JR Motorsports — NXS Iowa Speedway Preview

JR Motorsports Xfinity Team Preview

TRACK – Iowa Speedway (.875-mile oval)

NXS RACE – HyVee Perks 250 (250 laps / 218.75 miles)

TUNE IN – CW, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 4:30 p.m. (ET)

Carson Kvapil

No. 1 – Roto-Rooter Chevrolet

Kvapil 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 21

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 4

Top 10s: 8

Laps Led: 64

Avg. Finish: 14.5

Points: 7th

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Carson Kvapil will head to Iowa Speedway this weekend for his first start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series on the .875-mile oval.

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According to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics, the 22-year-old rookie currently ranks fourth in quality passes this season (887).

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Roto-Rooter’s colors of Roto Red and Plumb Purple will return to Kvapil’s Chevrolet this weekend at Iowa. This is a fitting location for Roto-Rooter as the founder, Samuel Blanc started the business in 1935 in Des Moines where the manufacturing plant is still located to this day.

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Kvapil has run strong on short tracks in his NXS career, earning a best finish of second at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this season.

Carson Kvapil Quote:

“Iowa is another new track I will get to race on this year and I am really looking forward to getting out there on Saturday. Short tracks are where I started racing, so hopefully I will be able to adapt fairly quickly. I know this No. 1 team will bring me a fast Roto-Rooter Chevrolet and we plan on being towards the front when it counts.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture / Precision Build Chevrolet

Allgaier 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 21

Wins: 3

Top 5s: 11

Top 10s: 13

Laps Led: 685

Avg. Finish: 13.0

Points: 1st

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Justin Allgaier is a former NXS winner in the cornfields of Iowa, having taken the checkered flag in June of 2018 after leading for a race-high 182 laps.

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Overall, in 17 NXS starts at Iowa, Allgaier has amassed four top fives and 12 top 10s to accompany the 2018 victory.

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In his NXS career on short tracks, Allgaier has scored a combined six wins, 31 top-fives and 49 top-10s. His most recent short-track win came at Martinsville Speedway in the fall of 2023.

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This weekend in Iowa, Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevrolet will feature a co-branded effort between BRANDT Professional Agriculture and Precision Build.

Justin Allgaier Quote: 

“I’ve always liked racing in Iowa. It’s such a fun short track, with a lot of characteristics, especially now with the variations of pavement. Hopefully we can replicate the success we’ve had there in the past this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture / Precision Build Chevrolet. Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 7 team have been working hard all week long and I know we are going to have a great car on Saturday.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 TMC Transportation Chevrolet

Smith 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 21

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 11

Laps Led: 40

Avg. Finish: 14.6

Points: 10th

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Johnston, IA native Sammy Smith heads to his home track for the second time in his NXS career this weekend.

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Smith’s first trip to the .875-mile oval with the NXS was last year where he brought home a fourth-place finish after climbing through the field throughout the event.

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Smith ran twice at Iowa with the ARCA Menards Series, earning a best finish of second in 2022.

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According to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics, Smith has run inside the top-15 80.7 percent of the time, ranking fourth among all drivers in the series.

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TMC Transportation has also called Iowa home for over 50 years. It is an employee-owned transportation company based in Des Moines, IA.

Sammy Smith Quote:

“I’m looking forward to heading to Iowa this weekend; it’s great to be on my home turf and have the support of all my family and friends there. It makes it even more special since it’s also home to TMC Transportation so we’re able to spend some time with them. I know this No. 8 JR Motorsports team is ready and we’ll get out there and hopefully be those couple spots better than last year to be in Victory Lane on Saturday.”

Ross Chastain

No. 9 Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet

Chastain 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 4

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 2

Top 10s: 3

Laps Led: 23

Avg. Finish: 13.8

Points: N/A

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Ross Chastain makes his fifth NXS start of the season at Iowa on Saturday.

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Saturday’s race marks Chastain’s final appearance behind the wheel of the No. 9 Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet for JRM this season. He hasfinished eighth, fourth, fifth and 38th so far this season in the No. 9 entry. The 38th-place finish at Dover Motor Speedway was due to a mechanical issue.

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Chastain has nine starts overall in the NXS at Iowa, having twice finished in the fourth position, his best at the .875-mile short track.

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The No. 9 Xfinity entry has visited Victory Lane twice this season under the guidance of crew chief Cory Shea – Mexico City with Daniel Suarez and the Chicago Street Race with Shane van Gisbergen.

Ross Chastain Quote: 

“Iowa was built for stock car racing and I was so glad when it got put back on the schedule. I’ve raced several times there in the Xfinity Series and it would be awesome to get the win in the corn fields of Iowa for Acceptance Insurance and JRM. Connor getting JRM’s 100th win last

weekend in Indy was huge and I would like to be the person to get them 101.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 KOA Chevrolet

Zilisch 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 20

Wins: 5

Top 5s: 10

Top 10s: 12

Laps Led: 425

Avg. Finish: 10.2

Points: 2nd

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Connor Zilisch won the 2024 ARCA Menards Series race at Iowa, leading 102 of 150 laps and will now attempt a victory in his first start there with the NXS on Saturday afternoon.

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Zilisch scored his fifth win of the 2025 NXS season one week ago at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The victory was the 100th in the NXS for JRM, a milestone win for the Mooresville, N.C.,-based organization. Zilisch won in his first NXS start at Indy and for the third consecutive

race. He claimed his sixth victory in 24 career starts.

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Indianapolis was the ninth consecutive top-five by Zilisch, an impressive streak that began in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His average finish in those nine races is a sizzling 2.11, which includes four victories (Pocono, Sonoma, Dover, and Indianapolis).

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KOA and Winnebago will be on the No. 88 this weekend. The Montana-based campground has over 500 locations across the U.S. and Canada with one only 2.2-miles away from the Iowa track.

Connor Zilisch Quote:

“I was fortunate enough to win the ARCA race at Iowa last year, so I’m looking forward to using what I learned in that race with a new challenge in the Xfinity car. My crew chief, Mardy Lindley, won the race there with Sam Mayer last year so I know we’ll have a really good KOA Chevrolet when we get to the track this weekend. We’ve been on a roll lately with top-five finishes and trips to Victory Lane, so I’m ready to get to the track and continue that with KOA.”

JRM Team Updates

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JR Motorsports at Iowa Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Iowa Speedway a combined 62 times in the NXS since 2009. In those starts at the .875-mile oval, the organization has recorded four wins, 17 top-fives and 38 top-10s. The average finish is 11.5.

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Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Connor Zilisch will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / HMS-Byron/Bowman souvenir rig on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 12:40 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. CT.