Ryan Blaney put together a blistering qualifying lap Saturday at Iowa Speedway to earn the Busch Light Pole Award for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350.
The Team Penske driver paced the field with a lap of 23.474 seconds at 134.191 mph, giving the No. 12 Ford the top starting position for Sunday’s race at the 0.875-mile Iowa oval. Blaney’s performance was especially impressive considering he was only fifth-fastest in practice earlier in the day.
Blaney Edges Larson for the Pole
Blaney’s biggest challenge came from Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson. Larson posted a 134.088-mph lap, just a fraction behind Blaney, and will start alongside the Penske Ford on the front row.
Joey Logano matched Larson’s 134.088-mph speed and will start third, while Brad Keselowski qualified fourth at 134.025 mph. Tyler Reddick rounded out the top five at 133.911 mph.
The top 10 for Sunday’s race are:
- Ryan Blaney — 23.474 seconds
- Kyle Larson — 23.492
- Joey Logano — 23.492
- Brad Keselowski — 23.503
- Tyler Reddick — 23.523
- Ty Gibbs — 23.545
- Austin Dillon — 23.545
- Connor Zilisch — 23.550
- Ross Chastain — 23.566
- Erik Jones — 23.595
Keselowski’s Qualifying Run Ends in the Wall
One of the biggest moments of the session came from Keselowski.
After putting together a very fast first lap, the RFK Racing driver lost control of his No. 6 Ford during his second lap and spun into the Turn 1 wall. The incident caused significant rear-end damage but did not prevent Keselowski from holding onto a spot near the front of the starting lineup.
Keselowski’s fourth-place qualifying effort is therefore particularly notable. His speed was good enough to put him on the second row, but his team will now have to assess the damage and prepare the car for Sunday’s race.
Erik Jones Shows Speed Before Qualifying
Erik Jones entered qualifying with plenty of momentum after topping Saturday’s Cup Series practice session.
The Legacy Motor Club driver recorded a practice speed of 132.855 mph, narrowly beating Ty Gibbs and Austin Cindric. Ryan Blaney was fifth-fastest in practice before making the jump to the top of the qualifying charts.
Jones ultimately qualified 10th, giving him a solid starting position and another indication that his team has found strong speed at Iowa.
Some Big Names Face an Uphill Battle
While several championship contenders qualified near the front, others will have plenty of work to do when the green flag flies.
William Byron qualified 19th, while Christopher Bell will start 22nd. Denny Hamlin was 29th, and Chase Elliott qualified 32nd after struggling in both practice and qualifying.
Elliott’s weekend got off to a difficult start when he spun in Turn 1 during practice and made contact with the outside wall. He finished practice 30th-fastest before qualifying 32nd.
What Qualifying Means for Sunday
Blaney’s pole gives Team Penske an excellent starting point heading into Sunday’s 350-mile race. Starting position can be particularly valuable at Iowa, where drivers must balance short-track handling with tire management and traffic.
Blaney also showed impressive long-run speed in practice, leading the 10-lap average-speed chart at 131.536 mph. Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric and Todd Gilliland completed the top five in that category.
That combination of single-lap speed and long-run pace makes Blaney one of the drivers to watch when the race begins.
The Bottom Line
Ryan Blaney delivered when it mattered most, turning a strong practice effort into a pole winning qualifying performance at Iowa Speedway.
With Kyle Larson and Joey Logano starting directly behind him and several other contenders positioned near the front, Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 is shaping up to be a fascinating battle. Blaney will have the first opportunity to control the race from the front, but Iowa’s tight, demanding layout means the pole is only the beginning.
The **Iowa Corn 350 is scheduled for Sunday, August 9, with the NASCAR Cup Series race beginning at **3:30 p.m. ET.