Iowa Speedway Thrills Fans with Intense Cup Race

William Byron, born November 29, 1997, in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a professional stock car racer competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 24 Chevrolet.[1][2][3] He is renowned for his rapid ascent from virtual sim racing on iRacing—where he amassed over 100 wins before driving a real car at age 16—to becoming one of NASCAR's elite drivers.[1][3][5][6] Byron's career highlights include a record seven wins as a rookie in the 2016 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, earning Rookie of the Year honors there and in the subsequent Xfinity Series, where he claimed the 2017 championship with four victories, including at Daytona and Indianapolis.[1][2][3][5][6] He became only the second driver, alongside Erik Jones, to win Rookie of the Year in all three national series consecutively.[1][2] Debuting in the Cup Series in 2018, he secured that series' Rookie of the Year award and has since logged 14 wins in 265 races, with 112 top-10 finishes.[2][4][6] Key achievements encompass his first Cup win at Daytona in 2020, a breakout 2023 season with six victories (including Watkins Glen and Darlington), and leading Hendrick to its 300th Cup win.[4][5][6] In 2024, he triumphed in the Daytona 500—Hendrick's seventh—and added wins at Circuit of the Americas and Martinsville, reaching the Championship 4 and finishing third overall.[1][2][5] He repeated as Daytona 500 winner in 2025 and captured his first Cup Regular Season Championship in August at Richmond, earning 15 playoff bonus points.[2][3] Entering his ninth Cup season in 2026 at age 28, Byron remains a title contender with 42 top-10s over two years, the series-best 11.9 average finish, and nine recent wins, solidifying his status among NASCAR's top talents.[1][3][5][6]

Kyle Thomas Busch, born May 2, 1985, in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a professional stock car racing driver renowned for his aggressive style and versatility across NASCAR's top series.[1][3] Nicknamed "Rowdy," he began racing go-karts at age six, won over 65 Legends car races from 1999-2001, and secured 10 Late Model victories in 2001 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's Bullring.[1][3] Busch debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2004 with Hendrick Motorsports at his hometown Las Vegas track, earning multiple wins as a rookie in 2005 and becoming NASCAR's youngest pole winner that year at age 19.[1][3] He drove full-time for Hendrick from 2005-2007, then joined Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 in the No. 18 Toyota, where he claimed the 2009 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and Cup Series titles in 2015 and 2019—the first with a Toyota.[1][2][3] A two-time Cup champion, he holds 63 Cup wins entering 2024, plus victories in prestigious races like the Brickyard 400 (2015, 2016), Southern 500 (2008), and Coca-Cola 600 (2018).[1][3] He is one of six drivers with championships in both Cup and Xfinity, and the 14th to win in all three national series (Cup, Xfinity, Truck).[3][4] In 2023, Busch moved to Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet full-time, with his last Cup win that year at Gateway.[2][4] He owns Kyle Busch Motorsports, a Truck Series powerhouse with seven titles before selling it late 2023.[1][2] Busch swept all three series in one weekend twice (2010, 2017 at Bristol) and won two top-tier races the same day in 2009.[3][4] Residing near Lake Norman, North Carolina, with wife Samantha, son Brexton, daughter Lennix, and dog Piper, Busch remains a polarizing elite competitor as of 2024, finishing 20th in Cup standings that year.[1][2][4] (298 words)

**Brad Keselowski** is a professional NASCAR driver and team owner who began his racing career in 2004 at age 20[7]. He comes from a racing family, with his father Bob competing in the Camping World Truck Series[7]. Keselowski achieved significant success as a driver for Team Penske, becoming the second of only six drivers to win championships in both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series[1]. His most notable achievement came in 2010 when he won the Cup Series championship, marking the first NASCAR championship in legendary team owner Roger Penske's history[3]. He finished second in the championship standings in 2020, his best result since winning the title in 2012[4]. Throughout his career with Team Penske, Keselowski accumulated 67 combined wins across Cup Series and Xfinity competition[2]. He is currently tied for third among active drivers in career wins with 36 victories[2]. His accomplishments include memorable victories at prestigious tracks such as Talladega Superspeedway in 2009 (his first Cup Series win), the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2020, and Darlington Raceway in 2024[2][4]. In 2024, Keselowski joined RFK Racing and earned his first victory with the team at Darlington, finishing 13th in the points standings and securing his 10th playoff appearance since 2014[2]. That season, he recorded nine top-five results, his career-best since joining RFK, and led the Cup Series with four runner-up finishes[2]. Beyond his driving career, Keselowski is a co-owner of RFK Racing, demonstrating his expanded role in the sport. He has established himself as a prominent figure in modern NASCAR, known for consistent performance and contributions to multiple team successes throughout his professional tenure.

Kyle Larson, born July 31, 1992, in Elk Grove, California, is an American professional racing driver renowned for his versatility across dirt tracks, stock cars, and sports cars.[1][6] He began racing go-karts at age seven, advancing through United States Auto Club (USAC) series to win midget, Silver Crown, and sprint car events, including a historic 2011 4-Crown Nationals sweep at Eldora Speedway, making him only the second driver to achieve it.[2][4] Larson entered NASCAR in 2012, winning the K&N Pro Series East championship and Rookie of the Year honors.[1][3] He earned 2013 Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year status and 2014 Cup Series Rookie of the Year with Chip Ganassi Racing, posting eight top-fives and 17 top-10s.[1][4] Joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 with the No. 5 Chevrolet, he secured the Cup Series championship that year with 10 wins, including the Coca-Cola 600 and a regular-season title, plus victories at diverse tracks like Sonoma and Charlotte Roval.[1][3] He repeated as champion in 2025, finishing first in standings with three wins, 15 top-fives, 22 top-10s, and 1,106 laps led.[1][5] A dirt racing standout, Larson has triumphed in the Kings Royal, Knoxville Nationals, and Chili Bowl Nationals, and won the 2015 24 Hours of Daytona with Chip Ganassi Racing.[1][2] Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023, he owns a World of Outlaws sprint car team and appeared in the 2017 film *Logan Lucky*.[2][4] In 2023, he placed second in Cup standings with four wins and an All-Star Race victory.[4] As of late 2025, Larson remains a top Hendrick contender, blending NASCAR dominance with off-track entrepreneurship.[1][2][5]