The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway has fans and experts speculating, and this time the spotlight is on Kevin Harvick’s Iowa NASCAR race prediction as anticipation builds ahead of Sunday’s competition. After Ryan Blaney’s triumphant finish last season, several key names, including Harvick and his podcast team, have weighed in on who could claim victory as drivers line up for a high-stakes battle.
Top contenders for the Iowa Cup showdown
The Iowa Speedway has hosted memorable moments, most notably last year when Ryan Blaney secured the inaugural Cup Series win at this track. Blaney outpaced competitors William Byron and Chase Elliott, who filled out the remainder of the podium after Kyle Larson, another fast contender, was sidelined by an accident. Currently, all eyes are on Blaney again, as Kevin Harvick has publicly backed the Team Penske driver to clinch another win. If Blaney succeeds, it would mark his second victory of the 2025 season following a respectable seventh-place performance at the Brickyard 400.
Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast team also discussed other potential winners. Kaitlyn Vincie, one of the co-hosts, is putting her faith in Christopher Bell from Joe Gibbs Racing. Bell has managed to put together a consistent run recently, with a top-ten finish—eighth place—at the Brickyard 400, signaling solid form even as he seeks his first win at Iowa. Last year, Bell showcased his skill on this track by advancing from a tenth-place start to finish fourth, making him a serious threat if he can capitalize on his momentum and secure a fourth win this season.
Unexpected picks and past performances
Not all predictions are favoring the familiar front-runners. Mamba Smith, another member of Harvick’s crew, is betting on Ryan Preece of RFK Racing to deliver a surprising result. Preece aims for his first-ever Cup Series win, which would instantly qualify him for the playoffs. Although Preece has never won a Cup race, he does have a winning history at Iowa Speedway, having celebrated in Victory Lane during the 2017 Xfinity Series when he raced for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 20 car. While the Cup Series presents a greater challenge, his previous success at this track could serve him well this weekend.
A win for Preece would also extend the recent trend of first-time winners who secure playoff spots with breakthrough performances—much like Bubba Wallace achieved in Indiana. For Preece, reaching Victory Lane for the first time in his Cup Series career would be both historic and potentially transformative.
Anticipation ahead of green flag
These predictions, while insightful, ultimately give way to the realities of race day once engines roar to life. The panel, including Harvick, Vincie, and Smith, highlights a field filled with determined drivers such as Blaney, Bell, and Preece, all eyeing glory in Iowa. The unpredictable nature of NASCAR racing means any of several competitors could emerge victorious, and the intensity at Iowa Speedway ensures that the path to the checkered flag will be fiercely contested.
Whether Ryan Blaney repeats his winning performance, Christopher Bell fulfills Kaitlyn Vincie’s faith, or Ryan Preece shocks the world as Mamba Smith hopes, Sunday’s outcome will add another chapter to the evolving narrative of the NASCAR Cup Series season. The implications for the championship race and playoff positioning underscore just how much is at stake, ensuring that fans, teams, and drivers alike remain on edge until the final lap concludes.
