Hy-Vee Perks 250 Official Intelligence

Tech Section: Short-Track Mechanical Intelligence

The Hy-Vee Perks 250 utilizes the O’Reilly Series Next Gen-based short-track package. Why? This high-downforce, low-horsepower configuration is designed to minimize the aerodynamic wake, allowing cars to follow closely through Iowa's long, sweeping corners. So What? This forces a reliance on mechanical grip, rewarding teams that can find a "compliant" chassis setup that doesn't "snap" loose when the tires heat up during the 75-lap stages.

Thermal Tire Stress: Heavy loads are expected on the right-rear tire exiting Turn 2. Why? The transition from the progressive banking to the backstretch creates a massive lateral load shift. So What? Drivers like Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil, who excel at "managing the slip," will have a significant advantage in the final 100-lap stage when the track surface is at its most abrasive state.

Aero-Mapping Newton: Clean air is vital for front-end turn-in. Why? Following another car closely through the 12-14° banking creates "dirty air" that washes out the front-end downforce. So What? Qualifying position is a primary performance indicator; cars starting in the top 10 are 40% more likely to maintain lead-lap status during the first half of the race.

Weekend Intelligence History (v2 Asset Relocation): Goodyear Technicals: Teams are utilizing the same tire setup recently deployed at Pocono Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The left-side tire features construction heritage from Darlington, Rockingham, Bristol, and Dover. Tire Allotments: 5 total sets are permitted (3 for race, 1 for qualifying, 1 for practice). Metric Qualifying Order: The field will qualify in the following order: Joey Gase (#55), Carson Ware (#47), Tyler Tomassi (#153), Ryan Ellis (#02), Jeremy Clements (#51), Josh Bilicki (#07), Nathan Byrd (#42), Mason Maggio (#92), Lavar Scott (#45), Blaine Perkins (#31), Kyle Sieg (#28), Derek Lemke (#91), Brennan Poole (#44), Patrick Staropoli (#48), Garrett Smithley (#0), Nick Sanchez (#87), Carson Brown (#32), Dean Thompson (#26), Harrison Burton (#24), Jeb Burton (#27), Ryan Sieg (#39), Sammy Smith (#8), Anthony Alfredo (#96), Sam Mayer (#41), Jesse Love (#2), Taylor Gray (#54), Parker Retzlaff (#99), Austin Hill (#21), Brandon Jones (#20), William Sawalich (#18), Sheldon Creed (#00), Brent Crews (#19), Corey Day (#17), Ross Chastain (#9), Rajah Caruth (#88), Justin Allgaier (#7), and Carson Kvapil (#1).

Official Entry List: Complete Field (37 Cars)

No.	Driver	Team / Organization	Crew Chief	Manufacturer
0	Garrett Smithley	SS-Green Light Racing	Bryan Berry	Chevrolet
00	Sheldon Creed	Haas Factory Team	Jonathan Toney	Chevrolet
1	Carson Kvapil	JR Motorsports	Rodney Childers	Chevrolet
02	Ryan Ellis	Young's Motorsports	Eddie Troconis	Chevrolet
2	Jesse Love	Richard Childress Racing	Danny Stockman Jr.	Chevrolet
07	Josh Bilicki	SS-Green Light Racing	Paul Clapprood	Chevrolet
7	Justin Allgaier	JR Motorsports	Andrew Overstreet	Chevrolet
8	Sammy Smith	JR Motorsports	Cory Shea	Chevrolet
9	Ross Chastain	JR Motorsports	Phillip Bell	Chevrolet
17	Corey Day	Hendrick Motorsports	Adam Wall	Chevrolet
18	William Sawalich	Joe Gibbs Racing	Jeff Meendering	Toyota
19	Brent Crews	Joe Gibbs Racing	Seth Chavka	Toyota
20	Brandon Jones	Joe Gibbs Racing	Sam McAulay	Toyota
21	Austin Hill	Richard Childress Racing	Chad Haney	Chevrolet
24	Harrison Burton	Sam Hunt Racing	Brian Gainey	Toyota
26	Dean Thompson	Sam Hunt Racing	Kris Bowen	Toyota
27	Jeb Burton	Jordan Anderson Racing	J C Umscheid	Chevrolet
28	Kyle Sieg	RSS Racing	Aedan Mchugh	Chevrolet
31	Blaine Perkins	Jordan Anderson Racing	Joe Williams Jr.	Chevrolet
32	Carson Brown	Jordan Anderson Racing	Mark Setzer	Chevrolet
39	Ryan Sieg	RSS Racing	Matt Noyce	Chevrolet
41	Sam Mayer	Haas Factory Team	Jason Trinchere	Chevrolet
42	Nathan Byrd	Young's Motorsports	Andrew Abbott	Chevrolet
44	Brennan Poole	Alpha Prime Racing	Frankie Kerr	Chevrolet
45	Lavar Scott	Alpha Prime Racing	Kase Kallenbach	Chevrolet
47	Carson Ware	Mike Harmon Racing	Kevin Cram	Chevrolet
48	Patrick Staropoli	Big Machine Racing	Patrick Donahue	Chevrolet
51	Jeremy Clements	Jeremy Clements Racing	Matt Weber	Chevrolet
153	Tyler Tomassi	Joey Gase Motorsports	Shannon Shehan	Toyota
54	Taylor Gray	Joe Gibbs Racing	Jason Ratcliff	Toyota
55	Joey Gase	Joey Gase Motorsports	Scott Eggleston	Ford
87	Nicholas Sanchez	Peterson Racing Group	Jody Measamer	Chevrolet
88	Rajah Caruth	JR Motorsports	Mardy Lindley	Chevrolet
91	Derek Lemke	DGM Racing	Mario Gosselin	Chevrolet
92	Mason Maggio	DGM Racing	Steve Addington	Chevrolet
96	Anthony Alfredo	Viking Motorsports	Josh Graham	Chevrolet
99	Parker Retzlaff	Viking Motorsports	Danny Efland	Chevrolet

Weather & Track Metrics

Track: 0.875-Mile Paved Short Oval
Banking: 12-14° Progressive
Forecast: Low-to-mid 80s°F; Humid. Why? Higher humidity levels increase the air resistance (drag) while simultaneously reducing cooling efficiency for the brake ducts. So What? Drivers who utilize "brake-bias" adjustments early in the race to save their front pads will have a mechanical advantage during the high-attrition final stage.

Crossover & Series Debut Intel

Ross Chastain (#9 JR Motorsports): The Cup Series regular returns to the #9 Chevrolet. Why? To provide high-level technical feedback to the JRM chassis department. So What? His presence elevates the pace of the entire JRM stable, acting as a live-benchmarking tool for championship leader Justin Allgaier.

Carson Brown (#32 JAR): Making his official series debut. Why? Capitalizing on momentum from his ARCA short-track victories. So What? His dual-duty weekend (ARCA Friday, O’Reilly Saturday) gives him twice the "track-read" of his rookie peers, making him a dark horse for a top-15 finish.

Derek Lemke (#91 DGM): Making his O'Reilly debut. So What? Transitioning from the Truck Series, his ability to manage the heavier O’Reilly Series chassis on Iowa’s abrasive surface will be the key to his development profile.

Nick Sanchez (#87) & Rajah Caruth (#88): Both Truck Series standouts continue their crossover campaigns. So What? Their presence disrupts the points-harvesting strategy for series regulars, as both drivers are prioritized for race wins over conservation.

Championship Dynamics

Justin Allgaier (#7): The points leader holds 1,016 points and 6 wins. Why? JRM's short-track mechanical platform has been the class of the field in 2026. So What? He remains the definitive favorite at Iowa, a track where he holds an 8.9 average finish.

Carson Kvapil (#1): Sitting 2nd in points (751). So What? Fresh off an Indianapolis victory, he has officially transitioned from a "part-time prospect" to a "championship threat."

Playoff Bubble: With only four races remaining, William Sawalich (-7) and Rajah Caruth (-20) are in high-stakes "must-perform" territory. So What? Expect aggressive "three-wide" restarts from these two, as Iowa represents one of the final high-percentage opportunities to jump into the top 12.

Official Social Buzz

#HyVeePerks250: Momentum is building around Carson Kvapil's rise and Ross Chastain's return. Local fans are focused on Carson Brown's debut and the Justin Allgaier vs. Sam Mayer (defending winner) rivalry. Hy-Vee promotional activity is saturating the Des Moines market ahead of the Saturday feature.