Sam Mayer secured his spot in the playoffs with a win at Iowa Speedway, rebounding after missing his pit box following the first stage on Saturday evening. With this win, Mayer brings the first trophy back to the new Haas Factory Team and ends Chevrolet's 13-race win streak. This was the first time that a Toyota won since Chandler Smith won the 2024 season finale at Phoenix.
Mayer led for the first time on the final restart, taking the spot away from Jesse Love. Mayer was cruising to his victory over Love and the rest of the field when the yellow flag waved on the final lap with Garrett Smithley going around, ending the race under caution.
Love, who spent most of the day in the top ten, struggled throughout the race with his racing setup.
Connor Zilisch got out to an early lead in hopes of winning his fourth race in a row and was leading at the end of the first stage before a pit row issue buried him in the midpack. Zilisch had to go down pit row twice during the first stage break after the No. 88 pit crew failed to secure a tire on the first stop.
Ross Chastain took the lead from Jesse Love in the second stage to lead 120 laps and ultimately finished third. JR Motorsports teammates Chastain, Zilisch, and Justin Allgaier were involved in a crash after a restart on lap 213, with the three getting tangled in turn one on lap 214, when a mistake by Zilisch sent Chastain into Allgaier. Zilisch appologized to his teammates after the race, and Chastain was happy to not be the aggressor in a teammate battle.
"[He was] apologizing for hitting me into the No. 7," Chastain told The CW Sports." It was nice to not be the aggressor teammate."
In the closing laps, Zilisch passed Harrison Burton for fourth as Burton settled for his second top five of the season.
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