The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Iowa Speedway this weekend, but several familiar names won’t be in the same rides fans saw just one week ago.
From Chase Elliott’s scheduled stint coming to an end to Rajah Caruth’s return at JR Motorsports and an 18-year-old making his NASCAR national series debut, Iowa’s entry list features several notable changes. Add in Corey Heim sitting out despite coming off a Brickyard 400 victory, and the weekend’s lineup looks noticeably different.
Here’s every significant driver change to know before Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350.
Chase Elliott’s JR Motorsports Stint Comes to an End
Chase Elliott’s two-race appearance in JR Motorsports’ No. 88 Chevrolet concluded at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion made his second and final scheduled NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start of the season in the Pennzoil 250, finishing fourth as JR Motorsports made series history by becoming the first organization to sweep the top four finishing positions in a race.
With Elliott’s scheduled appearances complete, Rajah Caruth returns to the No. 88 Chevrolet beginning this weekend at Iowa.
Rajah Caruth Returns to the No. 88 Chevrolet
After spending the past 10 races driving Jordan Anderson Racing’s No. 32 Chevrolet, Caruth moves back to the No. 88, where he is set to finish the remainder of the 2026 season.
The move marks the beginning of an 11-race stretch in the No. 88 that includes the final two regular-season races and the entire NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series playoffs.
Caruth remains in playoff contention entering Iowa, and the switch puts him back in one of the series’ strongest entries for the stretch run.
Carson Brown Makes His NASCAR National Series Debut
Caruth’s return to JR Motorsports opens the door for one of the weekend’s biggest stories.
Eighteen-year-old Carson Brown will make his NASCAR national series debut behind the wheel of Jordan Anderson Racing’s No. 32 Chevrolet.
Brown, a Richard Childress Racing development driver since late 2025, has built an impressive résumé in the ARCA Menards Series and CARS Late Model Stock Tour. He enters Iowa after recording a victory, a runner-up finish and four third-place finishes in six ARCA starts this season.
His debut is one of the most intriguing storylines on this weekend’s entry list.
Corey Heim Will Not Return After Brickyard Victory
One of last weekend’s biggest winners won’t be competing at Iowa.
Fresh off his second NASCAR Cup Series victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Corey Heim is not entered in Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 because there are no open Cup Series entries available.
Instead, Heim’s next scheduled Cup start remains the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway later this month before he begins his full-time rookie campaign with 23XI Racing in 2027.
His absence marks the second time this season that he has won a Cup race without returning the following weekend.
Iowa Entry List Features Several Notable Changes
Although the overall Cup Series field remains largely unchanged, this weekend’s entry list includes several noteworthy lineup adjustments.
Elliott’s scheduled JR Motorsports appearances have concluded, Caruth returns to one of the series’ premier rides for the playoff push, Brown gets his first opportunity on NASCAR’s national stage, and Heim watches from the sidelines after one of the biggest wins of his career.
With championship implications beginning to intensify, each of those moves could play an important role in shaping the remainder of the season.
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