Ryan Blaney earns pole, continues mastery in Iowa

Field Level Media|published: Sat 8th August, 17:57 2026 Fans stand and watch from the backstretch during the NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 on Aug. 3, 2025, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. William Byron (24) finished the race first.

NEWTON, Iowa — Ryan Blaney continued his mastery of Iowa Speedway on Saturday, putting his No. 12 Team Penske Ford on the pole for Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol (3:30 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

On his second of two qualifying laps, Blaney navigated 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway in 23.474 seconds (134.191 mph) to knock Kyle Larson off the provisional pole. Blaney’s margin over Larson (134.088 mph)–and over Team Penske teammate Joey Logano, who later posted an identical time–was 0.018 seconds.

The Busch Light Pole Award was Blaney’s first at Iowa (where he won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race in 2024), his second of the season and the 15th of his career.

Only once before has Blaney converted a pole earned through qualifying into a race win. That was after his most recent pole, at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta) in July.

“I had a lane in mind that I wanted to run, and I missed it on my first lap,” said Blaney, whose average running position in two Iowa races is a series-bet 3.9. “I tried to adjust a little bit the second lap, and the car got a little bit better for me my second lap.

“Between the car getting a little better, and I kind of sneaked my lane down a little bit and hit a better lap, it was kind of a perfect storm of a couple of things coming together. I wouldn’t say I pushed it anymore–I hit my line a little bit better.”

Defending series champion Larson gets the nod for the second starting spot over Logano on an owner- points’ tiebreaker. Brad Keselowski qualified fourth at 134.025 mph on his first lap, but on his second circuit he spun and backed his No. 6 RFK Ford into the outside wall, damaging the car extensively.

Tyler Reddick (133.911 mph) qualified fifth ahead of Ty Gibbs and Austin Dillon, who posted identical laps at 133.786 mph.

Rookie Connor Zilisch nailed his best NASCAR Cup Series qualifying effort on an oval track and will start eighth. Ross Chastain and Erik Jones claimed the ninth and 10th positions on the grid.

Series leader Denny Hamlin suffered brake issues in practice, as did teammate Chase Briscoe. Hamlin, who leads second-place Reddick by 84 points in the Cup standings, qualified 29th in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs racing Toyota.

Hamlin’s equipment issues may provide an opportunity for Blaney, who stands third in points, 120 behind the series leader.

“(Crew chief) Jonathan (Hassler) and I have discussed it a little bit through the weeks,” Blaney said of the possibility of securing top seeding for the Chase. “I don’t think we’re out of it, but we don’t really look too much at that…

“Things swing up and down. That group is obviously incredibly good right now. They’re going to work their way through the field. I’m just trying to focus on how the start of the race is going to be tomorrow and what I think the track is going to go to. One lap at a time.”

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying — Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol

Iowa Speedway

Newton, Iowa

Saturday, August 8, 2026

1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 134.191 mph.

2. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 134.088 mph.

3. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 134.088 mph.

4. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 134.025 mph.

5. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 133.911 mph.

6. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 133.786 mph.

7. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 133.786 mph.

8. (88) Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 133.758 mph.