William Byron emerged victorious at the Iowa Corn 350 on August 3, 2025, showcasing his exceptional fuel management skills at Iowa Speedway. Byron won by 1.192 seconds over polesitter Chase Briscoe, successfully navigating the fuel strategy that defined the race’s outcome. This triumph marked Byron’s second victory of the year and the 15th in his career, reinforcing his position as a leader in the playoff standings.
The race began with Byron seizing the lead on the first lap and maintaining it through 67 circuits before Brad Keselowski overtook him to claim the first stage. Keselowski, dominant in the mid-segments, also secured the second stage win. As different pit strategies unfolded, the lead changed hands among Briscoe, Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, and Chase Elliott throughout the middle portion. Byron regained control on lap 277 and maintained it until the finish.
A series of cautions during the final stage forced teams to gamble on fuel mileage. Byron stretched his last fuel tank well beyond the predicted 110-115 laps, running for more than 140 laps without refueling, a move that ultimately sealed his victory.
“He knows a thing or three about getting it done at @iowaspeedway. After today’s victory, @WilliamByron has won at the track in all three national series.” — NASCAR
Kyle Larson’s Struggles Highlight Challenges of the Day
Kyle Larson started the race strongly in third place and finished the opening stage in sixth. However, as the race progressed, he became increasingly frustrated with traffic and some on-track incidents, including contact from teammate Chase Elliott. Larson’s car did not seem competitive enough to challenge for the win, resulting in a disappointing 28th-place finish. His recent performance slump continued as the race marked his 11th event without a victory, a drought he had not experienced since 2023.
Although Larson had three top-15 finishes over the past eight weeks, only two were in the top five. His visible frustration during the race prompted speculation about whether Larson and his team are prioritizing long-term playoff strategy over immediate results, or if he simply needs to regain momentum heading into the postseason.
“With today’s race over, Kyle Larson has gone more than 10 races without a win for the first time since 2023, where he had a 17 race drought before winning the Southern 500.” — dan (@zirccconium)
Points Standings Shift as Playoff Pressure Mounts
William Byron reclaimed the lead in the points standings after Chase Elliott finished 14th, extending Byron’s advantage to 18 points over Elliott. Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin retained third and fourth place but fell further behind, now 45 and 51 points from the top, respectively. Christopher Bell remained fifth, maintaining an 11-point margin over Tyler Reddick.
The positions from sixth through ninth remained steady with Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, and Alex Bowman holding those spots. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace advanced past Chris Buescher to secure tenth place in the standings. Brad Keselowski was the week’s biggest mover, climbing from 24th to 19th place in the standings, reflecting significant progress in his team’s performance. Though Keselowski must still secure a win to guarantee a playoff spot, his upward momentum is notable.
The overall playoff picture saw little change, but Chris Buescher’s hold on the playoff bubble loosened somewhat due to teammate Ryan Preece’s impressive top-five finish. With only three races left in the regular season, Buescher maintains a 23-point cushion.
Ryan Preece’s Remarkable Charge from Near the Back
One of the standout performances came from Ryan Preece and the RFK Racing No. 60 team. Starting in 33rd place, Preece drove a smart, calculated race to climb into contention. Though he lacked the long-run speed to challenge for victory in the closing stages, Preece took advantage of fuel strategy and late-race incidents to finish fifth, marking his third top-five result of the year and arguably his breakout season.
Preece’s consistency exceeds several established names, with more top 10 finishes than Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, or Tyler Reddick. His average finish of 16.0 ranks ahead of Logano, Wallace, and Ryan Blaney. In many seasons, a driver placed 13th in points with this consistency would be comfortably in the playoffs, but this year’s unusually high number of different winners has made the field more competitive.
Despite these successes, Preece’s performance remains inconsistent due to several finishes of 20th or worse across 23 races. If he can reduce those off days, he is poised to become a more frequent contender.
“‼️‼️‼️P5‼️‼️‼️Great calls by Derrick all day especially to stay out earlier!!! Ryan did a great job on the restart after we did pit when he leap frogged 14 cars on the top side!!!!! Next up is, Watkins Glen which has also been a good track for RFK and Preece! @RyanPreece_.” — Team 60 (@Team60Updates)
The Key Moment: Fuel Strategy Defines the Finale
The race featured some competitive moments early on and in restarts, but a dominant theme was the significance of clean air and fuel mileage. The leader’s ability to conserve fuel and run at reduced throttle for extended laps made it difficult for trailing competitors to close the gap, even while pushing hard. Tire wear played a role but was not severe enough to alter this dynamic substantially.
Iowa Speedway has a history of exciting races in lower-tier series like Xfinity and Craftsman Truck, but the Cup cars struggled to produce the same level of action, delivering racing comparable to other one-mile tracks on the schedule, which many view as underwhelming.
“I feel bad for all the Iowa Speedway fans that this car’s terrible racing may expedite its removal off the schedule down the road. Genuinely feel like this track has potential given the right car.” — Jaden (@TheNews__24)
While the short-track package showed promise, it was not enough to significantly improve racing quality. Adding more horsepower might have helped, though probably not to a dramatic extent. Despite some engaging battles, especially early between Byron and Keselowski, and several chaotic restarts, the event lacked the intensity and excitement expected from a track with Iowa Speedway’s reputation.
Upcoming Challenge at Watkins Glen Sets the Stage
The Cup Series now turns to Watkins Glen International, marking its final road course race before the playoffs begin. Shane van Gisbergen enters as a favorite to win and secure a strong seed in the postseason, potentially notching his fourth win of the season. However, van Gisbergen faces stiff competition from other proven performers at the Glen.
Chase Elliott remains a consistent threat, with two wins and a strong average finish at this road course, despite mixed results in recent outings there. Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch also boast two wins each at the track, making them serious contenders. AJ Allmendinger is another wildcard, having scored a Cup victory at Watkins Glen and recorded a third-place finish in his last Xfinity start. After a transmission failure last year, his past strong finishes indicate he could be a factor.
Additionally, Chris Buescher, the defending winner at Watkins Glen, will look to claim victory again and remove pressure from his playoff fight, with only two regular-season races remaining afterward.
Race Quality and Broadcast Receive Mixed Reviews
The Iowa Corn 350 was met with lukewarm reactions regarding its overall quality. The racing itself was uninspiring for much of the event, and although this limited the television broadcast’s ability to highlight dramatic action, some critics felt production missed opportunities to emphasize the efforts of lesser-known drivers who outperformed expectations.
The broadcast covered some battles in the mid-pack but often focused heavily on Kyle Larson, whose race performance was below par. Attention would have been better directed toward underdog drivers like Ryan Preece, Bubba Wallace, and Austin Dillon, who delivered notable performances throughout the day.
While the broadcast team worked with the material available, some argued that production lacked energy and failed to fully capture the race’s evolving storylines. The race’s issues with clean air and limited overtaking were not the broadcasters’ fault, but their handling of these factors affected viewer engagement.
Overall, while not a complete failure, the event fell short of expectations for excitement and compelling action at a track known for producing strong racing in other series.
