P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Noah Gragson was fastest in Friday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice at Iowa Speedway — a session highlighted by numerous tire issues. Gragson went to the top of the board late on at 137.988mph (2…
Noah Gragson was the fastest in Friday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice at Iowa Speedway, with numerous tire issues being a highlight of the session. Gragson set the pace late in the session with a speed of 137.988mph. Cup Series teams had an extended 50-minute practice session due to it being the series’ first visit to the facility. Ty Gibbs followed Gragson as the second fastest at 136.559mph, also experiencing a tire issue like four other drivers. The top 10 in practice also included Alex Bowman, Justin Haley, Chase Elliott, and Ross Chastain. Additionally, Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, and others faced tire problems, with Bell and Cindric needing backup cars for Sunday’s race after hitting the wall. NASCAR dealt with the tire issues efficiently, towing cars to the garage when necessary to avoid further track damage. 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick also faced a tire problem but managed to avoid a full-on incident by bringing his car to pit road in time. Looking ahead, Cup Series qualifying is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET on Saturday.
