In a tense and strategy-packed 140-lap NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway, William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team captured a significant victory, marking Chevrolet’s first triumph in NASCAR’s top division at this track. This win not only represents Byron Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Victory but also propels Chevrolet to become the first manufacturer to reach ten wins this season in 23 points-paying races.
Starting from the front row, Byron surged ahead immediately, taking control on the opening lap of the Iowa Corn 350 Presented by Ethanol. He maintained leadership through much of the first stage, engaging in a fierce battle with Brad Keselowski as they approached lap traffic. Despite tight racing conditions and challenges on the long runs, Byron preserved a strong position, securing third-place points at the stage’s conclusion and leading six Chevrolet drivers into the top ten at the end of Stage One.
Race Dynamics Shift Through Pit Strategy and Cautions
After the stage break, Byron restarted in second place, holding his position near the front alongside Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson during the opening portion of Stage Two. Their steady presence in the top five lasted until pit stops under green flag conditions began midway through the stage. A timely caution then altered the running order, especially benefiting Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing, who had yet to pit and later led the Bowtie Chevrolet contingent to a sixth-place finish at Stage Two’s end.
Following multiple cautions and strategic adjustments, Byron’s resilience positioned him strongly for the final stretch. With eight combined points after the first two stages, Byron ranked fourth among top stage point scorers, boosting his pursuit of the regular season championship in NASCAR’s premier series.
Chevrolet Drivers’ Strong Presence Across the Field and Season Highlights
The Chevrolet team showcased depth throughout the contest, with Alex Bowman, Carson Hocevar, and Austin Dillon completing strong performances in seventh, eighth, and tenth places, respectively. Chevrolet’s season statistics reflect a dominant campaign after 23 NASCAR Cup Series events, boasting 10 wins, 10 poles, 46 top-five finishes, 99 top-ten finishes, and 20 stage wins.
Looking forward, the NASCAR Cup Series will head to Watkins Glen International for the “Go Bowling at the Glen” event on Sunday, August 10, promising more high-stakes racing, with live broadcasts on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
William Byron Reflects on Victory and Playoff Position
Byron expressed profound relief and pride following his breakthrough victory at Iowa Speedway, emphasizing the hard work and perseverance of his team throughout a challenging season. He highlighted the importance of the final pit stop’s four-tire change and the advantage it provided regarding tire life, which was crucial in securing the win during the closing laps.
“Yeah, it was just a big relief. I feel like we have been on the bad side of some fuel races, and everybody has been working super hard and that was every ounce it took there at the end. Man, just so damn proud of this team. I feel like we have been through so much this year, and everybody has been working super hard and it showed there at the end.” —William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
“Yeah, it’s been tough results-wise, but man we have had speed. It’s just been a couple of things here and there that just didn’t go our way and today we got the cautions that we needed. I think the real play was when we took four tires there on the last pit stop, which felt like an eternity ago. We just were on the good side of tire life as well; able to have some good restarts and just get our way forward.” —William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
“Yeah, it’s good, but wins trump everything in this sport. I have heard other drivers talk about that. Man, you work so damn hard to win and get that feeling. To do that today was awesome. Just going to enjoy this one and keep it rolling.” —William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Insights from Fellow Chevrolet Drivers on Race Challenges and Results
Alex Bowman, who finished seventh, acknowledged mistakes during the final restart, particularly overheating his right-rear tire after a poor restart, which compromised his bid for the win. Despite these setbacks, he expressed pride in his team’s efforts and reflected on earlier errors that had affected their race pace.
“I got the right-rear tire really hot on that last restart and hurt myself there. I got a bad restart. We came down in second gear and William really slowed the pace down, but I knew he was in second too so I thought it would be OK. The No. 19 (Chase Briscoe) just hammered him and got him going. I got pinned on the bottom; slid the right-rear a couple of times and got it hot. That was on me. I just need to do a better job there. But overall, just proud of this No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team. Once this tire seems to get hot, it seems like it just tanks and you can’t really get it back. I just tried to take care of it from then on. Honestly, I needed to just not speed on pit road early in the race. That hurt us, but it was a good day overcoming that.” —Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Carson Hocevar credited his team’s resilience amid adversity, praising crew chief Luke Lambert for guiding the No. 77 Miner Docks Doors and More Chevrolet team to two consecutive top-10 finishes and steady momentum towards upcoming races.
“It was just another work of art from Jeff Dickerson, wanting us to fight through adversity and be able to come out with a good result. That’s what he’s preached and that’s what we’ve been focusing on. We were turned around at one point and just struggling go anywhere. We were just able to reset and regroup. Luke (Lambert, crew chief) did a really good job for this No. 77 Miner Docks Doors and More Chevrolet team to at least put something on the board and be able to go into next weekend with a little momentum with two top-10s in a row.” —Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Austin Dillon celebrated a top-10 finish with his Get Bioethanol Chevrolet, reflecting satisfaction despite a challenging day marked by cautions that disrupted his rhythm. He noted the fast car performance and expressed optimism for better results if circumstances had aligned more favorably.
“Top-10 for our Get Bioethanol Chevrolet. That feels like a win with the way things have been going. We had a really fast car today. Cautions did not go our way. I feel like we have a top-five car for sure if things had played out a bit differently. It was a blast out there and felt good to race up front with those guys and be in contention.” —Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kyle Busch faced difficulties after starting with a backup car due to a Saturday incident but fought hard to regain track position and earn stage points for his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Despite tire and traffic challenges, Busch’s crew chief Randall Burnett implemented strategic moves that kept them competitive for much of the day.
“We started the weekend in a deficit after going to a backup car on Saturday, and spent most of the day Sunday just battling for track position in our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet. Crew chief Randall Burnett made some race strategy calls that got us into the top 10 and earned us some stage points, but we lost that track position in Stage 3 and struggled to return to the front. Our Chevy couldn’t turn in traffic, even with the freshest tires and dirty air didn’t help. We busted our behinds out there today but didn’t have enough.” —Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Ross Chastain, finishing 11th for Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, highlighted the race’s long green-flag stretches interrupted by clustered cautions that affected strategies. His team continuously improved their Busch Light Farming Chevy, allowing incremental gains despite the challenging race flow.
“That was a long day in our Busch Light Farming Chevy. The race went green for so long and then we had bunch of cautions strung together. That really played a role in all the different strategies. Phil and the guys continued to work on the car all day and we got it better and just kept clicking off spots to finish 11th. We’ll take it and move on to Watkins Glen next weekend.” —Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Setbacks and Learning Moments for Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen
Shane van Gisbergen experienced a setback when he made contact with the fence after running wide, which damaged his No. 88 Red Bull Chevrolet early in the race. Thanks to his team’s quick repairs, he returned to the lead lap but was unable to salvage a strong finish due to the lingering damage.
Despite this, van Gisbergen viewed improvements in his restarts, a previously noted weakness, as a positive takeaway from his day at Iowa Speedway.
“We just ran long and I was getting looser and looser. I just made an error and it finally bit me. We were just damaged, but the No. 88 Red Bull Chevrolet team did a great job repairing it. They got us back on the lead lap, but it was ultimately too damaged to get a good result.” —Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
“I felt like on most restarts, that’s where we were making our gains. We had good speed and were getting right in the mix. That’s been a weakness of mine, and I feel like we’re getting better and better every week. We just need to get building on that. It’s not a great result, but there’s a lot of positives that have come out of today.” —Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
The Road Ahead: Playoffs and Upcoming Race at Watkins Glen
With this win, William Byron holds an 18-point lead over Chase Elliott as the NASCAR Cup Series approaches its final regular-season races, intensifying the playoff battle. Chevrolet’s historic success at Iowa Speedway adds momentum heading into the last three events before the postseason.
The series will continue at Watkins Glen International on August 10, where drivers will compete in the Go Bowling at the Glen race. This event is crucial for contenders aiming to solidify their playoff positions, with live coverage available on the USA Network, MRN radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Byron’s victory at Iowa not only contributes to Chevrolet’s impressive 2025 campaign but also underscores the intense preparation and adaptability required in the season’s final stretch, setting the stage for a dramatic conclusion to the NASCAR Cup Series regular season.