Reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney wins inaugural Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway

Ryan Blaney is likely returning to the NASCAR playoffs.

The reigning Cup Series champion led the most laps and held off the field to win the Iowa Corn 350 on Sunday in Newton, Iowa.

Blaney, whose mother Lisa grew up in nearby suburban Des Moines, scored his first checkered flag of the season. More than 80 of his family members were on site at Iowa Speedway — a short track hosting its first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race — and celebrated with Blaney post-race.

William Byron finished second, Chase Elliott third, Christopher Bell fourth and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fifth.

Kyle Larson and Blaney started the race on the front row, and Blaney held off Larson to a Stage 1 win after the first 70 of 350 laps.

Those two battled early in Stage 2, and Larson had to pit with a tire issue. Larson restarted in 32nd place — but worked all the way through the field and still ultimately won the stage.

Larson’s shot at a second straight victory ended after a caution early in the final stage. He wound up in the middle of a three-wide and spun into the wall.

First Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway was embraced

Sunday’s race marked the inaugural Cup race at the 7/8-mile short track roughly 40 miles east of Des Moines.

The Hawkeye State was well-represented.

Among several notable car designs on Sunday, Corey LaJoie piloted a Caitlin Clark-endorsed car emblazoned with an Iowa Hawkeyes logo.

Neva Alden, an 18-year-old local music artist in Iowa, performed the national anthem. The invocation was given by Des Moines pastor Mike Householder, and Iowa Corn Growers Association President, Jolene Riessen, gave command to fire the engines.

Iowa Speedway, which became the 176th track to hold a points-paying Cup Series race, opened in 2006 and had already hosted the trucks and Xfinity Series. Brad Keselowski leads active Cup drivers with three Xfinity wins at Iowa coming in 2009, 2013 and 2014.