Race 23 of 33: HyVee Perks 250 at Iowa Speedway
Track Specs: .875 Mile short track / 260 Laps
Race Winner: Carson Kvapil
Kvapil’s finish: P1
Caruth’s finish: P2
Chastain’s finish: P4
Smith’s finish: P17
Allgaier’s finish: P24
Carson Kvapil
Carson Kvapil, driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, captured his second career win in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Saturday afternoon at lowa Speedway. Kvapil took the green flag from the third position and during the first stage, was battling a loose-handling race car, but finished the stage in the seventh position. During the second stage, Kvapil was still battling an ill handling car. When the green-and-checkered flag waved at the end of Stage Two, Kvapil was scored in the 12th position. The final stage was filled with cautions and varying pit strategies. Kvapil worked himself up to second in the closing laps when a late race yellow came out with five laps to go. On the second green-white-checkered restart, the JR Motorsports driver restarted from the race lead and held off JRM teammate Rajah Caruth to win his second-consecutive NOAPS race and solidify his place in second in the championship standings with one race remaining in the regular season.
“It is super cool to win two consecutive races in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and this entire No. 1 Bass Pro Shops team brought another strong car to lowa. Today showed what this No. 1 team has and brings to the track every week. We have all the momentum right now and we will continue to work over the next two off weekends and be ready to go in Daytona. I can’t thank Johnny Morris and everyone at Bass Pro Shops enough for their continued support and believing in me.”
Rajah Caruth
Rajah Caruth and the No. 88 team earned a runner-up finish Saturday at lowa Speedway after a strong late-race charge. Starting fourth, Caruth battled a loose condition and a lack of rear grip early, slipping outside the top 10 before finishing Stage One in 11th. The team made adjustments during the stage break, and Caruth worked his way forward during Stage Two, climbing into the top 10 and finishing the stage in 10th. Caruth reported the adjustments had made the No. 88 too tight, prompting the team to split the difference on its next changes. Restarting the final stage ninth, Caruth continued to battle around the top 10 as the team worked to improve the car’s rear grip. A series of late cautions gave Caruth opportunities to move forward, and he capitalized, climbing to seventh by lap 193. Caruth remained inside the top 10 before another caution on lap 245 sent the race into overtime. He restarted eighth for the first overtime attempt and surged to fourth before another caution extended the race. Caruth lined up fourth for the second overtime restart and charged to second before the checkered flag, securing a career-best runner-up finish.
“Man, what a day. Really proud of everyone on this No. 88 team for continuing to fight and making our car better all race long. Really thankful to Mr. H, Ms. Linda, Dale, Kelley and LW for believing in me, and everyone at HendrickCars.com and the Hendrick engine shop, Chevrolet, KOA, Wilde and NAPA for all their support. We know how important every position is for us in the points right now, so to capitalize at the end and come home second is huge. We wanted one more spot, but we’ll take the momentum and keep fighting.”
Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain made his final NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start of the 2026 season with JR Motorsports from the front row at lowa Speedway Saturday afternoon. After qualifying his Registix Chevrolet in the second position, Chastain managed the handling of his racecar for the initial 60 laps taking the first green-and-white checkered flag in fourth. Lining up for the second stage just outside the top-10, Chastain avoided an early caution in Stage Two and held on to his position to take the second green- and-white checkered flag in 11th. Before lining up for the final stage, crew chief Phillip Bell called for some adjustments to help improve the handling of the veteran driver’s Chevrolet. While avoiding multiple on track incidents throughout the final stage, Chastain worked his way up to the front of the field where he would remain for 63 laps. A caution with only three laps remaining forced the event into NASCAR’S version of overtime. After two attempts at the green-white-checkered finish, Chastain ultimately took the checkered flag in fourth.
“This No. 9 Registix team brought me a fast racecar this weekend and I was really hoping we would be able to end our run on a high note. I have had so much fun racing with this team this year and while we weren’t able to get it done tonight, I am so proud of the hard work they all put in and I wish them luck the rest of the season.”
Sammy Smith
Sammy Smith, driver of the No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet, qualified ninth for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at his home track of lowa Speedway. The JR Motorsports driver ran within the top-five a majority of the day and accumulated valuable stage points until a late-race incident saw him ultimately finish 17th.
Smith took the first green flag from ninth and by the halfway point in Stage One was in fifth, which is where he closed out the initial 60 laps, collecting six stage points. Crew chief Cory Shea called Smith down pit road for fresh tires and fuel, while gaining two positions off pit road to start Stage Two in third. The next 60 laps saw the NOAPS field encounter one caution and Smith defended his position to take the green-white checkered flag in third, gaining eight stage points. The No. 8 Chevrolet came down pit road at stage end for another set of fresh tires, fuel and air pressure adjustment before restarting third for the final stage.
The final stage was eventful with numerous cautions and after the second caution on lap 158, Smith was caught speeding on pit road forcing him to restart on the tail. Through five more cautions, Smith worked his way up to 12th. On the first overtime restart, Smith along with teammate Justin Allgaier, was caught up in an incident where the Pilot Chevrolet collected left-front damage. Smith restarted sixth but with the damage, unfortunately settled into a 17th-place finish.
“I’m grateful for everyone who supported this No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet this weekend as we honored Michael (Annett). It was really cool to be able to do that for him and this team brought a fast car, I just wish we could have brought home the solid finish the team deserved.”
Justin Allgaier
Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture / Precision Build Chevrolet, looked poised to fight for the win on Saturday evening in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at lowa Speedway. Leading for a race-high 83 laps and winning the second stage, Allgaier lined up third for the first attempt at NASCAR’s version of overtime. Heading into the first corner, Allgaier looked to the outside for the race lead before being collected in a multi-car incident that caused heavy damage to the left front of his JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Soldiering on despite the damage, Allgaier was able to salvage a 24th-place finish in the end. With just one race remaining in the regular season at Daytona International Speedway, Allgaier continues to hold an astounding 265-point lead in the standings and will begin The Chase as the top seed.
“It’s an unfortunate end to our day, but we had an unbelievable BRANDT Professional Agriculture / Precision Build Chevrolet. Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and everyone on this JR Motorsports team gave me a great car from the moment we hit the track this morning. I just wish we could’ve come home with the finish this group deserves but there is a lot to hold our heads high about. We’ve got just one more race left in this regular season, so we are going to have fun down in Daytona before this Chase gets rolling.”