“They’re their own worst enemies”: Kyle Petty calls out NASCAR drivers’ judgment post successful Iowa race

Kyle Petty had a harsh response to the NASCAR drivers' inability to accurately predict how they would perform on the newly-repaved Iowa Speedway. He called them out for having the chance to test and practice on the track and still not being able to apprehend the changes in performance.

While 29 out of the 36 NASCAR Cup drivers had already driven on the track in other series, the repaved areas were still bound to introduce notable variations. A Goodyear tire test on May 28 involving Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell was carried out, the three logging plenty of laps to test the new surface. It was supposed to provide key data for both NASCAR and Goodyear.

Additionally, all the Cup drivers had a 50-minute practice session each to familiarize themselves with the new pavement and other features of the track on Friday itself.

However, the NASCAR drivers encountered a number of surprises, including tire issues during the practice, and were unsure of what to expect from the track. Kyle Petty expressed frustration, stating that despite sufficient testing and extended practice sessions, drivers still seemed unprepared and faced uncertainties regarding the track.

He said (via PRN):

"You cannot listen to those guys, okay, they're their own worst enemies and they don't even know it. We all, after the tire test at Iowa, we heard how bad it was going to be, how bad the racing was going to be, how bad everything was. And these guys go and test, and say 'still don't know what's going to happen.' You 'don't know what's going to happen'?"

While all the NASCAR drivers were initially skeptical about the race, everyone ultimately admired the track after the race proved decent for most, siding with fans to bring back the Corn 350 in 2025.

Christopher Bell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., however, opined that if the track undergoes a full repave, it would significantly improve conditions for racing.

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Christopher Bell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. advocate a full repave of the NASCAR-owned Iowa race track

Christopher Bell started from the rear in practice due to damage that his car sustained, but managed to climb up and finish the race at P4. While he praised the track as a promising racing venue, he suggested that a full repave might be necessary (via Des Moines Register):

"I say it time and time again: If we had run on the old pavement, it would have been a great race. [...] they should definitely go ahead and repave the rest of the corners if not the whole track.”

Echoing the sentiment, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who initially admitted to being confused and nervous about what to expect from the newly repaved track, sided with Christopher Bell after the race. He said (via All Race Day):

"Yeah, although the track raced really well for new pavement, hopefully we can get more new pavement from all the way to the top and maybe we kind of start running all over this place like when the Xfinity series was last coming here. [...] Yeah, I don't know. I mean I think we were all nervous about it." [00:36]