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Ty Gibbs wins Iowa Cup, beats Bell on tires

8/10/2026

27 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Ty Gibbs Wins

Ty Gibbs won the Iowa Speedway Cup race by 0.253 seconds over Christopher Bell.
With 60 laps remaining, Gibbs took two right-side tires while Bell changed four, and after Ross Chastain pitted Gibbs led, with crew chief Tyler Allen saying the tire call was meant to beat Bell.
Victory moved Gibbs to second in the standings, 103 points behind Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney finished third and Josh Berry fourth.

Summary

Blaney Takes Pole

Ryan Blaney earned pole at Iowa with a 23.474-second lap, his 15th pole at the track, edging Kyle Larson by 0.018 seconds.
Brad Keselowski qualified fourth before crashing on his second lap, sending him to the rear.
Connor Zilisch earned his first top-ten oval qualifying in Cup competition.
Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin suffered brake issues, starting 20th and 29th, while Ryan Preece qualified 35th, driver below cut line.

History

Historical Context

After a 2018 management shift opened the door for a Cup Series date, Iowa Speedway joined the premier schedule in 2024, replacing the Pala Casino 400. The inaugural race highlighted tire strategy, and Ty Gibbs replicated that two-tire gamble in the 2024 Iowa Corn 350 to beat Christopher Bell. The track’s 2026 $20 million renovation underscores its growing championship role.

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Ty Gibbs Wins

Ty Gibbs won the Iowa Speedway Cup race by 0.253 seconds over Christopher Bell.
With 60 laps remaining, Gibbs took two right-side tires while Bell changed four, and after Ross Chastain pitted Gibbs led, with crew chief Tyler Allen saying the tire call was meant to beat Bell.
Victory moved Gibbs to second in the standings, 103 points behind Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney finished third and Josh Berry fourth.

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