This week, we would see the defending champ Ryan Blaney absolutely dominate the debut Iowa race. This time, he would have enough fuel to finish the job after losing the race on the last lap at Gateway just two weeks ago.
The race would start with Blaney taking the lead from pole sitter Kyle Larson on the initial start before the first caution would wave quickly on lap four. As Corey Lajoie would spin after contact between his teammates, Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith would bring him around. Larson would edge out Blaney on the next restart on lap 10. We would see our longest run of the weekend so far as the practice sessions were plagued by tire issues. During this long run, we would see most of the Toyota camp struggling with one of the odds on favorites in Denny Hamlin would even fall off the lead lap before AJ Almendinger would lose a tire and bring out the second caution flag of the day on lap 52. Daniel Suarez and Brad Keselowski would stay out on old tires to inherit the lead while Justin Haley, who was running top 10, would be sent to the back with an equipment violation. This would set up a 10 lap shootout to end the first stage. Ryan Blaney would make short work of the top two en route to the stage victory.
Stage 1 results:
1. Ryan Blaney
2. Kyle Larson
3. Daniel Suarez
4. William Byron
5. Josh Berry
6. Joey Logano
7. Corey Lajoie
8. Brad Keselowski
9. Chase Elliott
10. Kyle Busch
During the stage break, the top 14 cars would stay out, and Daniel Suarez would be the first of those who pitted in 15th place. Larson would snag the lead back from Blaney before we would get our fourth caution of the day as John Hunter Nemecheck and Noah Gragson would make contact fighting for 21st. Larson would pit from the lead due to fears of a tire going down due to contact. The race would restart on lap 87 as Blaney would have off William Byron and hold onto the lead. Larson would start his rapid charge up through the field, getting back into the top ten by lap 110. Michael McDowell would have to pit from eighth place just a few short laps later as he would lose a tire. On lap 134, Kyle Busch would pit for a vibration from the top 10. Thankfully, for him, the pit cycle would start shortly thereafter. During the cycle, Ross Chastain and Erik Jones would both lose tires, but we’re able to make it to pit road without a caution being thrown. Most cars would pit before caution would come out for Daniel Hemric, who made light contact with the wall. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. would inherit the lead after staying out on the pit cycle, trapping several cars a lap down. Stenhouse would lead the field to green over Byron. The pair would make contact into turn one. Nearly wrecking both competitors as Larson would retake the lead, which he would hold onto for the rest of stage en route to the stage win.
Stage 2 results
1. Kyle Larson
2. Josh Berry
3. Chase Elliott
4. Ryan Blaney
5. Bubba Wallace
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Chris Buescher
8. Todd Gilliland
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Justin Haley
Chris Buescher would lead the field to green to start the final stage over his teammate Brad Keselowski after staying out during the stage break pit cycle. Larson would go in the middle of three on Suarez and Hamlin and get turned across Hamlins nose while fighting for 5th, this would all but end his day. The next restart would see Buescher and Josh Berry trade the lead back and forth several times before Berry started to pull away. On lap 260, Buescher would blow a tire from 5th, bringing out what would be the final caution of the evening. Ryan Blaney would inherit the lead with a two tire pit stop. He would retain that lead and set sail on the restart with no one being able to chase him down before he took the checkered. Kyle Busch would have differential issues that would soil a desperately needed top 10 run, and Michael McDowell would give up 12th after cutting a second right front tire. The defending champ finally breaks through after the heartbreak finishes in Atlanta and Gateway that he could’ve won and officially locked himself into the postseason.
Race Results (top 10)
1. Ryan Blaney
2. William Byron
3. Chase Elliott
4. Christopher Bell
5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
6. Joey Logano
7. Josh Berry
8. Alex Bowman
9. Daniel Suarez
10. Brad Keselowski
Photo Credit: @puffadda
pitboxpress.com 