TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Iowa Speedway
August 8-9, 2026
The end of the 2026 regular season is on the horizon, and for the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, that journey continues this weekend with a trip to the heart of the “Hawkeye State” to take on Iowa Speedway – a track where Chevrolet reigns as the defending winner in NASCAR’s premier series. Saturday’s Hy-Vee Perks 250 will mark the penultimate race of the O’Reilly Series regular season schedule, with six Team Chevy drivers heading into the weekend with a solidified spot in the title hunt. The Cup Series will round out the weekend on Sunday with the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol – the first of three-straight short-track events en route to the regular season finale.
BYRON’S HAWKEYE STATE HISTORY
Recharged from the off weekend, combined with a visit to one of his statistically strongest tracks, look for William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team to be a threat come Sunday’s 350-lap race. While the sport’s history at Iowa Speedway is short, Byron’s resume is unmatched – highlighted by a feat that sees him as one of just two drivers in history that has a win in all three NASCAR national touring series at the track. In the Cup Series, the North Carolina native hasn’t finished outside the top-two, including his win in last season’s event, to earn a series-best average finish of 1.5. In its companion series, it took just one start for Byron to break into victory lane – earning his one O’Reilly Series win with JR Motorsports in 2017 and one Craftsman Truck Series win with Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2016.
HOCEVAR’S CAREER SEASON CONTINUES
Carson Hocevar’s third full-time NASCAR Cup Series campaign has been nothing short of impressive, and he only built upon that in the “Racing Capital of the World”. For the fourth time this season, the Michigan native was the Bowtie brigade’s top finisher when he led the manufacturer with a top-10 result in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The finish, along with a bank of the second-highest points of the day, propelled Hocevar up two positions to make his first appearance in the top-five of the standings. Hocevar has been a steady fixture above the Chase cutline throughout the season, a large part due to consistency that has seen the young Team Chevy driver earn a season average finish of 14.01 – a feat nearly nine positions improved compared to the record book he had at this point of the season in 2025.
THE SITE OF STENHOUSE’S FIRST
Iowa Speedway is the site that made Ricky Stenhouse Jr. a first-time winner in the NASCAR national ranks. Rewinding to 2011 and his sophomore season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Stenhouse Jr. made his first trip to victory lane at Iowa, going on to reel off three-straight at the track (2011 sweep; May 2012) – a record streak in the division that still stands today. Returning to the track 12 years later for the Cup Series’ inaugural event, the Mississippi native quickly found his footing around the 7/8-mile oval to earn a top-five finish.
MAYER ON THE BRINK OF A RECORD STREAK
Entering the penultimate race of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series regular season with a 29-point advantage over the cutline, there’s no better track than Iowa Speedway for Sam Mayer and the No. 41 Haas Factory Team to further build onto that cushion. Since the series return to the track in 2024, Mayer has earned back-to-back trips to victory lane. A win in Saturday’s race would tie the series’ record streak at the track, which is currently held by fellow Team Chevy driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Mayer’s two career Iowa starts nearly mirror each other, with the pair of wins accompanied by fifth-place qualifying efforts and top-four finishes in each stage.
KVAPIL ROCKETS UP THE RANKS
Carson Kvapil conquered the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval to earn his first career win in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Part Series. With a 69-point day, the best of the race by 20 points over veteran driver Justin Allgaier, Kvapil made the biggest move up the standings to a career-best rank of second heading into the Iowa race weekend. With a campaign that has seen the driver compete with three different team and crew chief pairings, his early berth into the Chase is even more impressive.
Another Record on the Horizon for JR Motorsports:
A storybook season continues for JR Motorsports with Kvapil’s Indianapolis victory marking the organization’s 14th trip to victory lane this season – boosting its winning percentage to 63.6 percent on the season. Kvapil, the sixth different driver to earn a win under the JRM banner this season, also led the organization to one-two-three-four finish – making them the first organization in series’ history to sweep the top-four finishing positions of a race. The organization sits at now 79 consecutive races with at least one finish in the top-10 – tying the record previously set by RFK Racing.
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the Iowa Speedway race weekend with the Corvette Stingray pacing the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in their respective events.
· Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR national ranks at Iowa Speedway:
NASCAR Cup Series
William Byron – one win (Aug. 2025)
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – three wins (2011 sweep; May 2012)
Sam Mayer – two wins (Aug. 2025; June 2024)
Justin Allgaier – one win (June 2018)
William Byron – one win (June 2017)
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
William Byron – one win (June 2016)
Austin Dillon – one win (July 2010)
· With Grant Enfinger’s win at Lime Rock Park, Chevrolet sits just two wins away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.
· With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.
· In 165 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 73 victories – a winning percentage of 44.2%.
· Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.
· With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 887 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
FOR THE FANS:
Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Iowa Speedway, which features a variety of vehicles including: Silverado 2500 LTZ, Tahoe High Country, Silverado 1500 LTZ, Equinox EV RS, Traverse RS, Corvette Z06, Blazer EV SS, Colorado ZR2, NASCAR Cup Series Camaro ZL1 show car.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:
Friday, August 7: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 8: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 9: 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:
Saturday, August 8:
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Michael McDowell: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Justin Allgaier & Carson Kvapil: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sammy Smith & Rajah Caruth: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Sunday, August 9:
Austin Dillon: 10:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
Kyle Larson: 10:50 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.
Ross Chastain & Shane van Gisbergen: 11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.
Daniel Suarez: 11:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
William Byron: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Cup Series
Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol
Sunday, Aug. 9, at 3:30 p.m. ET
USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Hy-Vee Perks 250
Saturday, Aug. 8, at 5 p.m. ET
CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
There’s a little different look to your Busch Light car this weekend?
“Being an eighth generation watermelon farmer, agriculture and farming are really important to me. It’s awesome to be able to drive Busch Light’s ‘For the Farmers’ paint scheme this weekend at Iowa. There’s no better place to do it since Iowa since is farm country. When you drive up to the speedway, it’s surrounded by green fields. Farmers and farming are very important for providing food for our population and there’s no Busch Light without ingredients grown by farmers.”
You had a weekend off. Are you excited to get back to the track?
“I’m excited for the 50 minute practice this weekend at Iowa. I support having one longer practice session and I’m happy NASCAR has made some adjustments to move in that direction. I hope our Busch Light ‘For the Farmers’ Chevy is good to start with in practice and all we have to do is make a few minor adjustments. I love racing at Iowa Speedway. The surface is weathered and rough which makes it challenging to drive and you really have to hit your marks perfectly.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
What makes Iowa Speedway stand out?
“Iowa is a short track, it’s got a lot of character, hard winters, hot summers. It’s fun to go there. We’ll try to work on the balance of the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet to make sure we can get through the bumps and be sure to take care of our tires. I think this race is going to be one of the best ones because of how aged the track is.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
What does Iowa mean to you and what will it take to be successful this weekend?
“Iowa Speedway is a special place for me because I have a lot of history there. From my K&N days to my time in the O’Reilly Series, it’s a track where I learned a lot and built a lot of confidence. Coming back now with Spire Motorsports, the goal is to take everything I’ve learned over the years and use that experience to help our team keep improving. Iowa is the kind of place where myself, my crew, and the setup all have to work together, and that’s what makes it such a challenge and such a fun track to race.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Why have you enjoyed success at Iowa Speedway?
“Iowa Speedway is one of those places where, when I show up, I feel really comfortable with the track. It’s a place where I’ve logged a lot of laps over the course of my career, and I’ve always enjoyed going there. Iowa is a short track, but it feels like a mile-and-a-half in some ways because of the speeds you can carry.”
What do you expect this weekend?
“The end of the race gets quite wild and there’s a lot of crashes. I think that’s one thing that gives me confidence every time there is that I know when it gets chaotic, I feel comfortable. Give me less practice, give me less qualifying and give us some crazy. When there is chaos, I feel calm in the chaos. This is one of those tracks that seems to induce some of that at the end of restarts.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
How was your off weekend and what is your impression of Iowa?
“It was nice to have a rare off weekend to reset, spend time with family, and play a lot of golf. Iowa Speedway is a unique and fun racetrack with some really bumpy sections. There aren’t many tracks like it, and I think that’s what makes it enjoyable. We weren’t as good as we hoped to be in our first year there, but last year we were much closer and had decent speed. Hopefully, we can build on our short-track program, put together a strong run, and come away with a solid result.”
What is an important lesson you are carrying with you into Iowa?
“For me, I’m always going to race hard, but if you push too much, that’s when mistakes happen. The goal is to not make mistakes and put ourselves in a good position at the end of the race so we have a chance for a strong finish. I think we can do that at Iowa.”
Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
What is your mindset heading into Iowa Speedway?
“Iowa should be a good challenge for our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen team. I’ve watched past races and spent time in the simulator to prep for this weekend. Austin (Dillon) and the No. 3 team were solid there last year and left with a top-10 finish, so we are going to use their notes to put us close at the start of practice. Getting a full 50-minute practice session now should be good for our team, because it allows myself to have more laps to learn the track in the Cup car and also allows Andy (Street, crew chief) and the guys to make a few more adjustments. If we execute throughout the weekend, I think we can have a good finish.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
“We’re ready to get back to racing after the off week. It was nice to have a little time to reset, but everyone at Hyak Motorsports is excited to get back to the track. Iowa is a fun place to race because it’s fast, technical, and the racing gets pretty intense. Track position is always important there, so qualifying well and keeping up with the changing track throughout the weekend will be key. We’ve got NOS Energy Drink on the car, and if we execute all weekend, I think we’ll have a chance to be racing up front when it matters.”
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
Last year’s Iowa Corn 350 was your first start of any kind at Iowa Speedway. How helpful is it to go back to Iowa with firsthand experience at the track?
“I was probably one of the only guys last year that hadn’t competed in a national series race at Iowa before, so to be able to go back with a Cup race under my belt is going to be pretty huge. That will definitely lessen that learning curve this time around.
I learned the track is very abrasive. They’ve done some asphalt work, but it’s disconnected as far as where the new patches of pavement are compared to the old, and so that created a lack of forward drive. It definitely was one of the tougher races we had last year. But it was also tangible experience, too. We didn’t have that before.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
What makes Iowa Speedway so challenging?
“Iowa is great. The last few years have put on some fun shows. I’ve raced there a bunch in O’Reilly and ARCA. Even in years when I wasn’t running full-time in O’Reilly, I’d still do the standalone races for some of the bigger organizations or whoever had an open seat.
It was honestly my best track from a results standpoint, but going back there with the Cup car was so different. The track had aged in some areas, then there were new asphalts and patches. It was a very different racetrack.
The heat, surface, roughness, changes and grip differences from patch to patch or from old asphalt and newer asphalt. There’s so much going on in one lap there. It’s really hard to describe. Iowa is very tricky; it’s like a puzzle piece that you’re putting together, where you catch that grip strip and how you come off it, but I am looking forward to getting there and trying to get it right.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
What makes Iowa a difficult track to race?
“It is difficult to race because everyone is fighting for two lanes and you’re all on top of each other. It is really bumpy getting into Turn 1. When you are three or four wide on a restart, if you bottom out over those bumps it is very unpredictable. The lane also moves around a little with the patch, so you are constantly racing the bumps and surface changes. It is a really challenging track, but super fun to race at.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
How did you spend your weekend off?
“I went fishing down in Florida and got a little bit more sun than I was anticipating. It was a good time to get away from things for a few days, but it did feel weird not being at the racetrack this past weekend. I definitely think that it’s good to get away from things for a little bit. It certainly helps to reset your mind.”
What’s the blueprint to have a good day there at Iowa Speedway?
“I won the ARCA race there the first time I went and then last year, in the O’Reilly Series race, I led the entire first stage. I think I had a loose wheel and had to go to the back and came back to finish fourth. I feel like Iowa has always treated me pretty well. It’s certainly a unique racetrack with it being partially paved. There are really only three usable lanes and by three, I mean three car widths. It’s not very wide, but it is racy inside of those three car widths. The banking fall off at Iowa is certainly different and you get some loose moments off Turn 4. Coming off of the new pavement and switching to the old pavement you feel that as the driver and you’ll get some tire spin off of the new pavement. I’m excited to see what it’s like in a Cup car going there for the first time this weekend.”
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
What can you take away from your recent result at North Wilkesboro and how can you apply this weekend at Iowa Speedway?
“Just confidence. North Wilkesboro was a race that the metric helped us, but it also shows that if we can start up front, we can stay there. That really puts the focus on qualifying, I need to be better, and we need to make our cars better. It’s just awesome to race at the front and keep ourselves there. It shows that everyone is executing and when it all comes together, we can do it.”
You are 57 points ahead of the Chase cutline. How much pride do you take in that, knowing the strides you took to get to this point?
“It’s pretty awesome. To be honest, I was stoked after making those leaps above the cutline. It’s been great to get a lot of points on these ovals. As a team we aren’t exactly where we want to be. We want to make the most of the bad days and try and score as many points as possible. On our bad days we still have to be 15th to 20th and that’s not a good day for points you know. Sometimes you have to suck those days up and accept it, even though you want to be better. There are four races to go and our focus at the moment is points every week.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturer Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 44
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Most recent: 2025
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Driver Championships:
Total (1949-2025): 34
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)
Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2026 STATISTICS:
Wins: 6
Poles: 5
Laps Led: 1,635
Top-Fives: 38
Top-10s: 74
Stage Wins: 16
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 887 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 771
Laps led to date: 258,369
Top-fives to date: 4,474
Top-10s to date: 9,225
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,221
Chevrolet: 887
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 851
Ford: 751
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 216
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.
GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.
