A pivotal weekend in Newton
The Iowa Corn 350 will take place at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET, marking the start of the final four races before the playoffs begin on September 6 in South Carolina.
Veteran Denny Hamlin sits atop the championship standings with an 84‑point advantage over Tyler Reddick, who has gone six races without a top‑five finish.
Iowa Speedway’s unique record
Ryan Blaney and William Byron are the only Cup Series winners at the 0.875‑mile track, and both have consistently finished in the top five in their appearances there.
Corey Heim captured the inaugural race victory, but his part‑time schedule makes him ineligible for the upcoming Chase.
Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman and Joey Logano have each reached the top ten in both Iowa Speedway events, while Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe have combined to lead more than 160 laps across the two races.
Playoff outlook
The new playoff structure awards spots to the top sixteen drivers regardless of wins, meaning Byron, currently twelfth in points and still winless, remains in contention.
With seasoned competitors such as Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson still searching for a top‑three finish in recent races, the championship battle promises a dramatic finish.