Typically, fresh repaves favor the bottom groove since it offers the shortest way around a track. Yet, Iowa’s partial resurfacing in May 2024 produced multiple lanes, opening the door for corner-to-corner passing. That is why veteran Jeff Burton is confident that the track is ready to deliver another thriller after last year’s showcase.
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Burton pointed out that in the 14 months since the repave, the once-charcoal sections have faded to a light grey. As asphalt ages, grip diminishes, which tends to enhance racing. Besides, even drivers prefer surfaces with less grip because it shifts control into their hands and rewards skill over raw speed.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bad race there. I love this racetrack. I was super excited when they announced they were going to have a Cup race here… Clearly, the place to be was the new asphalt, but the new asphalt was three grooves wide. So it kept the cars close together because the pavement wasn’t so wide,” Burton said. “It was a really, really good race.”
Initially, drivers feared the repave would create single-file racing as cars hugged the fresh bottom lane. Instead, the June 2024 Cup debut at the 7/8-mile track, built in 2006, turned into one of NASCAR’s most exhilarating short-track battles in years.
Looking ahead, Burton expects Iowa to deliver another barnburner. “The less grip you have, the more grooves you have,” he explained. “I don’t anticipate that it’s lost enough grip to drive moving up out of the new asphalt into the older asphalt. I don’t anticipate that. But I think that lower grip induces more passing opportunities.”
While Burton never competed in a race at Iowa, he tested there during his driving career, giving him first-hand judgment about the track’s evolving character.
Chase Briscoe’s take on NASCAR’s experiment with Iowa
NASCAR will stage only its second-ever Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway this weekend, though the track has already hosted 21 IndyCar events, 21 Xfinity races, and 13 Truck Series showdowns. Chase Briscoe, who started sixth but slipped to a P28 finish last year, is eager to take another shot at the 7/8-mile oval.
Appearing on Today’s Lely Radio Sports, Briscoe said adding Iowa to the Cup schedule was long overdue and something he had hoped for over the past six or seven years. He admitted that whenever anyone asked where the Cup Series should race next, his answer was always the same: Iowa Speedway.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver noted that Iowa had been his favorite track before the repave slightly changed its character. Even if it no longer tops his personal list, he still calls it a first-class venue in a region steeped in racing culture.
With Knoxville Raceway just down the road and a deep base of passionate fans, Briscoe believes Iowa remains a natural home for NASCAR’s top series.
