CONCORD, N.C. - In what has become a trend during the past few years of NASCAR schedule making, the sanctioning body added Iowa Speedway to the 2024 calendar. The first time the Midwest circuit will host the highest level of stock car racing will also represent the first new short track added to the Cup Series schedule since 1971.
While the Cup Series may be new to Iowa, the facility itself has a lot of history in the racing world. INDYCAR still utilizes the 0.875-mile oval on its calendar, and the track has hosted other NASCAR action in the past. From 2009-2019, the Xfinity Series held 20 races there while the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series held 13 events. In that time, William Byron won at the truck level in 2016 and again in the Xfinity Series in 2017.
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KEY NUMBERS TO KNOW FOR IOWA
Data provided by Racing Insights
Larson, No. 5 team
After winning in both 2017 and 2021, Kyle Larson is seeking his third consecutive Cup Series victory on Father's Day. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has also finished sixth or better in nine of the last 10 short-track races. A victory Sunday would represent his first back-to-back wins since 2021.
Elliott, No. 9 team
Consistency has been the mark of Chase Elliott's 2024 campaign. Through 16 races, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has yet to finish outside the top 20. He joins just seven other drivers who have accomplish the feat and is the first to do it since Kevin Harvick in 2016. Elliott will look to add his second victory of 2024 and build off two top-five results on short tracks this season.
Byron, No. 24 team
With a pair of victories at Martinsville Speedway, Byron and the No. 24 Liberty University team have found success at short tracks in the Next Gen era. On Sunday, they will aim to translate that success to Iowa, a track where Byron has excelled. In three NASCAR national series starts, he has gone to victory lane twice (2016 Truck Series and 2017 Xfinity Series).
Bowman, No. 48 team
With nine top-10 finishes, Alex Bowman is having a strong 2024 season. This weekend at Iowa, he will look to earn his third career short-track victory, adding to his previous wins at Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway. The Tucson, Arizona, native has scored a victory at Iowa in the developmental ranks, winning in the ARCA Series in 2012.
Hendrick Motorsports
With Larson's win at Sonoma, Hendrick Motorsports has earned seven victories in 2024, tying its second-best mark through the first 16 races of a season. The team has now won seven of the first 16 points-paying races on four occasions: 2024, 2021, 1997 and 1995. Its best-ever start to a season came in 2007 when Rick Hendrick's organization had 10 victories going into the 17th event.
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DID YOU KNOW?
A driver from Hendrick Motorsports has won on Father's Day five of the last nine times the Cup Series tour has raced on the date.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND TV COVERAGE
Friday, June 14
5:35 p.m. ET: Practice - USA Network
Saturday, June 15
1:05 p.m. ET: Qualifying - USA Network
Elliott will qualify in Group A, while Larson, Byron and Bowman will be in Group B.
Sunday, June 16
7 p.m. ET: Cup Series race - USA Network
STAGE LENGTHS
Stage 1: Lap 70
Stage 2: Lap 210
End of Race: Lap 350
WILL THE RACE BE ON THE RADIO?
Listeners can find both events on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
CAN I STREAM ONLINE?
Download the NBC Sports App or Peacock for streaming coverage. Fans can also keep up with the action on X by following @TeamHendrick.