The NASCAR Xfinity Series Iowa Speedway is set to deliver another exciting weekend, following rookie Connor Zilisch’s remarkable charge at Indianapolis where he secured his third consecutive win. With a full lineup revealed for the HyVee Perks 250 and multiple marquee events, all eyes turn to whether Zilisch’s dominant run can persist in Iowa.
Zilisch Maintains Momentum After Dramatic Finish in Indianapolis
At Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Saturday’s Stage 2 saw Justin Allgaier narrowly surpass his JR Motorsports teammate Connor Zilisch to collect a valuable playoff point. Nevertheless, Zilisch staged a comeback and clinched victory at the historic Brickyard, marking a turning point in his rookie campaign.
As the Pennzoil 250 neared its end with rain incoming, Allgaier led the field until Kyle Larson made contact with only fourteen laps remaining. Allgaier was pushed into the wall on the 2.5-mile track, opening the door for Zilisch, who surged from fourth place to the lead and ultimately crossed the finish line first, notching his third win in a row.
The final restart was intense, with Allgaier dominating for 37 laps and battling side by side with Larson in Turns 1 and 2. However, Larson clipped Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevrolet, causing the leading car to lose control. With Allgaier out of contention, Zilisch capitalized to secure JR Motorsports’ milestone 100th win and edged closer to Allgaier in the standings, narrowing his deficit to just 21 points.
“It doesn’t take much here, especially restarts, the way that everybody’s kind of packed up here,”
—Justin Allgaier, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver
“Unfortunately, we got the worst end of the deal.”
—Justin Allgaier, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver
With five victories in just 20 starts, Zilisch continues to assert himself as a breakout talent in the series, prompting questions about how long the rookie can maintain such dominance.
Complete Weekend Schedule for NASCAR and ARCA at Iowa Speedway
NASCAR National Series and ARCA Menards Series will take center stage at Iowa Speedway with a packed schedule. The weekend’s events, listed in Eastern Time, will offer fans multiple opportunities to catch their favorite drivers in action.
Friday marks the start with ARCA Series activity, starting at 3:30 p.m. for practice, followed by qualifying at 4:30 p.m., and the ARCA Series Atlas 150 race at 7 p.m.
Saturday commences with Xfinity Series practice at 11 a.m., then qualifying at 12:05 p.m. The Cup Series follows with its own practice at 1:30 p.m. and qualifying at 12:05 p.m. The highly anticipated Xfinity Series HyVee Perks 250 race takes place at 4:30 p.m.
The action wraps up on Sunday with the Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol race beginning at 3:30 p.m.
“CELEBRATE RACE WEEK! Join us for a FREE welcome party in Des Moines to kick off race week! Show cars, driver appearances, and FREE Deardoff Sweet Corn for first 500 guests courtesy of @iowa_corn and @HyVee! pic.twitter.com/1UCjIzUvA4”
—Iowa Speedway (@iowaspeedway), July 22, 2025
The week kicks off with a complimentary celebration in Des Moines, featuring car displays, appearances from drivers such as Joey Gase, Anthony Alfredo, and others, and special treats for early arrivals, giving fans a festive start to racing festivities.
Official Entry List for the HyVee Perks 250
NASCAR Xfinity Series officials have released the complete entry roster for Saturday’s HyVee Perks 250 at Iowa Speedway, offering a broad representation from powerhouse teams and standout drivers across the circuit. Here are the entries and their corresponding vehicles:
1. Sheldon Creed, No. 00 Ford
2. Carson Kvapil, No. 1 Chevrolet
3. Jesse Love, No. 2 Chevrolet
4. Parker Retzlaff, No. 4 Chevrolet
5. Patrick Emerling, No. 07 Chevrolet
6. Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Chevrolet
7. Sammy Smith, No. 8 Chevrolet
8. Ross Chastain, No. 9 Chevrolet
9. Daniel Dye, No. 10 Chevrolet
10. Josh Williams, No. 11 Chevrolet
11. Garrett Smithley, No. 14 Chevrolet
12. Christian Eckes, No. 16 Chevrolet
13. Corey Day, No. 17 Chevrolet
14. William Sawalich, No. 18 Toyota
15. Justin Bonsignore, No. 19 Toyota
16. Brandon Jones, No. 20 Toyota
17. Austin Hill, No. 21 Chevrolet
18. Harrison Burton, No. 25 Ford
19. Dean Thompson, No. 26 Toyota
20. Jeb Burton, No. 27 Chevrolet
21. Kyle Sieg, No. 28 Ford
22. Blaine Perkins, No. 31 Chevrolet
23. Tyler Tomassi, No. 35 Toyota
24. Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Ford
25. Sam Mayer, No. 41 Ford
26. Anthony Alfredo, No. 42 Chevrolet
27. Brennan Poole, No. 44 Chevrolet
28. Mason Massey, No. 45 Chevrolet
29. Nick Sanchez, No. 48 Chevrolet
30. Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Chevrolet
31. Joey Gase, No. 53 Ford
32. Taylor Gray, No. 54 Toyota
33. Thomas Annunziata, No. 70 Chevrolet
34. Ryan Ellis, No. 71 Chevrolet
35. Dawson Cram, No. 74 Chevrolet
36. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Chevrolet
37. Josh Bilicki, No. 91 Chevrolet
38. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 99 Chevrolet
This field includes promising rookies such as Tyler Tomassi and established competitors like Justin Allgaier, Daniel Dye, and Sam Mayer, representing a mix from Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota stables. Notably, rookie Connor Zilisch, listed in the No. 88 Chevrolet, will once again pursue another win after his impressive stretch.
Anticipation Builds as Series Heads to Iowa
The upcoming weekend in Iowa holds major implications for the season, especially with Connor Zilisch’s winning form forcing the veteran Justin Allgaier and rivals such as Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Brandon Jones to react. The HyVee Perks 250 could shift the battle for the championship and highlight emerging talents in the Xfinity Series. Fans and competitors alike will watch closely as the action returns to Iowa Speedway, testing both seasoned drivers and impressive newcomers on the circuit’s challenging track.
