Ty Gibbs beat Christopher Bell by 0.253 seconds at Iowa after a two-tire call, while Bell and Ryan Blaney carried the FantasyJolt scoring board.
Race Summary
Ty Gibbs left Iowa Speedway with the trophy after a late-race strategy call flipped the front of the field. Gibbs' No. 54 team took two tires on the final major pit sequence, putting him ahead of Christopher Bell for the run to the finish.
Bell had the faster long-run profile for much of the afternoon. He led 108 laps, won Stage 2 and recorded FantasyJolt's fastest-lap award, but he could not get back around Gibbs in clean air. Gibbs won by 0.253 seconds, with Bell second and pole winner Ryan Blaney third.
Blaney owned the first half of the scoring sheet. He won Stage 1, led a race-high 129 laps and still finished third after the final strategy cycle. Ross Chastain also led 40 laps and scored in both stages before finishing seventh.
Josh Berry finished fourth from 13th and Denny Hamlin climbed from 29th to fifth. Chase Briscoe, Chastain, AJ Allmendinger, William Byron and Austin Dillon completed the top 10.
The race ran 350 laps for 306.25 miles. It included seven cautions for 45 laps, nine lead changes among six drivers and an average speed of 103.337 mph.
Final Top 10
| Pos | Car | Driver | Start | Laps Led | FJ Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | 6 | 20 | 61.0 |
| 2 | 20 | Christopher Bell | 22 | 108 | 66.8 |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | 1 | 129 | 65.9 |
| 4 | 21 | Josh Berry | 13 | 0 | 39.0 |
| 5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 29 | 0 | 43.0 |
| 6 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | 20 | 0 | 45.0 |
| 7 | 1 | Ross Chastain | 9 | 40 | 52.0 |
| 8 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | 25 | 0 | 34.0 |
| 9 | 24 | William Byron | 19 | 0 | 37.0 |
| 10 | 3 | Austin Dillon | 7 | 0 | 38.0 |
Key Takeaways
Gibbs finished the call
The two-tire decision gave Gibbs track position, but it still left him with Bell in range. Gibbs kept the car planted through traffic and protected the preferred lane long enough to make the strategy hold.
Bell was the fantasy headliner
Bell did not win the race, but he was the top FantasyJolt scorer. Stage 2, 108 laps led and the fastest-lap award pushed him to 66.8 base points.
Blaney controlled enough to matter
Blaney's third-place finish came with the pole, Stage 1 and 129 laps led. That combination made him nearly as valuable as Bell, even without the win.
Chastain kept the perfect lineup alive
Chastain scored in both stages and led 40 laps. At a $9 salary, that 52-point base score made him the bridge between the two expensive dominators and the value pieces.
Fantasy Recap
Bell scored 66.8 FantasyJolt points at a $14 salary. Blaney followed at 65.9, while Gibbs scored 61.0 with the race win and two stage finishes. Chastain's 52.0 points at $9 were the best value score among the high-impact drivers.
The winning race story and the winning fantasy story split slightly. Gibbs got the trophy, but Bell and Blaney had the two strongest all-in stat lines because of stage points and laps led.
Berry's fourth-place finish supplied 39.0 base points at $8. Connor Zilisch finished 11th, scored in both stages and produced 33.0 base points at a $5 salary. Those two salaries were enough to fit Bell, Blaney and Chastain under the cap.
FantasyJolt Perfect Lineup
| Group | Driver | Salary | Base Points | Multiplied Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Christopher Bell | $14 | 66.8 | 133.60 |
| B | Ryan Blaney | $14 | 65.9 | 115.33 |
| C | Ross Chastain | $9 | 52.0 | 78.00 |
| D | Josh Berry | $8 | 39.0 | 48.75 |
| E | Connor Zilisch | $5 | 33.0 | 33.00 |
The lineup used the full $50 cap and scored 408.68 points.
By the Numbers
- 0.253 seconds: Gibbs' winning margin over Bell.
- 129 laps led: Blaney's race-high total.
- 108 laps led: Bell's second-place total.
- Seven cautions: Covering 45 laps.
- Nine lead changes: Shared among six drivers.
- 103.337 mph: Official average speed.
- 66.8 FantasyJolt points: Bell's race-leading base score.