Roger Penske’s Star Driver Calls for Total Iowa Overhaul After Gritty Warning

Nearly 18 years. That’s how long Iowa Speedway has waited for its time in the spotlight. But last year, the short track finally got its shot at hosting its inaugural Cup Series race, and let’s just say that drivers were baffled by what they saw. During a test session, it appeared that the bottom and middle lanes were partially repaved with jet-black asphalt, while the top lane remained unchanged. This meant drivers didn’t dare run on the older part of the pavement because of the lack of grip. Christopher Bell even said, “It just completely ruined the corners, and it’s going to make it a one-groove racetrack.”

A year later, calls for a complete repavement of Iowa Speedway are louder than ever. This time, it’s Roger Penske’s driver Ryan Blaney, who won the Iowa Corn 350 in 2024. However, could NASCAR heed the No. 12 driver’s warning and finally make changes to the short track? Time will tell.

Roger Penske’s driver wants NASCAR to finish the job

“In my mind, you either leave it or you pave the whole thing,” said Ryan Blaney ahead of last year’s race at Iowa Speedway. The Ohio-native would have been “fine” with either choice, but NASCAR’s decision to partially repave the short track didn’t go down well with him. Kevin Harvick even called it “one of the biggest F-ups in the whole year.” Ultimately, the bizarre decision came down to timing, as repavement was not a part of NASCAR’s plan until track inspection revealed that some of the lower grooves were badly damaged. What followed was a rushed job.

Fast forward a year since then, and Ryan Blaney feels the track needs to be repaved fully. Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Roger Penske’s driver said, “I would repave the whole thing. I think you kind of have to. That place, if you keep they keep the progressive banking that it has, I think it’s perfect. For some reason, that place seems to have a little bit bigger steps in the progressive banking as you go up than other racetracks that I’ve seen have it, so it allows you to really run up. I think we’ll just continue to push it up and up and up, and it would be like old Iowa, where you’re running everywhere. It wouldn’t be so rough like that for a while.”

Usually, worn-out pavement makes for better racing, and Iowa Speedway’s progressive banking configuration is a beloved aspect of the track. However, with last year’s partial repavement ageing well, Blaney would rather see NASCAR get the job done once and for all. He said, “If they use that same asphalt that they put down, I think it aged really well to where you’re continuing to search for grip. I think we could push it up really quick. A year or two would be like third lane, plus.”

And it looks like Roger Penske’s star isn’t the only driver who wants the short track to be fixed. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe said Iowa was his “favorite” and hopes that NASCAR “will repave the final two lanes of the racetrack” one day. As things stand, NASCAR has not revealed its 2026 schedule, but the 0.875-mile short track will likely be on it. The sanctioning body will have a crucial decision to make, because while the repaved sections are aging to the driver’s liking, the original sections don’t have the same consistency.

William Byron shares his thoughts on Iowa repavement

William Byron had quite a race at Iowa Speedway, didn’t he? The Hendrick Motorsports driver led 141 laps at the short track, securing his first triumph since the season-opening Daytona 500. The win even cemented his place at the top of the driver standings, and with three races to go before the playoffs, it was exactly the kind of result the No. 24 driver was looking for during the business end of the season.

But despite winning with an impressive 1.192-second margin, Byron thinks the venue needs to be overhauled. He said, “I just kind of roll with it. But I think they should probably see it through (repavement) now. The track is starting to age pretty quickly. It would probably be good if you repaved the top now, at least repave the straightaways. I’m not sure. It’s kind of like our strategy today; once you’ve committed to it, you’ve just got to see it through.”

It’s interesting to see that both Ryan Blaney and William Byron, winners at Iowa Speedway since its Cup Series debut, have similar opinions about the track’s overhaul. With the Next-Gen car already struggling on short tracks in terms of making passes and tire wear, NASCAR would be wise to fix the venue once and for all and have it up and ready before next year’s race. Fans and drivers deserve to see some exciting action at the D-shaped oval, and it’s the sanctioning body’s job to deliver on that front.