Pole Position and Historic Milestone
Ryan Blaney captured pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway, posting a qualifying speed of 134.191 miles per hour that underscored his mastery of the 0.875‑mile oval.
The pole marks his third victory at the track, building on a 2015 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win and a 2012 Truck Series triumph, while his 2024 Cup Series victory was his first in the premier division.
Championship Outlook
Sitting third in the point standings, Blaney trails leader Denny Hamlin by 120 points with four races remaining before The Chase, keeping the regular‑season title within reach.
Hamlin, dealing with brake issues, will start 29th, while Kyle Larson will share the front row with Blaney after qualifying second.
Joey Logano qualified third and Brad Keselowski, fourth, may need a backup car after an incident in qualifying, and defending champion William Byron starts 19th.
For Blaney, Iowa Speedway is a familiar ground where early career milestones were reached, and his confidence in contending for the regular‑season championship remains high.