News

Track: Iowa Speedway
Race: US Cellular 250 Presented by New Holland
Date: August 1, 2015

No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney

Start:  2nd
Finish: 1st (Third-career NASCAR XFINITY Series win)
Status: Running
Laps Completed:  260/260
Laps Led:  252
Owners' Points Position:  1st (+72)
 
Recap:  Ryan Blaney picked up his first NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) victory of the 2015 season, and the fifth for the No. 22 Discount Tire team, winning the U.S. Cellular 250 in dominant fashion on Saturday night at Iowa Speedway.  Blaney started the event from the second position, but quickly moved his Ford Mustang to the front of the field once the green flag flew. Logging laps as the leader until the first caution on lap 75, Blaney communicated his Mustang was a tick loose, so crew chief Greg Erwin called Blaney down pit road for fuel, four tires and adjustments. As the race restarted, Blaney would capture the lead once again, running the fastest laps on the track. Another caution flew and the Discount Tire team had another opportunity to tighten up the car to give Blaney more drive in to the turns.  Blaney would restart second and, once again, recapture the lead on the restart. After dominating the whole race, the caution flew again with less than 20 laps to go.  However, Blaney was able to break away from the field once again, prevailing in a torrid battle with Brendan Gaughan until a rash of yellows slowed the field setting up multiple green-white-checker finishes. Despite the many restarts, Blaney was able to hold onto the lead each time, eventually breaking away from the field and earning his third-career NXS win.  In total, Blaney would lead 252 of 260 laps, breaking Iowa Speedway's track record for most laps led during a race. Blaney's win would be the Discount Tire Team's third-consecutive August Iowa Speedway win. The win also propelled the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford to a 72-point lead in the XFINITY Series Owners' point standings.
 
Quote:  "I just want to thank Discount Tire, Ford and my team for putting together a great Ford Mustang.  The car was great.  The late race cautions were not ideal because they are just chances to give the race win away, but this win really speaks a lot to this team, again they gave me a great race car and just happy I could help get this team to victory lane. Iowa is a great track for us, I got a truck win here, and now an XFINITY win, the track is just a fun place and we have always had good runs here."