Reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney wins inaugural Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway

Ryan Blaney is likely returning to the NASCAR playoffs.

The reigning Cup Series champion led the most laps and held off the field to win the Iowa Corn 350 on Sunday in Newton, Iowa.

Blaney, whose mother Lisa grew up south of Des Moines, scored his first checkered flag of the season. More than 80 of his family members were on site at Iowa Speedway — a short track hosting its first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race — and celebrated with Blaney in victory lane.

“To have NASCAR back in general, let alone a Cup race, people were psyched about that here in the Midwest who might not get to go to other races throughout the year,” said Blaney, whose family drove to his grandparents’ house in Chariton, Iowa, from North Carolina every Christmas.

“The stands being packed tells the story. From my side, that’s a cool atmosphere. Makes it seem like we’re doing something right, coming to these tracks and putting on good shows for fans. They’re dedicated. That vibe I really like.”

William Byron finished second, Chase Elliott third, Christopher Bell fourth and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fifth.

Blaney has won at Iowa in all three NASCAR national series

Iowa Speedway, which became the 176th track to hold a points-paying Cup Series race, opened 18 years ago and has hosted the trucks and Xfinity Series. Its most recent NASCAR weekend was in 2019.

An 18-year-old Blaney won at Iowa in his third Truck Series start back in 2012. He also won an Xfinity Series race there in 2015.

For Blaney, the first driver to win at Iowa in all three NASCAR national series, having family among the sold-out crowd was special.

Blaney, 30, was born in Hartford Township, Ohio — the hometown of his father, Dave, who raced in the Cup Series for 17 years — and grew up in High Point. With his family in different states, their yearly Christmas trips to his mother’s parents’ house in Central Iowa always meant a lot.

“My mom is from right down the road,” Blaney said. “We spend a lot of time here in Chariton and Ankeny. Cool to have them all support me. They were here in 2012 when I won my first Truck race. They were here in 2015 when I won the Xfinity race, and tonight. Cool to have a family like that.

“I’m pretty fortunate to have a family and friends from here that are so supportive. That part is cool. I’m happy we got them all across the racetrack to get them to victory lane. They all made shirts. They believed ‘em. Track officials believed ‘em. It was cool.”

First Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway was embraced

Sunday’s race marked the inaugural Cup race at the 7/8-mile short track roughly 40 miles east of Des Moines.

The Hawkeye State was well-represented.

Among several notable car designs on Sunday, Corey LaJoie piloted a Caitlin Clark-endorsed car emblazoned with an Iowa Hawkeyes logo.

Neva Alden, an 18-year-old local music artist in Iowa, performed the national anthem. The invocation was given by Des Moines pastor Mike Householder, and Iowa Corn Growers Association President, Jolene Riessen, gave command to fire the engines.

A strong run for Kyle Larson ends with a wreck

Kyle Larson and Blaney started on the front row, and Blaney held off Larson to a Stage 1 win after the first 70 of 350 laps.

Those two battled early in Stage 2, and Larson had to pit with a tire issue. Larson restarted in 32nd place — but worked all the way through the field and still ultimately won the stage.

Larson’s shot at a second straight victory ended after a caution early in the final stage. He wound up in the middle of a three-wide and spun into the wall.

“(Larson) fired off early in that race, drove away,” Blaney said. “Never know how those things are going to play out. We definitely got better. They were strong. I don’t know what happened, four cars coming together. He’s going to be a tough one to beat.”