Team Penske faced a dramatic and unpredictable Iowa Corn 350 on Sunday, delivering solid finishes despite a flurry of cautions and shifting strategies. The team’s performance in the Team Penske NASCAR Iowa race results saw Ryan Blaney race to fourth, Joey Logano move up to ninth, and Austin Cindric rally to twelfth after leading laps and adapting to ever-changing race dynamics at Iowa Speedway.
Austin Cindric Shines Early, Recovers for Top-15 Finish
Austin Cindric, piloting the No. 2 Menards/Ideal Door Ford Mustang Dark Horse, started from fourth and quickly grabbed a strong position in the early laps. As the race began, Cindric demonstrated impressive speed, running in the top three and finishing Stage 1 as the runner-up, earning nine valuable stage points. To adapt to changing track conditions, Cindric’s crew made a four-tire change and air pressure adjustment before Stage 2, helping him maintain pace and finish the second segment in third, collecting additional points.
As the race approached its midpoint, Cindric faced a timely caution during the pit cycle on Lap 170, prompting another four-tire stop and fuel top-up. He restarted in third and held position through to the end of Stage 2. In the final stage, the team’s decision to remain on track during several cautions positioned Cindric as the race leader on Lap 250. However, a string of late-race cautions upended the field’s strategies. Realizing the advantage of fresh tires, the team brought Cindric back to the pits for another set of four tires and fuel on Lap 263, which meant restarting deep in the pack at 28th. Undeterred, Cindric methodically climbed through the field, maneuvering past incidents and traffic to secure twelfth at the finish line. He now looks ahead to Watkins Glen, buoyed by the momentum built in Iowa.
“Proud of the fast race car and, honestly, good execution. There’s no predicting all those cautions that happened. I thought Brian and the team called a great strategy to really get ourselves ahead for the final stage and a run to the checkered—a shot to win—but also a car fast enough to drive back through the field on unequal tires, too. Not the result we deserved, but a great showing and a very playoff-esque run—what we need here in a couple months.”
—Austin Cindric, No. 2 driver
Blaney Battles to Fourth After Leading and Late Strategy Call
Ryan Blaney, driving the No. 12 Wabash Ford Mustang Dark Horse, stayed among the lead pack throughout the race. Starting from sixth, Blaney finished Stage 1 in fourth and entered Stage 2 determined to capitalize on the team’s efficient pit work. After a strategic swap during the stage break, Blaney moved up and battled for the lead, ultimately securing second at the end of Stage 2, and collecting key points as the defending Iowa Corn 350 winner.
As the final stage wore on, a caution on lap 228 shuffled strategies among the front runners. While some leaders headed to the pits, Blaney remained on track, briefly taking the lead with just over 100 laps to go. When a series of further cautions continued to rattle the order, crew chief Jonathan Hassler called Blaney into the pits from the lead on lap 245 to ensure enough fuel for a run to the finish, which resulted in a restart back in 24th. Despite the setback, Blaney powered through the field, overtaking competitors over the closing laps and fighting his way up to a strong fourth-place finish—his eighth top-five result this season.
“I just restarted a little further back than those guys and it took me longer to get in a decent spot. Honestly, it sort of surprised me just how hard those guys tanked at the end and my car kept chugging along. I ran Brad [Keselowski] down but everyone is so free it is hard to pass anybody. You are scared of spinning out and you are creeping around the bottom but it was a fun race. I am really proud of our group for sticking with it. I appreciate Wabash and Ford and Menards for doing what they do. Really good showing and just kept going. It has been a good last few weeks for us. I think the speed is there, just have to keep putting these races together. We had a good shot to win today but it just didn’t work out. The strategies just got really weird with all those cautions. We were on the back end of it and it just kind of cycled me behind. We recovered really nicely. Really proud of the 12 group.”
—Ryan Blaney, No. 12 driver
Logano Overcomes Early Difficulties to Finish in the Top Ten
Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse squad faced significant adversity during the initial stages at Iowa. Starting fourteenth, Logano battled persistent handling issues throughout the opening 200 laps, which pushed him to finish the first two stages in eighteenth and twenty-first, respectively. The crew continued to tweak the car’s setup to find balance for the final segment.
Early in the last stage, while running 25th, crew chief Paul Wolfe directed Logano to pit on a strategic gamble. Among just nine drivers to pit at that moment, the team banked on more cautions to stretch their fuel to the finish—a plan that paid dividends as six more cautions over the next 53 laps extended their window. With fresh fuel and the race pace slowed by cautions, Logano steadily advanced through the field. He restarted twelfth after the race’s final caution at lap 281, gained ground, and ran as high as eighth before ultimately taking the checkered flag in ninth—an impressive recovery given early challenges.
“Really proud of the effort from this 22 team to come out of here with a top-10 finish. We really struggled early on but maintained in the top-20 range while we kept working on it. Paul [Wolfe’s] call to pit early in the final stage really paid off in the end and allowed us to get towards the top-10 as the cautions kept coming. Gives us something to build on heading into Watkins Glen.”
—Joey Logano, No. 22 driver
Strategic Adjustments Amidst Late-Race Chaos
The Iowa Corn 350 was defined by late-race chaos, as multiple cautions tested the adaptability and decision-making of every crew. Team Penske’s performance reflected resilience, with each team navigating through shifting tire strategies, pit cycles, and on-track incidents. The final laps saw drivers shuffle rapidly through the field depending on tire wear and fuel, highlighting the critical role of split-second strategy calls made by Brian, Jonathan Hassler, and Paul Wolfe.
Opponents like Brad Keselowski and other leaders also found themselves entangled in the unpredictability, with many contenders forced to pit off-sequence or gamble on their tire longevity. Navigating these wild fluctuations, Blaney and Cindric surged back into contention after losing track position, while Logano’s late-stage approach demonstrated the value of risky but calculated calls during fuel windows and caution periods.
Looking Ahead: Team Penske Heads to Watkins Glen
As the NASCAR Cup Series shifts focus to Watkins Glen for a road course challenge on August 10, Team Penske brings renewed energy and confidence from a race that tested their grit and preparation. The team’s adaptability during the Iowa Corn 350 serves as a strong platform heading into the next event, with all three drivers vying to carry forward their upward momentum in both the points standings and playoff positioning.
The Go Bowling at The Glen will be broadcast at 2:00 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, providing another stage for Team Penske to build on the lessons and successes of their spirited Iowa run.
