🏁 DEPUTY DAWGONEGOOD’S RACING PICKS — IOWA CORN 350 🏁
After taking last weekend off along with the Cup Series, Deputy DawgGoneGood is rested up, the crystal ball has been polished, and we’re headed to the cornfields of Iowa!
NASCAR tackles the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway Sunday for 350 laps. This place is short, fast, hard on tires, and traffic can turn a good afternoon sour in a hurry.
Here are this week’s DawgGoneGood Five:
🏆 1. Ryan Blaney — THE PICK TO WIN
I’m planting my flag on the No. 12.
Blaney won the inaugural Cup race at Iowa in 2024, and he has looked like the man to beat this weekend. He put the Ford on the pole and, more importantly, showed outstanding long-run speed in practice.
At a track where managing the car over a run matters, that combination is mighty hard to ignore.
Deputy’s call: BLANEY WINS IT.
🔥 2. Christopher Bell
Bell may not have grabbed the headlines in qualifying, but don’t sleep on him.
He had the second-best 10-lap average in practice, and Bell has made a career out of being dangerous on shorter, technical ovals.
If this thing turns into a tire-management race with plenty of adjustments, the No. 20 could be there when the money is on the table.
⚡ 3. Joey Logano
Here’s another Penske Ford I really like.
Logano qualified third and was third-fastest over a 10-lap run in practice. With Blaney showing tremendous speed too, Team Penske appears to have brought something to Iowa.
And if the race gets rough, strategic and aggravating?
That’s Joey Logano territory.
🚀 4. Kyle Larson
Leaving Larson off the list at Iowa would probably qualify as reckless driving.
He starts alongside Blaney on the front row after qualifying second. His practice numbers weren’t quite as impressive as Blaney’s, but Larson has an uncanny ability to find speed as a race develops — especially when the preferred groove starts moving around.
Don’t be surprised if the No. 5 becomes much stronger late in the afternoon.
👀 5. Ty Gibbs
This is my “keep your eye on him” pick.
Gibbs was second-fastest overall in practice and qualified sixth. The speed is clearly there.
He’s still looking to turn more of those fast weekends into victories, and Iowa might provide the opportunity.
🌽 DAWG GONE DARK HORSE: ERIK JONES
Now we’re having some fun.
Erik Jones was FASTEST IN PRACTICE and qualified 10th.
Before the weekend, Jones was way down the betting board compared with the usual favorites. But after what that No. 43 showed Saturday, I’m not ignoring him.
I’m not predicting Jones to win outright — but a Top 10 wouldn’t surprise me one bit, and if circumstances fall his way, he could become one of Sunday’s big stories.
⚠️ ONE I’M NERVOUS ABOUT: DENNY HAMLIN
Hamlin entered the weekend as the betting favorite and leads the Cup standings, but Saturday raised a red flag.
The No. 11 had brake problems during practice, and Hamlin qualified way back in 29th.
Can he drive through the field? Absolutely.
But at Iowa, that’s asking for a long afternoon.
🏁 DEPUTY DAWGONEGOOD’S FINAL ORDER
🥇 Ryan Blaney
🥈 Christopher Bell
🥉 Joey Logano
4️⃣ Kyle Larson
5️⃣ Ty Gibbs
🌑 Dark Horse: Erik Jones
WINNER: RYAN BLANEY
The Iowa Corn 350 goes green Sunday afternoon.
We’ve had a week off. No excuses this time.
Let’s see if Deputy DawgGoneGood can sniff out a winner! 🐶🏁
