Hendrick Motorsports ended a run of tough results with a decisive win at the NASCAR Cup Series race in Newton, Iowa, on August 3, marking a pivotal moment for the team. The Hendrick Motorsports Iowa Cup Series victory came as William Byron outlasted the competition and fuel concerns, ultimately earning recognition from veteran driver Kevin Harvick.
Byron’s Resourceful Drive Secures Vital Win for Hendrick
William Byron demonstrated exceptional skill by managing to save enough fuel during the final 144 laps of the 350-lap contest, allowing him to cross the finish line first despite frequent cautions in the closing stage. The victory was especially significant considering the team’s earlier frustrations this season, including a late-race fuel depletion while leading at Michigan that cost them a potential win. This time, Byron and Hendrick Motorsports managed the fuel strategy perfectly, ending their stretch of missed opportunities.
Kevin Harvick highlighted the tension that defined the end of the race as Byron’s team monitored his fuel levels.
“As I’m sitting there watching the end of the race, and I don’t, maybe that little fuel calculator thing threw me off, but I think the radio transmission of just them trying to keep him backing him up worried me. And I think that just the way William Byron’s season has gone, they’ve been in this position a couple of times and ran out three laps early at Michigan,” Harvick said on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast [10:28 onwards]. —Kevin Harvick, Former NASCAR Driver and Broadcaster
Harvick pointed out that the breakthrough in Iowa was crucial for ending a negative spell that had hovered over the team during similar situations earlier this year.
“Yeah, so they’ve been in this position a few times, and it hasn’t worked out. And it just, they needed this to to get rid of that, just that black cloud that was over them and having these races worked out,” he added. —Kevin Harvick, Former NASCAR Driver and Broadcaster
This Iowa victory was Byron’s second of the season and his first since the storied Daytona 500. Byron’s commanding performance included leading 141 laps, and he overtook fellow Hendrick driver Chase Elliott in the Cup Series points standings. After previous missed chances, this moment was a clear turnaround for Byron and the Hendrick organization.
Harvick Raises Concerns Over Cup Car Speed in Iowa
While applauding Byron’s performance, Harvick also used his podcast to voice worries about the current state of NASCAR Cup Series vehicles. He cited a striking incident at Iowa Speedway during qualifying, where ARCA Menards Series driver Brent Crews logged a lap of 22.901 seconds—besting the quickest Cup qualifier, Chase Briscoe, who posted 23.004 seconds. Harvick expressed frustration that a lower-tier series car could outpace all Cup Series entries during qualifying.
“The Cup cars need to go way faster. Especially at the short tracks.” —Kevin Harvick, Former NASCAR Driver and Broadcaster
Reiterating his views about the importance of speed for quality racing, Harvick added:
“In the end, cars are so damn slow, they don’t race good.” —Kevin Harvick, Former NASCAR Driver and Broadcaster
Since 2022, the Cup Series has been competing with the “Next Gen” car, which replaced the more powerful Gen-6 version. The earlier models had engines producing nearly 900 horsepower, while the current generation’s output is limited to 670 horsepower, with some tracks seeing even lower limits. Harvick pointed toward this reduction as a factor impacting the series’ ability to deliver exciting races, particularly on shorter circuits like Iowa Speedway.
What the Iowa Win Means for Hendrick and the Series
Byron’s win in Iowa not only broke a negative pattern for Hendrick Motorsports, but it also tightened the points race and provided the team a hard-earned confidence boost. As the Cup Series progresses, the spotlight will remain on how Hendrick’s drivers maintain momentum and whether NASCAR addresses calls for changes to car specifications following criticism from experienced figures like Harvick. The Hendrick Motorsports Iowa Cup Series victory may well mark a turning point both for the team and discussion around the sport’s competitive direction.
