Its IndyCar future still remains uncertain, but Iowa Speedway put on a very good race today as we saw a new season winner and Chevrolet may have saved their season.

Chevrolet took a sledgehammer and smashed their losing streak into a million pieces. Pato O’Ward led the three Team Penske cars across the finish line in Race 1 at Iowa Saturday. It was O’Ward’s first win of the season as well as the first win for Chevrolet.

Arrow McLaren is just he third team to score a victory in 2025, and O’Ward is just the fourth driver to win a race.

O’Ward got past Josef Newgarden during the final pit stops and held on through two yellow flags and a restart after a red flag. Today’s finish was the closest at Iowa since 2007.

Quick Thoughts

Team Penske had their best day of the season. Newgarden won pole and led 230 laps. Will Power finished third and Scott McLaughlin ended the day in fourth after starting last. Still, there is probably frustration in nthe Penske camp that the victory eluded them.

Kyle Kirkwood had his worst day of the year. He crashed in practice this morning, then he hit the wall during the race. Kirkwood dropped to third in the points standings.

Nolan Siegel had a great run spoiled by his crash on lap 257. he had a top ten all but clinched.

The yellows seemed to come just in time for pit stops or just after a pit cycle had been completed.

The red flag was appropriate as the wall needed to be repaired. Just happened at a bad time for the leader. O’Ward said he wasn’t worried about the restart after the red flag.

Compared to 2024’s races, this Iowa race was not quite up to the old Iowa races, but it was much better than last year. There were passes, mad dashes off pit lane, and a fight for the lead most of the second half of the race. Let’s hope for more of the same tomorrow.

Weather in Iowa is usually brutally hot. While today was warm, it was definitely the most comfortable I have ever been at this track. Tomorrow’s weather will be similar to today’s.

Tomorrow’s race begins at 12;20 pm. FOX comes on the air at noon Central.