Toyota drivers overcame brake issues to have a very strong day at Iowa, taking four of the top six positions. Penske looked strong as expected, but the strategy/fortune did not go their way in the end.
Ty Gibbs jumped into the lead with a two-tire call on the final round of green-flag pit stops, and then withstood the pressure from Christopher Bell to claim victory.
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The race didn’t see many incidents, but some big names were involved in the few wrecks that did unfold, shaking up the Chase standings.
Here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers from Iowa Speedway:
WINNER: Ty Gibbs is making a case for being a title contender
Watch: Iowa winner Ty Gibbs on team growth: ‘People that want to support each other’
Entering the 2026 season, everyone was wondering when Gibbs would finally reach Victory Lane. Well, now he’s done it twice. And even more impressive than that, Gibbs is suddenly second in the championship standings. While it’s likely a bit too much to ask for him to catch Hamlin, Gibbs is in a great spot for the upcoming Chase reset. He could legitimately contend for the title this year, just a few months removed from his first win. He also fought back from a mid-race pit stop snafu, which dropped him to the rear of the field.
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Ty Gibbs holds off Christopher Bell to win NASCAR Cup race at Iowa
LOSER: Christopher Bell, even as the biggest gainer in points
Watch: Bell calls Iowa result a ‘bad second-place finish’
Yes, Bell jumped four positions in the standings, making him the biggest mover for the weekend, but he was not smiling afterwards. One can understand why after recording his seventh runner-up finish of the 2026 season without a single Cup win. It’s one of the most successful winless seasons in the modern era of NASCAR, and Bell isn’t thrilled to have so many victories slip through his fingers. Just take a look at his post-race interview…
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Christopher Bell laments yet another second-place finish after failing to catch Ty Gibbs
WINNER: Ross Chastain suddenly puts himself back in Chase battle
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Even Chastain counted himself out of the Chase battle, but at Iowa, he carved 35 points out of his deficit, jumped up three positions to 18th, and is now 47 points below the cut-line. One more result like Iowa and he could seriously challenge for the 16th and final Chase spot. He scored 43 points at Iowa, which is his season-high for any race this year. They sacrificed a top five to roll the dice for a yellow that could have possibly netted them a win, but it was still a stellar performance for the No. 1 team. He was also the top-finishing Chevrolet driver.
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Complete NASCAR Cup points standings after Iowa 2026
LOSER: Tyler Reddick’s bad luck streak continues
Watch: Inside the Lap 4 wreck between Reddick, Jones at Iowa
What a turn for the worse. Reddick was the uncontested championship leader for the first few months of the season, entering the Coca-Cola 600 with a points lead that exceeded 120 points. But he hasn’t won a race since May, and he has six finishes of 25th or worse in the last nine races. Iowa was especially brutal as he made an unforced error just four laps into the race, wrecking himself and fellow Toyota driver Erik Jones, who was in the battle for the final Chase spot. Reddick took the blame, and it just seems like the No. 45 team that was once unstoppable can’t do anything right lately.
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Tyler Reddick admits mistake in costly Lap 4 crash with Erik Jones
WINNER: Josh Berry with his first top five of the year
Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing
Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing
The outgoing Wood Brothers driver had his best run of the 2026 season on Sunday. Berry earned his first top five finish of the year, placing fourth at Iowa as the second-best Ford driver. It won’t do much for his season with how deep in the points they are, but it was a reminder that Berry knows how to drive these cars and is a talented racer as he tries to find a new home for 2027.
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Official race results: 2026 NASCAR Cup at Iowa
LOSER: Joey Logano and a lost opportunity
Joey Logano, Team Penske
Logano was once again very impressive at Iowa Speedway, but the finish did not reflect that. He placed 14th when he should have been battling for the win. During a mid-race pit stop, Logano drove off with a loose wheel. He was forced to stop and reverse back into his stall, erasing all of his track position. Without that, he absolutely could have challenged for the win as he seeks to climb higher up the standings before the Chase reset.
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WINNER: Hamlin/Briscoe overcome brake issues for strong result
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
It was a nightmare weekend for Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe, and yet, it ended with a fifth and sixth place finish for the JGR duo. They battled a myriad of brake issues on Saturday and even into the race on Sunday, but they managed it better than anyone could have expected. Hamlin was exhausted after the race, but his efforts meant that he actually increased his championship lead with three races left in the regular season.
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JGR and 23XI scramble as Toyota battles brake issues at Iowa
LOSER: Kyle Larson gets caught up in another wreck
Watch: Larson displeased with Nemechek after Iowa contact derails No. 5
Larson is in a bit of a rut, much like Reddick. The reigning 2x champion slipped back to tenth in points after getting swept up in an unfortunate wreck. After getting pushed out of the groove by John Hunter Nemechek, he was suddenly on the outside of a four-wide situation with no room. He and teammate Alex Bowman wrecked, leaving Larson with a 33rd place finish. While Larson has eight top fives this year, he also eight finishes outside the top 30. You’re not going to win a title in this format with results like that.
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