Editor’s note: Keep tabs on this page for lineup advice following qualifying, including changes you should consider.
Team Penske has set the standard on NASCAR’s short tracks in the Next Gen era, but the wins have become increasingly difficult to predict. Nine drivers have claimed the last 10 short-track races, with William Byron standing as the lone repeat winner. Even so, Joey Logano’s commanding performance at North Wilkesboro Speedway less than a month ago is a reminder that Penske remains the team to beat entering Iowa Speedway.
Returning to Fastlane this year is my weekly NASCAR 36 for 36 pick, and you can play along here. It’s a season-long points battle introduced in 2024 in which strategy is the primary emphasis. With 36 chartered cars and 36 races on the 2026 schedule, players can use each car once during the season.
RELATED: NASCAR Fantasy Live hub | Play 36 for 36
MUST START
Driver: Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Selections remaining: 2
Comment: In the inaugural Cup Series event at Iowa in 2024, Ryan Blaney routed the field, leading a career-high 201 laps to victory. He backed that performance up with a fourth-place showing last year. The No. 12 team has 11 finishes of sixth or better in the last 14 short-track attempts.
Driver: William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Selections remaining: 5
Comment: The inconsistency of the No. 24 team has been one of the biggest questions of the 2026 season. Byron could put that notion to rest with a strong run at Iowa, as he and Blaney are the only drivers in the field with top-five finishes in both Iowa races. In five NASCAR national series starts at Iowa, Byron has three victories — one in each series — and four top-two finishes.
Driver: Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Selections remaining: 5
Comment: Did you see North Wilkesboro? Logano had a vintage performance, leading a career-high 323 laps. The three-time Cup champion is among five drivers to have top 10s in both Iowa starts, and he has posted consecutive top-five finishes for the first time in 2026.
DRIVERS TO AVOID
Driver: Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Selections remaining: 1
Comment: Hamlin could easily buck this narrative, but he considers Iowa to be among his worst tracks on the schedule. The four-time 2026 victor finished 24th in both Iowa starts and hasn’t led a single lap. The No. 11 bunch has the hot hand, though, scoring top fives in the last nine oval starts at a non-drafting track.
Driver: Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Selections remaining: 3
Comment: With three consecutive races at tracks 1 mile or shorter, Reddick could very well drop to the No. 3 Chase seed. He has a 20.5 average finish at Iowa, with a single top 10 in the last 11 short-track starts.
MORE: Watch NASCAR video highlights
SLEEPERS OF THE WEEK
Driver: Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Selections remaining: 6
Comment: It’s now or never for Keselowski to make a push toward The Chase. The 2012 champion is among three drivers to lead in both Iowa races and has an average running position of 7.6 across the two events, which ranks third in the series. He has four top 10s in the last seven short-track races.
Driver: Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Selections remaining: 10
Comment: 2026 has been a disastrous season for Berry, as he won’t return to the famed No. 21 ride in 2027. But he hasn’t forgotten how to ace a short track, with three top 10s in the last six races. Berry has an average running position of 9.1 at Iowa, the fifth-best mark in the Cup Series.
FEATURED MATCHUPS
William Byron vs. Ryan Blaney
Pick: Blaney
Comment: The Nos. 12 and 24 cars have been the strongest in the field across the two Iowa races. My hunch is to pick Blaney, knowing how strong the No. 12 team has been historically at short tracks. For Byron to win this matchup, he might need to win the race.
Joey Logano vs. Chase Elliott
Pick: Logano
Comment: Since earning Hendrick Motorsports’ most recent victory at Texas Motor Speedway more than three months ago, Elliott has gone cold with 10 finishes outside the top 10 in the last 11 races. Meanwhile, Logano is heating up at the right time, and he just delivered a masterful performance in the most recent short-track race. On paper, however, Elliott had the second-best car that evening, despite being trapped multiple laps down.
Josh Berry vs. Ryan Preece
Pick: Preece
Comment: Both drivers excel at short tracks, with the final month of the regular season setting up nicely for Preece. The No. 60 team was a legitimate contender for the win last year, rounding out the top five. I would expect this weekend to be among Berry’s best of the 2026 season.
Shane van Gisbergen vs. Austin Cindric
Pick: Cindric
Comment: The last time out at a short track, van Gisbergen was scored inside the top five for 355 of 450 laps, leading a career-high 49 laps on an oval. But racing on the bubble, Cindric needs to put clean finishes together. With Team Penske excelling at short tracks, look for a solid outing from the No. 2 bunch, though Cindric has just three top 10s in the last 10 short-track races.
MY LINEUP
Starting five: Ryan Blaney; William Byron; Joey Logano; Ty Gibbs; Christopher Bell
Garage: Chase Briscoe
36 FOR 36
Pick: Ryan Preece, RFK Racing, No. 60 Ford
Comment: With a trio of shorter venues on the horizon, using Preece anytime in that span could pay off. He placed fifth here last year despite a 33rd-place qualifying effort, while team owner Keselowski won the opening two stages. Preece has six top-10 finishes in the last 11 short-track races, including three of the last four.