Bobby Travis · NASCAR/IndyCar-Korrespondent
On the freshly repaved short oval in Newton, the first practice session was tighter than usual, while Chase Elliott provided the day's only real scare moment.
Iowa Speedway sporting a brand new racing surface for the Iowa Corn 350, the opening practice session immediately showed just how closely bunched the field would be on the three-quarter-mile oval. Erik Jones posted the session's fastest lap in his Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet, but nine more drivers crowded within two and a half tenths behind him. The session delivered more than lap times, though, offering early hints at just how tricky the fresh asphalt could prove to be.
Jones on top, but the field stays tight
With a lap of 23.710 seconds, Erik Jones marked the fastest time of opening practice and secured the weekend's best lap to date. Ty Gibbs stayed within 56 thousandths of a second in the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, good for second place, followed by Austin Cindric in the Penske Ford for third.
The top group stretched far down the field: Todd Gilliland and Ryan Blaney sat practically neck and neck in fourth and fifth, then came Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell and William Byron, all within 0.240 seconds of the leader. On a short track with fresh pavement, that's a clear signal that the balance between grip and handling sits in a tight window across nearly every team, suggesting compelling pack racing could be in store for the Iowa Corn 350.
Elliott gets a fright, brake trouble for Gibbs Racing
The session's biggest headline came without a lap time attached. Chase Elliott lost control of his Hendrick Chevrolet heading into Turn 1 and collected the outside wall solo. The No. 9 car sustained damage to the left front and left rear, forcing the crew into a frantic repair effort with time ticking away. By session's end, Elliott's 24.154 seconds left him 30th, a result that says little about the car's true pace given the damage work.
Elliott wasn't alone in wrestling with the new surface. Carson Hocevar, Ty Gibbs and Ross Chastain all reported handling scares on the abrasive pavement, though each avoided contact. Over at Joe Gibbs Racing, trouble struck on two fronts: both Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe reported brake issues during the session, something the team will need to sort before the race.
Looking ahead at a tightly contested weekend
Iowa Speedway is known for tire falloff and strategic fuel strategy, and the fresh asphalt figures to amplify those characteristics this year. Ryan Blaney won here in 2024, William Byron in 2025 with a fuel tank stretched to the limit, and both lined up near the front again in opening practice, Blaney fifth and Byron tenth. That suggests experience with Iowa's short-track character will continue to matter.
For drivers like Austin Cindric, Ryan Preece and Michael McDowell battling in the playoff bubble for final Cup Series playoff spots, opening practice offered a first glimpse of just how tight the margins will be at this track. With Elliott's repair work in the background and a field bunching up within mere tenths of a second, the rest of the practice day and the qualifying session that follows promise an intriguing setup for the Iowa Corn 350.
