Cup Series: William Byron saves enough fuel to take Iowa victory

Written by Sean McKean

Credit: Alejandro Alvarez / NASCAR Digital Media

With a fuel mileage duel to the end, it was William Byron who took his second victory of the season. It was his first victory at Iowa Speedway since his championship-winning Xfinity season in 2017.

As it unfolded

From his sixth pole of the season, Chase Briscoe led the way but quickly lost the lead to second-placed William Byron. 

As the run progressed, Brad Keselowski reeled in Byron for the lead.

For 42 laps, however, Keselowski was forced to follow behind Byron. But after a mistake in Turn 3 with three to go in the stage, Keselowski rolled on through to take the first stage. Austin Cindric and Byron followed suit.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

2. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

3. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)

4. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

5. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing)

6. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)

7. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

8. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports)

9. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)

10. No. 7 - Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports)

    
    

Briscoe led the way on Lap 80 with Blaney in tow.

Blaney rode behind Briscoe for 60 laps, but a wide moment in Turn 1 allowed Keselowski to take second back.

Green flag pit stops began on Lap 140. Only half of the field took the opportunity, with Byron jumping Briscoe for the provisional lead.

The early pit stop takers lucked out, as the caution came out on Lap 170. Entering Turn 1, Shane van Gisbergen lost it on entry and crashed into the outside wall. 

The remaining lead-lap cars came down pit road. Blaney came out first of this bunch followed by Keselowski and Austin Cindric. 

Keselowski led the way on the ensuing restart. 

The caution eventually came back out. In Turn 1, Todd Gilliland drove in too deep and turned Ty Dillon into the outside wall. Dillon sustained rear damage.

Keselowski led on the restart with two to go in stage two. He held on to take the stage win followed by Blaney and Cindric. 

Further back, Carson Hocevar went for a spin in Turn 2. No caution was thrown. 

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

2. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

3. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

4. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

5. No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing)

6. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing)

7. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)

8. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

9. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

10. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing)

    
    

Keselowski led on the Lap 220 restart, but the caution came out shortly thereafter. This came from a spin by Denny Hamlin in Turn 4. He drove away undamaged.

Keselowski led once again on Lap 228, but one lap later, Zane Smith crashing in Turn 1 brought the caution out once again.

Only a few drivers took to pit road, but race leader Brad Keselowski notably came down.

New leader Ryan Blaney controlled the Lap 236 restart. However, as per the new usual, the caution came back out for a spinning Erik Jones on the frontstretch only six laps later.

Blaney and Gibbs were the only notable names to take to the pits.

Cindric led the way on Lap 250. Per usual activity, the caution came back out four laps later for contact between Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell in Turn 1. 

Cindric led again on Lap 261 and the caution again came out for a spinning Shane van Gisbergen.

Cindric finally had to pit, relinquishing the lead to Chase Elliott.

Elliott led the restart for the first time of the day with 82 laps remaining, and yet again, a spinning Ty Dillon brought out the caution. 

72 laps remained when Elliott led the way, but William Byron scythed through into the lead. Before a battle could occur, a caution for debris came out two laps later.

This caution forced Chase Elliott and Josh Berry down pit road. 

Byron led with only 64 laps to go.

He continued to lead but on a tight fuel window. The battle for second was firmly between Chase Briscoe and Brad Keselowski.

Despite the fuel disadvantage, Byron hung on to take his first win since Daytona.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)

2. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing)

3. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

4. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

5. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

6. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)

7. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)

8. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

9. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske)

10. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing)

11. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing)

12. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

13. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing)

14. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports)

15. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

16. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

17. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)

18. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)

19. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing)

20. No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing)

21. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

22. No. 17 - Chris Buescher (RFK Racing)

23. No. 7 - Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports)

24. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

25. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

26. No. 41 - Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team)

27. No. 71 - Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports)

28. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)

29. No. 4 - Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports)

30. No. 35 - Riley Herbst (23XI Racing)

31. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing) +1 lap

32. No. 51 - Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing) +1 lap

33. No. 34 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports) +2 laps

34. No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak Motorsports) +2 laps

35. No. 10 - Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing) +3 laps

36. No. 38 - Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports) +6 laps

37. No. 66 - Joey Gase (Garage 66) +10 laps