A Chartered Finale at Iowa
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series will bring its off‑season swing to a close with the Iowa Corn 350 on August 9 at Iowa Speedway, marking the third race of the year that will run without any open‑car entries.
Series organizers have confirmed that the event will showcase a fully chartered lineup, reflecting a strategic shift toward stability after a series of lineup adjustments earlier in the year.
Three drivers who had been slated to compete in open cars—Corey Heim, Casey Mears and Daniel Dye—will be absent from the Iowa weekend. All three were involved in crashes during the Brickyard 400, prompting NASCAR to replace them with chartered entries for this stage of the schedule.
Heim, who captured his first victory at the Brickyard and added a second win in his last three starts, will skip Iowa before making his return at the season‑ending Daytona finale in late August. Mears, also taken out at the Brickyard, has announced two additional starts after Daytona, while Dye, who suffered a similar setback, is slated for a single post‑Daytona appearance.
Team Structures and the Chartered Model
The composition of the field underscores the distinction between full‑time chartered programs and part‑time outfits. 23XI Racing, owned by former drivers, fields three full‑time chartered cars, whereas Beard Motorsports and Live Fast Motorsports each operate part‑time entries with only a single open car each.
This arrangement follows a pattern that began earlier in the season, when the Las Vegas race became the first event of 2024 to feature an entirely chartered field. The Iowa Corn 350 will be the third such race, reinforcing NASCAR’s move toward a more predictable roster of teams.
Live coverage of the race will begin at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on USA Network, which continues to serve as the primary broadcaster for the Cup Series under its USA Sports partnership.