney noted that the progressive banking at Iowa Speedway is uniquely designed to allow cars to run multiple lanes, and the uneven surface currently limits the track’s full potential.
“I would repave the whole thing. I think you kind of have to. That place, if they keep the progressive banking that it has, I think it’s perfect,” Ryan Blaney said.
“For some reason, that place seems to have a little bit bigger steps in the progressive banking as you go up than other racetracks that I’ve seen have it. And so it allows you to really run up. And I think we would just continue to push it up and up and up and it would be like old Iowa where you were running everywhere,” he added.
The Impact of Partial Repaving on Racing Conditions at Iowa
Blaney emphasized that the new asphalt section is holding up well and capable of supporting an additional racing groove. However, drivers have expressed concerns that the partial repave, with old pavement still present on the straights, has resulted in inconsistent grip and fewer racing options. Some warn that this superficial patchwork might prevent the track from returning to having multiple viable lanes where drivers can compete side by side.
“In my mind, you either leave it or you pave the whole thing. … And they went with the third choice,” Ryan Blaney said last season (via Sports Business Journal).
Blaney’s experience at Iowa Speedway includes a notable victory last year, where he dominated by leading 201 of 350 laps during the inaugural NASCAR Cup race held there.
Ryan Blaney’s Performance and Challenges in the 2024 NASCAR Season
Looking ahead to the upcoming race at Watkins Glen, Blaney is currently ranked seventh in the 2025 NASCAR Cup standings. Now in his tenth full-time season with Team Penske, he secured his first win of the 2024 season in July at Nashville. Over his nine career starts at Watkins Glen, Blaney has earned three top-10 finishes, displaying strong skill on the road course.
Despite this, Blaney faced a tough break at Watkins Glen last season when a first-lap crash at the Bus Stop chicane forced an early exit from the 90-lap race. Further challenges this year have included mechanical failures, with two engine blowouts occurring at Phoenix and Homestead–Miami, alongside another crash at Las Vegas leading to three consecutive DNFs early in the season. He also endured overheating problems, including multiple collapses after races caused by a malfunctioning cooling suit at Pocono Raceway.
The Importance of a Complete Resurfacing for Future Racing at Iowa Speedway
Blaney’s push for a full repave highlights the broader concern within the NASCAR community regarding track conditions and racing quality. The current mismatch between fresh and aged pavement potentially restricts drivers’ ability to utilize the track’s progressive banking fully and reduces competitive racing lanes. A comprehensive resurfacing could restore Iowa Speedway to a premier short track that encourages multiple grooves, allowing drivers to race more aggressively and fans to enjoy closer racing.
As Blaney suggested, the track’s existing design is almost ideal for varied lane racing, and a new repave could reinvigorate racing at Iowa over the next season or two, possibly reviving the track’s reputation as a place where drivers can run everywhere on the oval.
