NASCAR Adjusts Caution Rules Ahead of Iowa Corn 350; Comcast’s USA Network to Broadcast

The NASCAR Cup Series resumes competition this weekend following a week-long hiatus, with the series heading to Iowa Speedway for the Iowa Corn 350. With only four races remaining before the postseason Chase begins, the event carries significant weight for drivers battling for position in the standings.

Ryan Blaney, the defending winner of this race, secured the pole position driving the No. 12 Ford for Team Penske. Blaney currently sits third in the point standings, trailing leader Denny Hamlin by 120 points. Hamlin’s qualifying effort was hampered by brake issues, resulting in a 29th-place starting slot that could allow Blaney to close the gap in the title hunt.

Off the track, NASCAR is implementing a procedural change that will impact race flow for the remainder of the 2026 season. To reduce the total duration of events and limit unnecessary caution periods, the sanctioning body has modified how it handles yellow flags near stage breaks. If a natural caution occurs within 10 laps of a stage’s conclusion, that stage will be deemed finished immediately, and the caution will serve as the stage break. This eliminates the previous procedure that often resulted in a one-lap “shootout” attempt following a quick clean-up, adding time to the overall broadcast.

The race will be broadcast live on the USA Network, a property of Comcast Corporation. Pre-race coverage is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the green flag expected at approximately 3:40 p.m. ET. Comcast shares were trading up 0.96% on Friday, closing at $25.36.

As the Chase cutline approaches, attention will also be on veteran Brad Keselowski. The RFK Racing driver currently sits 50 points behind teammate Austin Cindric for the final playoff spot. Keselowski will start fourth and has historically performed well at Iowa, including a third-place finish last year.

What to watch

• USA Network coverage begins Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET, featuring broadcast team Leigh Diffey, Jeff Burton, and Steve Letarte.
• The new caution rule regarding stage breaks will be active for this race.
• Brad Keselowski attempts to make up a 50-point deficit on the playoff bubble.

Source: original release