Ty Gibbs Dominates at Iowa Speedway, Proving His First Win Was No Fluke
Iowa Speedway roared to life this weekend as Ty Gibbs captured his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory, putting on a masterclass in passing and patience on the seventh-eighth-mile oval. The win comes just 15 races after his first career victory at Bristol, silencing critics who wondered if the young driver could replicate his early success.
Gibbs celebrated in true Iowa fashion: he helped start the digging up of the track's surface, which is set to undergo a repave. Some drivers might wish the repave wasn't happening, because Gibbs showed that with the right handling, this track is built for competitive racing.
After a bad pit stop sent him near the rear of the field early in the race, Gibbs worked his way through traffic and held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell for the win. It was a gritty performance that highlighted both driver skill and team strategy.
Two Times the Charm
Gibbs' first career victory at Bristol earlier this year was a breakthrough moment. But the second win carries weight. It took Gibbs 131 races to earn his first Cup victory. This one came just 15 races later.
“It just took us a little bit to figure out what I needed and what I needed in the team, and now we got it,” Gibbs said in his post-race news conference.
The victory moves Gibbs up in the standings and gives his team momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Bell Tolls Second Again
Christopher Bell finished second for the seventh time this year, including four of the last five races. Despite moving from 10th to sixth in the standings, the frustration was evident.
“This is what you call a bad second-place finish for sure,” Bell said in his USA Sports interview after the race. “Ty did a really good job. He did a great job managing the race. I could tell that he was slipping and sliding around. He just didn't make a mistake.”
Bell's consistency is remarkable, but the lack of a win is becoming a talking point as The Chase approaches.
Reddick and Hendrick Woes Continue
Tyler Reddick crashed on the fourth lap of the race, suffering his fourth finish of 30th or worse in the last six races. He took out Erik Jones, who is on the bubble to make The Chase, along the way.
“For us to take ourselves out is one thing, but to take out a fellow Toyota teammate when they are racing for The Chase pretty much ended their day as well. It is the type of stuff you don't do to yourself, and you don't do to a teammate,” Reddick said outside the medical center.
Reddick isn't the only driver struggling. Chase Elliott wrecked in practice and had to overcome a bad pit stop to finish 15th for his ninth consecutive finish outside the top 10. His teammate Kyle Larson was 33rd after a wreck that also damaged Alex Bowman (34th). Larson has finished 30th or worse in four of the last five races.
Josh Berry Surging
Josh Berry, who already knows he is out of a ride at Wood Brothers Racing after this year (Jesse Love will replace him), finished fourth at Iowa. That followed his seventh-place finish at Indianapolis. Those were the type of finishes Berry had been hoping for all along.
“We've just got to keep pushing,” Berry said in his USA Sports interview after the race. “I think we've got a lot of good tracks coming up.”
What's Next: Richmond
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Richmond, a relatively flat 0.75-mile oval, for a Saturday night race. It is the only visit to Richmond for the series this year. Austin Dillon has won the previous two races at Richmond. He captured the victory in 2024 but with controversy after having contact with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin in the final turns. He won in 2025 with no drama.
For Iowa fans, the race was a reminder that the state's speedway can deliver thrilling action. With a repave on the horizon, next year's race could look different. But for now, Gibbs' victory is one for the books.