Erik Jones proved that he was the driver to beat as he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway. Jones took the lead on the start as he and polesitter Daniel Suarez set a quick pace. A competition yellow was waved on lap 40 so that track workers could inspect a patch made to the race track in turns three and four. However Jones continued to show the way after yellow flag pit stops cycled through.
All of the Joe Gibbs teams used pit crews with little or no experience working together, since this was a standalone NASCAR event. Several of the other teams brought their Sprint Cup crews to service the cars and it allowed for some changes up front.
Elliot Sadler would win the race the race off of pit road and briefly took over out front leading laps 117-125 before Jones again took over the lead. Ty Dillon also used quick pit work to take the lead during the final round of pit stops on lap 152. Jones would use the long green flag stretch to track down Dillon in the closing laps, before taking over the lead with 15 laps remaining.
Jones would end the day leading on 4 different occasions for 154 laps.
Hear from race winner Erik Jones
Dillon appeared to be one of the few that could race with Jones, his lone stint out front yielded 83 laps in the lead, but that would only be good enough for second place.
Hear from 2nd finishing Ty Dillon
Sadler only led once for only 9 laps, but he was satisfied with the third place finish.
Hear from 3rd place Elliott Sadler
Dakoda Armstrong filling in for Matt Tifft, pulled off a pass on the final lap, to move past Sam Hornish Jr. to finish an impressive 5th.
Hear from 5th finishing Dakoda Armstrong
The biggest disappointment of the race was pole sitter Suarez who was running near the front, but a slow final pit stop shuffled him back for the final restart. When the green waved Josh Berry who was restarting just ahead of Suarez missed a shift causing Suarez to run into the back of Berry's car. The front end damage to Suarez's ended up causing engine failure and he retired from the race on lap 174.
Suarez's misfortune and Sadler's third place run created a change atop the NASCAR Xfinity Point Standings as Sadler now leads Suarez by 14 points.
All of the Joe Gibbs teams used pit crews with little or no experience working together, since this was a standalone NASCAR event. Several of the other teams brought their Sprint Cup crews to service the cars and it allowed for some changes up front.
Elliot Sadler would win the race the race off of pit road and briefly took over out front leading laps 117-125 before Jones again took over the lead. Ty Dillon also used quick pit work to take the lead during the final round of pit stops on lap 152. Jones would use the long green flag stretch to track down Dillon in the closing laps, before taking over the lead with 15 laps remaining.
Jones would end the day leading on 4 different occasions for 154 laps.
Hear from race winner Erik Jones
Dillon appeared to be one of the few that could race with Jones, his lone stint out front yielded 83 laps in the lead, but that would only be good enough for second place.
Hear from 2nd finishing Ty Dillon
Hear from 3rd place Elliott Sadler
Dakoda Armstrong filling in for Matt Tifft, pulled off a pass on the final lap, to move past Sam Hornish Jr. to finish an impressive 5th.
Hear from 5th finishing Dakoda Armstrong
The biggest disappointment of the race was pole sitter Suarez who was running near the front, but a slow final pit stop shuffled him back for the final restart. When the green waved Josh Berry who was restarting just ahead of Suarez missed a shift causing Suarez to run into the back of Berry's car. The front end damage to Suarez's ended up causing engine failure and he retired from the race on lap 174.
Suarez's misfortune and Sadler's third place run created a change atop the NASCAR Xfinity Point Standings as Sadler now leads Suarez by 14 points.
NASCAR Xfinity Series U.S. Cellular 250 Results from Iowa Speedway
1. Erik Jones 250 laps Running
2. Ty Dillon 250 laps Running
3. Elliot Sadler 250 laps Running
4. Brennan Poole 250 laps Running
5. Dakoda Armstrong 250 laps Running
6. Sam Hornish Jr. 250 laps Running
7. Justin Allgaier 250 laps Running
8. Brad Keselowski 250 laps Running
9. Josh Berry 250 laps Running
10. Ryan Reed 250 laps Running
11. Brendan Gaughan 250 laps Running
12. Drew Herring 249 laps Running
13. Blake Koch 249 laps Running
14. JJ Yeley 249 laps Running
15. Ryan Sieg 249 laps Running
16. Brandon Jones 248 laps Running
17. Jeremy Clements 248 laps Running
18. Ross Chastain 248 laps Running
19. Justin Marks 247 laps Running
20. Ray Black Jr. 247 laps Running
21. David Starr 247 laps Running
22. Garrett Smithley 245 laps Running
23. BJ McLeod 245 laps Running
24. Joey Gase 244 laps Running
25. Mario Gosslein 242 laps Running
26. Michael Lira 239 laps Running
27. Darrell Wallace Jr. 239 laps Running
28. Mike Harmon 238 laps Running
29. Sencer Boyd 234 laps Running
30. Daniel Suarez 174 laps Engine
31. Jeff Green 152 laps Brakes
32. Brandon McReynolds 147 laps Accident
33. Derrike Cope 139 laps Brakes
34. Ryan Preece 127 laps Accident
35. Matt Waltz 95 laps Rear Gear
36. Morgan Sheperd 62 laps Handling
37. Timmy Hill 61 laps Engine
38. TJ Bell 55 laps Electrical
39. Mike Bliss 4 laps Vibration
40. John Jackson 2 laps Electrical
Time of Race: 2 hours 5 minutes, 43 sec. Average Speed: 104.401 mph
Margin of Victory: 3.533 seconds Caution Flags: 6 for 29 laps
Lead Changes: 7 among 4 drivers: E. Jones 1-42, Yeley 43-46, E. Jones 47-116, Sadler 117-125, E. Jones 126-151, Dillon 152-234, E. Jones 235-250
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