Iowa Corn 350: Fuel Strategy Propels Byron to Victory
In a thrilling display of strategy and precision, William Byron secured his second victory of the NASCAR Cup Series season at the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. Utilizing an exceptional fuel-saving strategy amidst a flurry of caution flags, Byron managed to stretch his fuel to 144 laps—well beyond the typical 100-lap fuel window at the Iowa Speedway.
Byron, driving the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, crossed the finish line 1.192 seconds ahead of Chase Briscoe, who had secured the pole position. Brad Keselowski, winner of the first two stages, finished third, while defending champion Ryan Blaney rounded out the top four. The race featured a total of 12 caution periods, which collectively halted the action for 72 laps.
Byron reflected on the race afterward, expressing gratitude to his crew chief Rudy Fugle and the entire team for their support. “Man, how about that for some fuel mileage?” Byron stated. “We’ve had our fair share of things not go our way this year… but it feels really good today to get a win.”
By the end of the race, Byron led for a total of 141 laps, including the final 74. His ability to conserve fuel was crucial, especially after a previous race at Indianapolis where he ran out of fuel in overtime. “I think I ran out right there (during the burnout),” Byron added, noting the close call as he celebrated his victory.
Chase Briscoe, who pushed Byron during the final run, expressed disappointment at not being able to mount a more serious challenge. "I thought I was really in the catbird seat there, and I just got there and kind of stalled out,” Briscoe said.
Keselowski, despite winning the first two stages and climbing back from 24th, cited the numerous cautions as detrimental to his strategy. “Just the way the yellows fell… it got the No. 24 and the No. 19 (Briscoe) to where they could make it on fuel pitting way outside the window,” he explained.
Ryan Preece finished fifth, closing the points gap to Roush Fenway Keselowski teammate Chris Buescher in the hunt for a Playoff spot. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace rebounded from two laps down to finish sixth after overcoming damage to his vehicle. Alex Bowman secured seventh place, maintaining a solid position in the potential Playoff standings.
The series now heads to Watkins Glen International for the Go Bowling at the Glen on Sunday, with critical Playoff positions at stake.
Results Summary
- 1. William Byron
- 2. Chase Briscoe
- 3. Brad Keselowski
- 4. Ryan Blaney
- 5. Ryan Preece
- 6. Bubba Wallace
- 7. Alex Bowman
- 8. Carson Hocevar
- 9. Joey Logano
- 10. Austin Dillon
Byron’s victory at Iowa marks the 15th of his career, and with this win, he reclaimed the championship lead, now 18 points ahead of teammate Chase Elliott.
