In just two days, nascar The Cup Series makes its debut at Iowa Speedway with the ethanol-powered Iowa Corn 350.
Although 29 of the 36 drivers in the field have prior experience at Iowa in the Xfinity and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, this will be their first in the next-generation car. As this historic race day approaches, Racing visions She has provided her predictions for the full finishing order, including who will take the checkered flag.
Racing Insights uses “an advanced statistical formula that includes the current track, current track type, recent performance, team data and pit crew data to arrive at the projected winner and complete race results.”
1) Kyle Larson
Larson, the current points leader, is less than one week away from capturing the checkered flag at Sonoma, his third win of the season. Heading into this Sunday in Iowa, Larson has several things going for him. For starters, Larson participated in a Goodyear tire test last month in Iowa, which underwent partial repaving in preparation for the race.
Larson has dominated the short tracks lately, finishing sixth or better in nine of his last 10 starts. He won at Martinsville and Richmond last season and could be poised to get it done at Iowa on Sunday. Oh, and it should be noted that Father’s Day is on Sunday. Larson won on Father’s Day 2021 in Nashville.
2) Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin enters the Iowa Corn 350 after one of the most disappointing days of his long career. Just two laps into the race at Sonoma, Hamlin’s engine blew, and his career ended prematurely. Although he is one of seven drivers with no experience at Iowa State, there has been no one better than him at the short tracks this season.
Hamlin has wins at Bristol and Richmond and has finished in the top three in five of the last six short track races. Before stumbling at Iowa, Hamlin was riding a streak of five top-five finishes dating back to his win at Dover.
3) Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell has been hard to figure out this season. Some weeks, as seen during his wins at Phoenix and Charlotte, as well as his dominant run at Gateway before his mechanical issue, Bell was the best car on the track. In other weeks, he has been a mediocre rider who already has three DNFs this season.
But based on his recent form, Bale is definitely one to keep an eye on. He posted three straight top-10 finishes, including a win in the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600. Bell also has two wins and two runner-up finishes under his belt at Iowa in the Xfinity Series.
4) Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr. hasn’t been on the right side of luck much this season. This continued at Sonoma, where his car ran out of fuel on the final lap while running in second place, resulting in a 27th-place finish. However, Truex has been very consistent, and has led many laps this season, 447 to be exact.
And with his career coming to an end after this season, Truex would certainly want to get at least one more win before he is suspended for good. Could that happen in Iowa? we will see.
5) Chase Elliott
Chase Elliott was one of the favorites to win at Sonoma last week, and at times, he looked like he had a car capable of winning. Even though that didn’t happen, Elliott still finished fourth. Elliott, a winner at Texas earlier this season, has been collecting points in recent weeks.
He has scored seven top-10s in his last 10 starts and has never finished worse than 15th during that period. Elliott has two previous starts at Iowa in the Truck Series, finishing P31 and P5 respectively.
Racing Insights predictions for the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway
Expected completion | car number | driver |
6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski |
7 | 24 | William Byron |
8 | 45 | Tyler Reddick |
9 | 22 | Joey Logano |
10 | 23 | Bubba Wallace |
11 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
12 | 12 | Ryan Blaney |
13 | 17 | Chris Bucher |
14 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
15 | 14 | Chase Briscoe |
16 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
17 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
18 | 4 | Josh Perry |
19 | 43 | Eric Jones |
20 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr |
21 | 41 | Ryan Press |
22 | 99 | Danielle Suarez |
23 | 10 | Noah Gragson |
24 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger |
25 | 34 | Michael McDowell |
26 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
27 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
28 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
29 | 38 | Todd Gilliland |
30 | 51 | Justin Haley |
31 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
32 | 7 | Corey Lajoie |
33 | 31 | Daniel Hemric |
34 | 21 | Harrison Burton |
35 | 71 | Zane Smith |
36 | 15 | Kaz Grala |
37 | 66 | David Starr |
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