What’s Going On With Iowa Speedway’s Repave?
What’s Happening? NASCAR headed to Iowa Speedway on Tuesday for a Goodyear tire test in preparation for the inaugural Cup…
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Iowa Speedway this weekend for the inaugural Iowa Corn 350. While a sold-out grandstand and the general excitement for an inaugural race give this weekend a lot of hype, a bigger question lingers in the background. How will the racing product be on a track with a strange repave?
What’s Happening? NASCAR headed to Iowa Speedway on Tuesday for a Goodyear tire test in preparation for the inaugural Cup…
Regarding the shape and size of the track, Iowa Speedway’s closest comparison is easily Richmond Raceway. Track designer Rusty Wallace admitted after that Richmond had “A lot of influence” on Iowa.
Pre-repave, Iowa’s older surface was also very similar to Richmond’s grainy surface, which quickly wore out tires. Therefore, the original expectation of Iowa was that there would be significant tire wear similar to a Richmond race, and, with it being difficult to pass on short tracks, the race would come down to tire management and pit strategy.
However, Iowa has variable banking angles, 12-14 degrees in the corners. This, along with the slightly longer length and, therefore, faster speeds, is what separates it from Richmond. Xfinity Series races at the venue saw drivers using all the available lanes, racing near the bottom and up against the wall.
This meant the track behaved more like an intermediate track than a true short track. This should be a win for Iowa, as the Next-Gen car has raced well on intermediate tracks.
However, Iowa Speedway repaved the bottom lanes in the corners instead of keeping the old surface. Jeff Gluck explained on a recent episode of “The Teardown” that this was due to time constraints, and more information on that explanation can be found in the article below.
What’s Happening? As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Iowa Speedway for the first time in series history this weekend,…
Regardless of the reasoning for the repave, drivers have criticized the repave job. When asked if he liked the repave, Christopher Bell said “No” when meeting with the media after the Goodyear tire test at Iowa, and Kyle Larson called it a “bummer.” Kevin Harvick called it “one of the biggest f-ups in the whole year.”
This repave can cause major issues with the racing product. The new asphalt will have significantly more grip than the old, forcing drivers into the new asphalt during the race.
Something similar played out in the 2023 All-Star Race. North Wilkesboro Speedway patched up the 42-year-old asphalt with new asphalt in certain spots. As a result, drivers searched for those “Grip strips” throughout the night, meaning there was only one truly fast groove.
Now, there is a silver lining. The most recent repave at North Wilkesboro Speedway was universally praised by drivers and fans for allowing multiple grooves from day one. Iowa still has progressive banking, so maybe drivers could get out of line, at least somewhat, to make passes.
It’s possible Iowa could give fans a nice surprise. However, there is a lot of apprehension about how the racing product will be this weekend.
What do you think about all this? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is, and don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube.
As the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season gets underway, The Daily Downforce is once again tracking how fans feel about race broadcasts throughout the year, just as we did last year. This ratings tracker exists to capture fan feedback in a clear, consistent way across the entire season for each TV partner.
After each Cup Series race weekend, we will post a fan poll asking one simple question: “How would you rate this weekend’s Cup Series broadcast?” And fans can vote and comment based on their overall viewing experience. This article will be updated weekly with the most recent race’s numbers added to the tracker.
Participation is quick and open to everyone.
| Week | Network | Race | Votes | Good | Average | Bad | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FOX | Bowman Gray Clash | 368 | 16% | 43% | 42% | Check the Poll HERE |
| 2 | FOX | Daytona 500 | 989 | 42% | 46% | 12% | Check the Poll HERE |
Remember to follow The Daily Downforce on X to catch each weekly poll, share your thoughts, and be part of the conversation.
A new trailer revealed that NASCAR will be a part of The Crew Motorfest’s upcoming free season 9 update.
Will you be playing The Crew for this new update? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Denny Hamlin defends Riley Herbst, Brad Keselowski is furious, and Kyle Busch leaves everyone debating what it means to truly compete for a Daytona 500. The final lap at Daytona International Speedway sparked multiple completely different controversies that say a lot about modern superspeedway racing.
At superspeedways, instinct rules everything. Herbst reacted late, Keselowski paid the price, and Hamlin backed his guy. Meanwhile, Busch lifted from 25th, avoided the wreck, and gained ten spots, a move that looks smart in hindsight but could have backfired badly. In a new points-heavy format, are drivers thinking differently? We break down both moments, what they really mean, and whether everyone involved might actually have a point. Plus, early Cup Series power rankings to wrap it up.
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