Ryan Blaney wins inaugural Cup race at Iowa, scores first 2024 victory

Ryan Blaney took home the checkered flag in the inaugural Cup Series event at Iowa Speedway Sunday evening.

Leading a career-high 201 laps, Blaney fought off the likes of Kyle Larson to take the Stage 1 victory and stuffed the hopes of other Hendrick Motorsports competitors William Byron and Chase Elliott to score his first victory of 2024 and 11th at NASCAR’s top level.

RELATED: Unofficial results | At-track photos

Byron and Elliott came home second and third, followed by Christopher Bell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounding out the top five.

Joey Logano, Josh Berry, Alex Bowman, Daniel Suárez and Brad Keselowski completed the top 10.

SHOP: Race winner gear

Kyle Larson, who led 80 laps in Sunday evening’s 350-lapper and won Stage 2, was caught up in a wreck early in the final stage after contact with Suárez. Larson’s spin collected Denny Hamlin. Larson was scored with a 34th-place finish while Hamlin finished 24th.

The Cup Series heads to the Granite State next for a date at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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