Tensions boiled over at Iowa Speedway on August 3, 2025. Ryan Blaney’s radio lit up with an unfiltered f-bomb aimed squarely at Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe. Frustrated mid-race, Blaney snapped, “All he’s doing is f***ing looking backwards!” in a notably outward expression of frustration. The outburst came just as his spotter advised him to run the seams with his left-side tires — but clearly, Blaney had something else on his mind. In a race packed with intensity, it was the mic that caught fire.

Briscoe’s mirror-driving, constantly watching his rearview to block, was gumming up Blaney’s run. It’s the kind of tactic that grinds drivers’ gears, especially on Iowa’s tight 0.875-mile oval where track position is everything.

Blaney, piloting the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, was battling for the number one spot. However, Briscoe’s defensive moves kept him pinned, sparking the fiery rant that was caught live on NBC. The moment echoed past radio meltdowns, such as Kyle Busch’s 2023 tirade at Texas, and had social media lighting up with fans loving the raw emotion.

Briscoe, in the No. 19 JGR Toyota, has been scrapping for playoff points. His aggressive style, while legal, clearly pushed Blaney’s buttons. With three races left in the regular season, tempers are flaring, and Blaney is not one to hide his frustration when a rival’s tactics cross the line.

Historically, neither Blaney nor Briscoe has been known for feuding with other drivers. Both are viewed as level-headed, albeit fiery competitors. But 2025 has raised the stakes. Briscoe’s move to a top-tier JGR seat has placed him under enormous pressure to perform, while Blaney is trying to defend his 2023 championship credibility in a turbulent season. If these two find themselves racing around each other in the playoffs or racing for a playoff spot fans might just witness this brewing rivalry erupt into something more.

Stage 2 Updates

Stage 2 at Iowa turned up the heat. Brad Keselowski owned it, winning both stages, but he’s hungry for the final checkered flag. The top 10 shook out with Keselowski leading, followed by Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, Ty Gibbs, Kyle Busch, Josh Berry, Alex Bowman, Erik Jones, Ryan Preece, and Austin Dillon. Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, running 11th and 12th, kept things spicy as they banged into each other on the last two restarts. Leaders weren’t giving up an inch of track position, likely stretching fuel and tires to the limit for a one-stop shot at the win.

On Lap 181, a caution hit when Cody Ware spun off Turn 4, with Blaney leading Keselowski. By Lap 186, Keselowski took the bottom lane to edge out Blaney’s outside run for the Stage 2 lead. A caution on Lap 203, caused by Todd Gilliland nudging Ty Dillon into the wall in Turns 1 and 2, led to a “quickie yellow” to ensure a green finish. Earlier, Briscoe, Larson, and Elliott pitted mid-pack during a caution in a bold move to gain track position later. They were banking on one more stop to make it work.