Rounds 10 & 11: Hy-Vee Homefront 250 and Hy-Vee Step 250, Iowa Speedway. July 12-14.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Rounds 10 & 11: Hy-Vee Homefront 250 and Hy-Vee Step 250, Iowa Speedway. July 12-14.

For the third consecutive year, Iowa Speedway will host the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend, since the speedway returned to the IndyCar calendar in 2022. Like last year's event there will be two, 250 lap races.

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History
The AAA, (American Automobole Association) held it's first race in Iowa at the Tri-State Fair Grounds, in Burlington on July 9, 1915, with a distance of 100 miles (160 km). The AAA also hosted events at Des Moines Speedway in Valley Junction, on a one mile (1.60 km) wooden board track, in 1915 and 1916. The track though was closed and dismantled soon after.

Construction of the current speedway began towards the end of 2005 and was completed in July 2006. It is modeled after Richmond International Raceway, with input from famed NASCAR-star-turned-commentator Rusty Wallace. It has a track width of 60 feet and 12-14 degree compound banking in the turns. The front stretch features 10 degrees of banking and the backstretch has 4 degrees of banking.

Iowa Speedway was the first track to install SAFER Barrier around the track's entire perimeter and to subsequently upgrade to the second generation of SAFER Barrier, which doesn't use a concrete wall behind the energy absorbing structure.

The first major event to be held at the venue, was the Indy Racing League's inaugural Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Ethanol, on June 24, 2007. It was won by Dario Franchitti, driving a Dallara IR-05-Honda HI7R V8 for Andretti Green Racing. From 2014, the race distance was increased to 262.5 miles (422.45 Km) or 300 laps.

Since 2007, the race has been a perennial event on the IndyCar calendar, becoming a double-header in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused a number of races to be cancelled and the calendar to be revised.

Following the 2020 season, it was rumoured the track was up for sale and subsequently the race was left off the 2021 calendar, a long with races for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Iowa Speedway returned for the 2022 IndyCar season with a double-header, after former series champion and team owner Bobby Rahal, managed to secure new sponsorship for the event from Iowa supermarket chain Hy-Vee, with a multi year deal.

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Track:
Iowa Speedway is the shortest track on the IndyCar calendar, with an average lap time of under 18 seconds. However, the track length is disputed by the two major series that run at Iowa.

The track length is disputed, with NASCAR timing and scoring using a length of 0.875 miles (1.408 km), while IndyCar timing and scoring uses a length of 0.894 Miles (1.439 Km).

Track layout


Length
0.894 Miles - 1.439 Km
Turns: 4

Lap record
Helio Castroneves, July 12, 2014. 17.2283 seconds, 186.809 mph (300.64 km/h).
Team Penske,
Dallara DW12-Chevrolet Indy V6.

Some trivia
Driver with the most wins
Josef Newgarden, 6
2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023*
*double-header, won both races.

Team with most wins
Andretti Autosport, 7
2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.
Team Penske, 7
2017, 2019, 2020¹, 2022, 2023*
¹double-header
*double-header, won both races.

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Last Year's Races
Race 1: The Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart
https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/07...owa-race1-nics

Pole
Will Power,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6

Winner
Josef Newgarden
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6

Laps: 250
Distance: 262.50 Miles (422.452 Km)
Race Time: 1:33:40.4758
Average Speed: 134.674 Mph (216.737 Km/h)

Fastest lap
Scott McLaughlin - Team Penske.
Lap 3, 18.8622 sec,
170.627 Mph (274.598 Km/h)

Cautions: 1
Laps: 14

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Race 2: Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade
https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/07...ics-iowa-race2

Pole
Will Power,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6

Winner
Josef Newgarden
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6

Laps: 250
Distance: 262.50 Miles (422.452 Km)
Race Time: 1:40:25.7356
Average Speed: 133.527 Mph (214.891 Km/h)

Fastest lap
Will Power - Team Penske.
Lap 134. 18.9980 sec,
169.407 Mph (272.634)

Cautions: 3
Laps: 37

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Practice and Qualifications

Qualifying consists of two consecutive laps, with the first lap deciding the grid for Race

1 and the second lap deciding the grid for Race 2

Practice - Friday, Jul 12
3:35 PM - 6:00 PM ET

Qualifications - Saturday, Jul 13
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM ET

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TV coverage
Race 1 - Saturday, Jul 13
NBC, Peacock: 8:00 PM ET, UTC 12:00 AM, BST 1:00 AM
Sky Sports F1: 1:00 AM

Race 2 - Sunday, Jul 14
NBC, Peacock: 12:15 PM ET, UTC 4:15 PM, BST 5:15 PM
Sky Sports F1: 5:00 PM

[NaBUru38]

I'm eager to watch hybrids on an oval, but it's quite likely that I'll have to watch the races on delay.

[bjohnsonsmith]

It's a shame Race 1 is so late, 1:00AM for me but I suppose IndyCar think a night race will be popular.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It's a shame Race 1 is so late, 1:00AM for me but I suppose IndyCar think a night race will be popular.

It's usually the better attended, or at least looks better attended. Plus I'd much rather be there late in the day than mid day sun myself

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

It's usually the better attended, or at least looks better attended. Plus I'd much rather be there late in the day than mid day sun myself

They are doing the same thing with the Milwaukee Mile double-header, with the Race 1 a night race.

Iirc, the 2003 Milwaukee Mile race was the first CART night race.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

They are doing the same thing with the Milwaukee Mile double-header, with the Race 1 a night race.

Iirc, the 2003 Milwaukee Mile race was the first CART night race.

Does Milwaukee have a concert option as well? From what I know about the Iowa event is that they sell it as a concert with a free race with ticket purchase. Not saying that is wrong, but that is the promotion.

Short oval Indycar races are insane, I have trouble watching because it looks like chaos about to happen. But previous years Iowa races have been highly entertaining and good racing. Going laps down on a pit stop is just different for the series.

[broadrun96]

Plus short fast tracks just look right under the lights but that's cause small tracks are the feeder tracks and they run night races. And I think the same thing about Richmond, Bristol and others in Nascar too

[joeb]

Qualifying is about to start, and it is a single car format where your first flying lap sets your race, one position and second flying lap sets race 2 position

[joeb]

Cars are firing off in reverse points order. This is pretty cool.single lap of warm-up then it counts

[joeb]

What a messy qualifying with multiple cars not getting hybrid deployment.

Still exciting, but slower than it could have been

[broadrun96]

Race coverage could possibly be delayed this evening, NBC prempted for news coverage currently. Might be moved to USA so check in at 8 for appropriate channel

[bjohnsonsmith]

Qualification Race 1.

First oval pole for Colton Herta.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Race coverage could possibly be delayed this evening, NBC prempted for news coverage currently. Might be moved to USA so check in at 8 for appropriate channel

I'm on the Cock, it is live and spectacular.

[Adam43]

In your face Carpenter.

[broadrun96]

Newgarden just keeping his powder dry, stalking and waiting. Or things change, track updated. Dear God NBC will suck with Hertamania this evening


Odds on ERS failure rate over 25% of the runners in the race?? I'm thinking pretty high and possibly even higher tomorrow with the heat of day

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Newgarden just keeping his powder dry, stalking and waiting. Or things change, track updated. Dear God NBC will suck with Hertamania this evening


Odds on ERS failure rate over 25% of the runners in the race?? I'm thinking pretty high and possibly even higher tomorrow with the heat of day

It didn't seem to make a difference for Herta on lap time. With any luck a broken ERS will not stop a car from running.

[broadrun96]

It appears it's only on The Cock tonight so that's nice of NBC, thanks guys. I get it, pretty serious news but Chicago Fire is syndicated TV we can skip it. Although I bet it's better ratings for them

[bjohnsonsmith]

Turn 2 mayhem, starting with David Malukas. FCY.

[joeb]

Oh no, HyVee car crashed out on first lap!

[joeb]

Harvey parks as his injuries are catching up with him. Feel bad for the guy. Looks like Daly tomorrow.

[joeb]

Tough penalty on Ferrucci, didn't look like a penalty.


Now Harvey is saying Indycar wouldn't let Daly drive today since he hasn't practiced at all. Bad look making an injured driver go out there.

[bjohnsonsmith]

It's a single line race.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It's a single line race.

I was just looking at the lack of passing at this point. Ferrucci could do it early but the penalty sets him back.

Perhaps things will change with colder temps at night?

[bjohnsonsmith]

2nd caution, I'm not sure why.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

2nd caution, I'm not sure why.

He wasn't in the way and made it to the apron and then just had a broken wheel. That is a crazy thing to have happen.