Iowa Groovy Gauge Presented by Lectric eBikes

What’s Happening?

Iowa, a long-anticipated addition to the Cup Series schedule, brought energy off the track but struggled to deliver on it. What began with promise unraveled into a caution-filled final stage and a fuel-mileage finish that lacked a payoff. While the crowd showed up and the chaos briefly sparked intrigue, the race ultimately left Eric Estepp feeling indifferent. Check out his full breakdown in this week’s Out of the Groove, featuring the Groovy Gauge, powered by Lectric eBikes.

Groovy Gauge Score: 50%

• Eric came away from Iowa feeling underwhelmed and fatigued. He’s growing tired of the same patterns—fuel-mileage races that tease drama but never deliver it. The caution-filled final stage didn’t build suspense so much as it disrupted any flow the race had, and by the end, it all felt flat.
• To him, the precision of today’s teams has made fuel strategy races predictable and, in some cases, performative. The broadcast might hype up the tension, but Eric sees through it—he’s no longer buying into the illusion of unpredictability when the outcome is rarely in doubt. The modern car and era have simply made it too easy to defend, conserve, and survive.
• Even with an energized crowd and moments of chaos, he found the race lacking in meaningful stakes or narrative. His 50% score reflected not just the race itself, but his weariness with a formula that’s becoming too familiar. In Eric’s view, Iowa didn’t quite frustrate, but just didn’t matter.

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