NASCAR Race Mom: July 2025

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Iowa Speedway #NASCAR / #ARCA Race Schedule

ARCA on Friday; Xfinity on Saturday; Cup on Sunday

It all begins on tomorrow, August 1, with the ARCA Menard Series’ Atlas Roofing 150, and continues Saturday, August 2, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Hy-Vee PERKS 250. And then on Sunday, August 3, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series for the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. (The Truck Series has this weekend off)

Iowa Speedway is a 0.875 mi oval short track in Newton, Iowa. Since its inaugural season of racing in 2006, the track has hosted a variety of racing events, including events sanctioned by NASCAR and IndyCar.

As you can learn from the schedule below, there is much more to do at the track than watch good racing!

Thursday, July 31, 2025

8:00 am Campgrounds Open (All Campgrounds)
9:00 am - 5:00 pm Credential Office Hours (Credential Office)
4:00 pm - 7:30 pm NASCAR's Iowa Fan Fest

Friday, August 1, 2025

7:00 am - 7:00 pm Credential Office Hours (Credential Office)
7:30 am - 9:00 am Morning KIX Start (Campers Only - Newton Club)
10:30 am - 8:00 pm AMS Garage Hours (Arca Menards Series Garage)
12:30 pm Parking Lots Open (Parking Lots)
12:30 pm - 6:00 pm Midway Open (Midway)
1:00 pm - 6:00 pm NXS Garage Hours (Xfinity Series Garages)
1:45 pm - 2:00 pm Mason Mitchell Q&A (ARCA -NASCAR Experience)
2:00 pm Grandstand Gates Open (Grandstand Gates)
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm Chase Briscoe Q&A (NASCAR Experience Stage)
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm ARCA Menards Series Practice (On Track)
3:00 pm - 3:15 pm Sammy Smith Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
3:30 pm - 3:50 pm ARCA Menards Series Qualifying (On Track)
5:35 pm Atlas Roofing 150 Driver Introductions (Pre-Race Stage)
6:00 pm Atlas Roofing 150 | ARCA Menards Series Race (On Track)

Saturday, August 2, 2025

1 HOUR POST-RACE Back Road Concert Series featuring The Jared Stout Band (Turn 4 Midway Stage)
6:30 am - 4:00 pm Credential Office Hours (Credential Office)
7:00 am Parking Lots Open (Parking Lots)
7:00 am - 3:30 pm Midway Open (Midway)
7:00 am - 3:00 pm NCS Garage Hours (Cup Series Garage)
8:15 am - 8:30 am Josh Berry Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
8:30 am - 8:45 am Erik Jones Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
8:45 am - 9:00 am Zane Smith Q&A NASCAR Experience)
9:30 am Grandstand Gates Open (Grandstand Gates)
9:30 am - 9:45 am Todd Gilliland Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
9:45 am - 10:00 am Noah Gragson Fastest Lap (NASCAR Experience)
10:00 am - 10:30 am Sirius XM Radio: Ft. Noah Gragson (NASCAR Experience)
10:00 am - 10:50 am NASCAR Xfinity Series Practice (On Track)
10:30 am - 11:00 am Sirius XM Radio: Behind the Wheel Ft. Joey Logano (NASCAR Experience)
11:00 am - 11:30 am NASCAR Family Feud Ft. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. & John Hunter Nemechek (NASCAR Experience)
11:05 am - 12:00 pm NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying (On Track)
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm NASCAR Cup Series Practice (On Track)
12:30 pm - 12:45 pm Jeremy Clements Q&A (Chevy Display – Midway)
1:00 pm - 1:15 pm Parker Retzlaff Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
1:00 pm - 1:15 pm Jesse Love Q&A (Chevy Display)
1:15 pm - 1:30 pm Justin Allgaier & Connor Zilisch Q&A (Chevy Display)
1:30 pm - 1:45 pm Carson Kvapil & Sammy Smith Q&A (Chevy Display)
1:40 pm - 2:30 pm NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying (On Track)
1:45 pm - 2:00 pm Nick Sanchez Q&A (Chevy Display)
2:55 pm NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Introductions (Pre-Race Stage)
3:30 pm HY-VEE PERKS 250 | NASCAR Xfinity Series Race (On Track)

Sunday, August 3, 2025

8:00 am - 3:00 pm Credential Office Hours (Credential Office)
8:00 am Parking Lots Open (Parking Lots)
8:00 am - 2:30 pm Midway Open (Midway)
9:15 am - 10:00 am Trackside Chapel Service Ft. Michael McDowell & Cody Ware (NASCAR Experience)
9:30 am Grandstand Gates Open (Grandstand Gates)
10:00 am - 10:15 am Carson Hocevar Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
10:15 am - 10:30 am Ryan Preece Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
10:30 am - 11:00 am Noah’s Lego Race Car Build-Off Ft. Noah Gragson (NASCAR Experience Kids Zone)
10:30 am - 10:45 am Austin Cindric Q&A (Newton Club)
10:30 am - 11:00 am The Custer Report Ft. Cole Custer (NASCAR Experience)
10:40 am - 10:55 am Ross Chastain Q&A (Chevy Display)
10:45 am - 11:00 am Todd Gilliland (Newton Club)
11:00 am - 11:30 am NASCAR Family Feud Ft. Michael McDowell & Ross Chastain (NASCAR Experience)
11:00 am - 11:15 am Daniel Suárez Q&A (Chevy Display)
11:20 am - 11:35 am Alex Bowman Q&A (Chevy Display)
11:30 am - 10:00 pm NCS Garage Hours (Cup Series Garage)
11:30 am - 11:45 am Justin Haley Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
11:30 am - 11:45 am Tyler Reddick Q&A (Newton Club)
11:35 am - 11:50 am Shane van Gisbergen Q&A (Chevy Display)
11:45 am - 12:00 pm Austin Dillon Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
11:45 am - 2:15 pm Fanwalk Pre-Race Access (Frontstretch / Pre-Race Stage)
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm Cody Ware Q&A (NASCAR Experience)
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm Kyle Larson & William Byron Q&A (Chevy Display)
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm Kyle Busch Q&A (Chevy Display)
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Corey Kent Busch Light Summer Music Series Concert (Pre-Race Stage)
12:30 pm - 12:45 pm Eric Peterson Q&A (Track President) (NASCAR Experience)
1:40 pm Red Carpet Walk (Fanwalk)
1:50 pm NASCAR Cup Series Driver Introductions (Pre-Race Stage)
2:30 pm Iowa Corn 350 Powered By Ethanol | NASCAR Cup Series Race (On Track)

*Central Daylight Time

We are ready for some short-track racing all weekend long! 😤 pic.twitter.com/v3xptHFwoj
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 31, 2025

source: NASCAR Media

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Corey Kent Performing Busch Light Summer Music Series Pre-Race Concert at Iowa Speedway

The show highlights pre-race festivities for Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the Fastest Short Track on the Planet.

Country music sensation Corey Kent will bring high-octane energy to Iowa Speedway on Sunday, August 3, as part of the Busch Light Summer Music Series. The red dirt hitmaker will perform just before the green flag drops for the highly anticipated Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol NASCAR Cup Series race.

Known for his dynamic performances and chart-topping hits such as “Wild As Her” and “This Heart,” Kent will deliver an electrifying show on the frontstretch that blends modern country with southern rock grit. His performance will amp up the excitement for race fans and music lovers alike as they gear up for an unforgettable day of entertainment and high-speed action at the Fastest Short Track on the Planet.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Corey Kent to the Busch Light Summer Music Series,” said Iowa Speedway President Eric Peterson. “This performance is the perfect way to ignite a full-throttle experience for our fans leading into the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol.”

Rising from the vibrant Red Dirt country scene as the embodiment of authenticity, Kent set his sights on Nashville as a teen, bringing his self-penned catalog of country-rock anthems with him. But after the loss of his first publishing deal, Kent was forced to move to Texas and get a job on a paving crew to pay the bills, yet he stubbornly refused to call music quits, with honky-tonks and dancehalls on both sides of the Red River becoming his stomping ground.

Fast forward a few years and the hit single “Wild As Her” proved he was right all along. An untamed tribute to a free-spirited stunner, the track re-invigorated Kent’s career as a now Triple Platinum-certified No. 1 at country radio, and the lead single off his major label album debut, Blacktop. Despite never cracking country radio’s Top 40, Kent’s trust-your-gut second single “Something’s Gonna Kill Me” went Gold, proving his message was connecting. Kent just landed his second Country Airplay Top 5 with the release of “This Heart,” and momentum has kept building, with Kent hitting the road alongside Jason Aldean, Jon Pardi, Parker McCollum and more. Next-big-thing accolades came in from CMT, Opry Next Stage and more, but even as Kent became the most played new artist on country radio for all of 2023, he kept the underdog, who-cares-about-conventional-wisdom mentality. And so did his fans.

For Kent, the point was that his fans have the same independent spirit he does, and he took that lesson into his next chapter. Settled into his ranch in Texas and intent on being fully present with his family while also achieving his dreams, Kent most recently released his sophomore major-label album, Black Bandana, to critical acclaim, with MusicRow Magazine describing the title track as “gently but unrelentingly uplifting.” Often seen with a black bandana around his neck, Black Bandana holds great meaning for Kent – it’s his rally cry.

This album is about finding balance, keeping clear eyes on what’s important – and waving that Black Bandana for all to see.

“The Busch Light Summer Music Series is off to an incredible start, and we’re delighted to bring Corey Kent to Iowa for what’s sure to be an unforgettable fourth show,” said Krystyn Stowe, Head of Marketing, Busch Family & Natural Family at Anheuser-Busch. “Iowa holds a special place in Busch Light’s heart-much of the corn we use in our beer is grown right here-so there’s no better place to bring together the best of racing, country music, and of course, cold Busch Light.”

The Iowa Speedway performance will be the fourth of five full-length concerts of the inaugural Busch Light Summer Music Series – an exciting fan experience born from the renewed partnership with NASCAR’s Official Beer Sponsor. Since the 1990s, Anheuser-Busch has created countless opportunities for 21+ NASCAR fans to get closer to the sport they love.

Corey Kent to perform at Iowa Speedway during first-ever Busch Light Summer Music Series https://t.co/e6WpRkJSaU
— CW Iowa 23 (@CWIowa23) June 5, 2025

Kent’s Busch Light Summer Music Series performance at Iowa Speedway is included with Sunday race admission for the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. That race is a major highlight on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, and Kent’s performance adds to an already stacked weekend of speed, celebration, and summer fun.

source: Iowa Speedway Media

Monday, July 28, 2025

NASCAR / ARCA Race Recap (Indianapolis Motor Speedway/Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park)

#NASCAR / #ARCA Race Recap (Indianapolis Motor Speedway/Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park)

Winners: Bubba Wallace (Cup); ConnorZilisch (Xfinity); Layne Riggs (Trucks) plus Brent Crews (ARCA)

Recap Graphic by Rolando Ramirez - RTR Graphics

NASCAR Cup

Bubba Wallace Holds On in Double Overtime

Mother Nature wasn’t going to deprive Bubba Wallace of the most important win of his career, not on this Sunday afternoon.

Unsure of the amount of fuel left in his No. 23 Toyota, Wallace survived a rain shower and two overtime restarts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to win the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG, punching his ticket to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Wallace was comfortably ahead of runner-up Kyle Larson with four laps left in regulation, but the sudden shower forced NASCAR to call the fifth caution of the afternoon.

The rain was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, and after a short stoppage to dry the track, Wallace pulled ahead of Larson on the first overtime restart. A five-car accident on the backstretch, however, sent the race to a second extra period.

Wallace stayed on track for the next restart — hoping his fuel would last — and again pulled away from Larson and this time took the white flag without incident. After one more circuit, he crossed the finish line 0.222 seconds ahead of Larson to claim the trophy in the crown-jewel event.

The third victory of Wallace’s career ended a 100-race dry spell dating to Sept. 11, 2022 at Kansas Speedway. He led 30 laps, including the last 26, as the race went eight circuits beyond the scheduled 160.

“Oh, my gosh, I’m just so proud of this team,” Wallace said. “That adrenaline rush is crazy, ’cause I’m coming off that right now — and I’m worn out.”

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “To win here at the Brickyard, knowing how big this race is, knowing all the noise that’s going on in the background, to set that all aside is a testament to these people here on this 23 team. It’s been getting old right around the cut line (for the playoffs).”

Kyle Larson finished second; Denny Hamlin placed third; Ryan Preece came in fourth and Brad Keselowski completed the top five.

Woke up thinking about yesterday's #Brickyard400 presented by @PPG finish 😌

What a performance by @BubbaWallace on that final overtime restart. 👏 pic.twitter.com/HtqUKTV3of
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) July 28, 2025

Pole: Chase Briscoe

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, August 3, 2025 at 3:30 pm ET for the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol at Iowa Speedway.

NASCAR Xfinity

Three in a Row: Connor Zilisch Stays Hot

As contrary as it might seem, there was ambivalence in Connor Zilisch’s victory in Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Yes, Zilisch won his third straight NASCAR Xfinity Series race and added to his inarguable credentials as a budding superstar. What’s more, Zilisch delivered victory No. 100 to JR Motorsports, the organization founded by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister, Kelly Earnhardt Miller.

But Zilisch’s victory came at the expense of teammate Justin Allgaier, who made a heroic move on the outside to retake the lead from Kyle Larson on Lap 74 and had the win in his sights until the following restart on Lap 87.

That’s when Larson’s No. 17 Chevrolet broke loose in Turn 1 and turned Allgaier’s Chevrolet into the outside wall and out of the race.

That left Zilisch and Taylor Gray to battle for the lead after a restart with four laps left. With a push from the Ford of Sam Mayer, Zilisch took control on Lap 99 of 100 and held on to win by 0.339 seconds over Mayer as Gray slipped to third.

“I see some bricks that look kissable, and I’m going to kiss them,” Zilisch said, referencing an Indianapolis tradition started by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett. “This is awesome. One hundred wins for JRM. Congrats to Dale, Kelley, L.W. (Miller), everybody who’s raced for JRM, everybody who works at JRM.”

“I’m the smallest part of this team, and I’m so glad to be a part of it.”

“I hate it for Justin, because he’s been the cornerstone of the company for so many years,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said of the reigning series champion. “He’s been dependable, reliable, great with our partners and he wants to do these things for us.”

Sam Mayer finished second; Taylor Gray placed third; Kyle Larson came in fourth and Ryan Sieg completed the top five.

What a moment between @DaleJr and @ConnorZilisch. 🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/FkGgjJQxNh
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) July 27, 2025

Pole: Sam Mayer

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 4:30 pm ET for the ‘HyVee Perks 250’ at Iowa Speedway.

NASCAR Trucks

Layne Riggs Leads 160 Laps, Wins at IRP

The post-race celebration said it all.

Layne Riggs planted the nose of his No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford firmly against the outside of the pit row wall and lit up his tires as members of his team stood on the barrier and pumped their fists repeatedly.

The elation was well-deserved after Riggs scored his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Friday night’s TSport 200.

With his second victory of the season and a sweep of the first two stages, Riggs cut into the dominating lead of Corey Heim with two races left in the regular season.

Nevertheless, Heim, who ran third in a balky No. 11 Toyota, clinched the regular-season title.

“I’ll tell you, this truck was badass, man,” Riggs said after climbing from the F-150 on pit road. “It was so great. I was just out front saving my tires at the end. Then I was just waiting for a late-race caution (which never came), trying to run the bottom and trying to keep the least amount of distance to keep the distance off my tires.

“It’s so great to get (sponsor) Clew Nicotine Pouches in Victory Lane. That’s only their second race with us, and we’re super excited to have them. That was a pretty cool celebration.”

Corey Day finished second; Corey Heim placed third; Grant Enfinger came in fourth and Ty Majeski completed the top five.

A big team win means a big team celebration. pic.twitter.com/LOYONzao0F
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 26, 2025

Pole: Corey Heim

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Friday, August 8, 2025 at 5:00 pm ET for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race at Watkins Glen at Watkins Glen International.

ARCA

Brent Crews rebounds at Lucas Oil IRP

Brent Crews helped Joe Gibbs Racing check another box in the ARCA Menards Series Friday evening at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Gibbs’ ARCA Menards Series program had yet to win at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park prior to the LiUNA! 150 presented by Dutch Boy. Excellent second half adjustments from crew chief Matt Ross enabled Crews to overtake Brenden Queen and pull away for his second ARCA Menards Series national win of the year and third overall.

Crews has now won half of the ARCA Menards Series events he has entered in 2025. He knew adjustments would be needed to eclipse Queen’s stellar pace, but commended Ross for perfecting his car during the closing 75 laps.

“I was exhausted,” Crews said. “This JGR group did an absolutely fabulous job at the break there. [Queen] was really good in the first half and I was giving everything I had trying to hang with him. I knew Matt [Ross] and the crew had something up their sleeve to get me that extra little bit at the halfway break and that’s exactly what he did.”

Lawless Alan finished second; Brenden Queen placed third; Isabella Robusto came in fourth and Lavar Scott completed the top five.

Crewsing! @BrentCrews11 wins at @RaceIRP! pic.twitter.com/4yFHRBsPuS
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 25, 2025

Pole: Brenden Queen

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The ARCA Series will return on Friday, August 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET for the ‘Atlas 150’ at Iowa Speedway.

source: NASCAR Media

Sunday, July 27, 2025

Ty Dillon vs Ty Gibbs

$1,000,000 on the Line in the In-Season Challenge

Racing for a Million! This weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ty Dillon will go head-to-head with Ty Gibbs in the In-Season Challenge in the Championship Round. The driver with the highest finish will win $1 million.

Ty Dillon will make his sixth Cup Series start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend in the Brickyard 400. In his five previous starts at the track, Dillon had a best finish of 13th in 2019 and had four finishes in the top 20, with his worse finish being 21st.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend. Our team is excited, not just the No. 10 team, but everyone at Kaulig Racing. I’ve won at Indianapolis before and kissed the bricks in the Xfinity Series and every time I’ve gone to Indy, on the big track, I’ve felt very comfortable. I ran Indy last year, so it’s one of the few tracks I’ve ran in the last year, everywhere else, I’ve had a whole year off from racing and you feel like you’re a mile behind and trying to catch up all weekend. I love going back to the tracks where I had an opportunity to run last year. Indy is a place I really look forward to racing and think we can have a good run this weekend and give ourselves a shot at winning the In-Season Challenge and walking away with the million.” Ty Dillon

A charge to fifth place at Dover continued Ty Gibbs’ recent surge, and he now sits in the top 16 in points after averaging an 8.0 finish over the past seven races. He’s a former Brickyard winner — on the road course and in the Xfinity Series, so take it with a grain of salt as it pertains to Sunday — but lines up well to perhaps crack through for his first Cup triumph there this weekend, with extra motivation fueling him with $1 million on the line.

So how do you win a race within the race? Gibbs is trying to keep it simple.“I think it’s most important to win the race, and then we can win the million bucks with it,” Ty Gibbs said.

As an interesting note, though Gibbs and Dillon have varying levels of NASCAR Cup series experience, neither has won a Cup race in their careers. Gibbs has twice finished runner-up — coming at Darlington a year ago and earlier this month at Chicago. Dillion’s career-best finish came in 2020 at Talladega where he took third place.

Gibbs qualified sixth and finished 23rd in last season’s Brickyard 400, while Dillon started 22nd and came in 19th.

May the best Ty win.

The highest finisher among these two Sunday wins the inaugural In-Season Challenge and a $1,000,000 prize. 💰 pic.twitter.com/zbtUJ6BNSb
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 27, 2025

Ty Gibbs qualified fifth and Ty Dillon twenty-sixth for today’s Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG.

source: NASCAR Media

Monday, July 21, 2025

NASCAR / ARCA Race Recap (Dover)

#NASCAR / #ARCA Race Recap (Dover)