Haas Factory Team
Iowa Speedway
NASCAR Cup Series Notes
Race Information
● Event: Iowa Corn 350 (Round 23 of 36)
● Date/Time: Sunday, August 9 | 3:30 p.m. ET
● TV/Radio: USA / Motor Racing Network / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)
● Location: Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa
● Layout: 0.875-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 350 laps/306.25 miles (Stages: 70-140-140)
● Track Activity:
Saturday, August 8
Practice 2:05 p.m. ET
truTV / Motor Racing Network / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)
Saturday, August 8
Qualifying 3:10 p.m. ET
truTV / Motor Racing Network / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)
Notes of Interest
● Iowa Speedway hosts the NASCAR Cup Series for just the third time this weekend, while the NASCAR O’Reilly Series returns to the 0.875-mile oval for its 12th race.
● The inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway was held on June 16, 2024.
● One of Iowa Speedway’s most unique features is that NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace played a major role in its design. The layout was modeled after Richmond Raceway while incorporating progressive banking that encourages multiple racing lines. Wallace envisioned a short track that rewarded aggressive driving without sacrificing side-by-side racing.
● Iowa combines short-track racing with surprisingly high speeds, earning the facility the nickname “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet.” Its long straightaways and progressive banking allow drivers to build significant speed before diving into the corners, creating a unique blend of short-track aggression and intermediate-track momentum.
● Cole Custer is coming off a strong run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weeks ago, where he started 12th and finished 13th in the Brickyard 400, one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races.
● Experiencing its own excitement away from the track, Texas A&M University has risen to No. 6 in the world in the American Caldwell 2026–27 Global University Visibility (GUV) Rankings — up 15 spots from 2024. Texas A&M ranks No. 5 among all U.S. universities, No. 2 among U.S. public universities and No. 1 overall in Texas in the 2026–2027 rankings, making it one of the world’s most talked about, searched, visited, followed and watched institutions of higher education.
By the Numbers
● Custer returns to Iowa Speedway this weekend for his second NASCAR Cup Series start.
● The California native’s NASCAR O’Reilly Series results at Iowa Speedway have been notable, collecting two top-5 and three top-10 finishes, including 169 laps led and an average finish of 10.5, in his seven starts at the 0.875-mile short track. He also captured the pole in 2019.
● Custer has also made three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts, finishing inside the top 10 each time, highlighting his consistent performance at Iowa.
● NASCAR Cup Series teams will debut a new left-side Goodyear Racing Eagle at Iowa Speedway this weekend, paired with the same right-side tire introduced at the D-shaped short track last season. The new left-side tire features an updated construction and compound designed to withstand the track’s high speeds and heavy loads, while still promoting increased tire wear and fall-off. Each team will receive 10 sets for the race (nine new race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying)
No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Driver and Crew Chief
Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Hometown: Wellsville, New York