Ty Gibbs Wins Iowa Corn 350 as Joe Gibbs Racing Sweeps Top Two
Ty Gibbs continued his breakthrough 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season Sunday, holding off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell to win the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway.
Gibbs’ victory was his second Cup Series win of the season and another major statement for the No. 54 Toyota. He held off Bell in the closing laps, while Ryan Blaney finished third after starting the race from the pole. The victory also gave Joe Gibbs Racing a 1-2 finish at one of NASCAR’s toughest short tracks.
Blaney Controls the Opening Stage
Ryan Blaney started the race from pole after beating Kyle Larson in Saturday’s qualifying session. The Team Penske driver immediately showed why he had been so strong at Iowa, taking control of the opening 70 laps.
Blaney led the entire first stage and captured the stage victory ahead of teammate Joey Logano. Larson finished third, with Gibbs fourth and Austin Dillon fifth.
The early portion of the race wasn’t without trouble. On Lap 4, Tyler Reddick lost control entering Turn 1 and slid up the track, collecting Erik Jones. Both Toyotas slammed into the outside wall and were unable to continue. Reddick finished 36th, while Jones was credited with 35th.
The crash was especially costly for Reddick, who entered Iowa near the top of the championship standings and was looking to strengthen his position with the regular season approaching its final races.
Bell Takes Over in Stage Two
Christopher Bell answered in the second stage.
The No. 20 Toyota moved to the front and won Stage 2, beating Logano by 3.757 seconds. Ross Chastain finished third, followed by Gibbs and Chase Briscoe.
Bell’s strong run continued a frustrating trend for the JGR driver. Bell has consistently shown race-winning speed throughout the 2026 season but has struggled to turn that speed into victories.
At Iowa, however, he finally put himself in position to fight for the win.
Gibbs Makes His Move
As the race entered its final stages, the battle at the front became a Joe Gibbs Racing affair.
Gibbs had been competitive throughout the afternoon and continued moving forward as the leaders cycled through pit stops and green-flag runs.
Blaney, who had dominated the opening stage, remained in contention, but Gibbs and Bell gradually became the cars to beat.
The final portion of the race turned into a battle between the two JGR teammates.
Bell pushed hard to catch Gibbs, but the No. 54 Toyota remained just out of reach. Gibbs stayed composed under pressure and eventually crossed the finish line first.
The victory marked Gibbs’ second Cup Series win of 2026 after he earned his breakthrough victory at Bristol earlier this season.
A Strong Day for Josh Berry
One of the biggest surprises of the afternoon was Josh Berry.
Berry brought his Wood Brothers Racing Ford home fourth, earning a major top five finish against a field packed with championship contenders.
Denny Hamlin finished fifth, giving Joe Gibbs Racing three cars inside the top five. Chase Briscoe was sixth, followed by Ross Chastain, A.J. Allmendinger and defending Iowa winner William Byron.
Austin Dillon rounded out the top 10.
Tough Afternoon for Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports had a difficult day compared with its usual standards.
Byron, the defending Iowa winner, managed only ninth after struggling to maintain the pace of the leaders late in the race.
Larson’s day was even worse. After starting on the front row and finishing third in Stage 1, Larson fell through the field and ultimately finished 33rd.
Alex Bowman also had trouble, finishing 34th.
For a team with several drivers battling for championship positioning, Iowa was a weekend that Hendrick Motorsports will want to put behind it.
The Championship Picture Tightens
The Iowa Corn 350 was also important because it marked the beginning of the final stretch of the regular season.
The race was the 23rd of 26 regular-season events, leaving only Richmond, New Hampshire and Daytona before the 16 driver Chase field is set.
Gibbs’ victory gives him another five playoff points and strengthens his position heading toward the postseason.
For drivers near the Chase cutoff, however, the next three races could be much more important.
Final Results
The top 10 finishers were:
- Ty Gibbs — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
- Christopher Bell — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
- Ryan Blaney — Team Penske, Ford
- Josh Berry — Wood Brothers Racing, Ford
- Denny Hamlin — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
- Chase Briscoe — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
- Ross Chastain — Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet
- A.J. Allmendinger — Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet
- William Byron — Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
- Austin Dillon — Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet.
Gibbs Continues His Breakthrough Season
Ty Gibbs’ 2026 season continues to become more impressive.
After finally earning his first Cup Series victory at Bristol earlier this year, Gibbs has now added another win at Iowa this time against a field that included several of the series’ top short track drivers.
The victory also gives Gibbs momentum heading into the final three races of the regular season.
For Christopher Bell, second place may sting after having one of the fastest cars of the afternoon, but the result continues his strong run of performances and keeps him firmly in championship contention.
And for Blaney, the race was another reminder of how strong he is at Iowa. He dominated the opening stage and finished third, but Gibbs ultimately had the speed needed when it mattered most.
After starting the season with questions surrounding his ability to close out races, Gibbs has now proven twice in 2026 that he can do exactly that.
Ty Gibbs is officially a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and the No. 54 team is becoming a serious threat heading into the postseason.