Tag: Hy-Vee Indycar Weekend

Race Day 2- Deja Vu?

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

Good morning from Iowa Speedway as we get ready for a very early Race 2. Scott McLaughlin has to be the favorite. he has had the fastest car all weekend

Today’s schedule, including the all important concert times:.

9-9:05 am: All cars install lap
9:05-9:20 am: Special session for 18 car
10:41 am: Driver Intros
11:03 am: Invocation
11:04 am: Anthem
11:25 pm: Command
11:30 pm: Green Flag
2 pm: @KelseaBallerini Concert
3:45 pm: @PostMalone Concert

Conor Daly will replace Jjack Harvey in the 18. Harvey is suffering from neck and back pain. he drove in last night’s race but dropped out and to be helped out of the car.

Today’s revised lineup:

Yesterday’s race presented a strong case why t Iowa needs to be a true night race. The racing got so uch better once the sun went behind the grandstands. I have attended both day and night races here, and the night races are many times better. A start tie 30 minutes before sunset would be ideal.

In the media availability after the race last night, Pato O’Ward spoke out about how the repave has changed the track. “They ruined a good race,” he said.

I will be back after the race with a brief post with some thoughts, and I will have a weekend wrap-up tomorrow..

Race Previews- HyVee Indycar Weekend

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The hybrid debut tour continues this weekend with a double header at Iowa Speedway as oval season begins. Six of the final eight races will be on ovals.

The new Energy Recovery System had its series debut last Sunday at Mid-Ohio. Saturday evening will mark the new power component’s first oval run, and next week, the hybrid will have its first run on a street course at Toronto. While many, including me, questioned the mid-season debut for the hybrid, it has actually worked out well that each type of track Indycar races on gets a chance to test it in rapid order.

The HyVee Indycar Weekend began in 2022 with a blockbuster concert lineup, and drew a sellout crowd. This is the third year for the Iowa race in this format. I don’t mind an occasional double header, but I think each race should be a different distance. Saturday’s race should be 300 laps and Sunday’s 250 laps. Today Indycar announced a multi year renewal of the contract with Iowa Speedway.

In addition to the hybrid debut, the track has been repaved in the turns. In testing at the track, drivers still complained of the 7/8 mile oval still being a one lane track. The series will try to rubber in the second lane, so we will see if that helps.

Penske Dominance

Team Penske has owned this track of late. Will Power has won all four poles the last two years, and Josef Newgarden has won three of the f our races. Newgarden would have won the fourth won, but a crash due to a part failure thwarted a clean sweep.

Pato O’Ward has also been strong here, and he carries the momentum from last Sunday’s victory into the weekend.

A statistic that stood out to me in the Indycar preview is that Newgarden and O’Ward are the only two active race winners at this track. I think they each win a race this weekend.

I don’t think the hybrid system will be much of a factor at Iowa. There is not a lot of opportunity to regenerate the battery, and the extra horsepower will not help much.

The races could come down to how usable the second groove is and tire wear. I understand there was not a lot degradation of the tires in the test.

Points leader Alex Palou may see his cushion shrink a bit. Palou has never won on oval. if he can get a couple of top five results, he should be okay.

Weather

The forecast has just one word: HOT. The heat index Sunday could reach above 100 degrees. There is a slight chance for rain Saturday. The timing seems to be shifting more toward evening. If you are going to Iowa, remember to hydrate, and take breaks in the shade under the grandstands often.

I will not be on site until Saturday afternoon after qualifying. The reason is Iowa related. I’m going to see Caitlin Clark play tonight, then fly to Des Moines Saturday morning.

Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Fast Facts

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From Indycar:

Race weekend: Friday, July 12-Sunday, July 14
Track: Iowa Speedway, a 7/8-mile (0.894-mile) oval in Newton, Iowa
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart: 250 laps/223.5 miles (Saturday)Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade: 250 laps/223.5 miles (Sunday)
INDY NXT by FirestoneI NDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway: 75 laps/67.05 miles
Hybrid energy deployment parameters:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 105 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Fourteen sets for use through the doubleheader weekend.
INDY NXT by Firestone Three sets for use through the event weekend.
X: @indycaratiowa, @IndyCar, #HyVeeHomefront250, #HyVeeOneStep250 #INDYCAR
Instagram: @indycaratiowa, @INDYCAR, #HyVeeHomefront250 #HyVeeOneStep250, #INDYCAR
Threads: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT
Facebook: @HyVeeINDYCARWeekend, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.hyveeindycarweekend.comI
NDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
2023 race winners: NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet), Race #1 and Race #2
INDY NXT by Firestone Christian Rasmussen (No. 6 HMD Motorsports)
2023 NTT P1 Award winner: Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet), 17.7395 seconds, 181.426 mph (Race 1); 17.7246 seconds, 181.578 mph (Race 2)
2023 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:
Jacob Abel (No. 51 Abel Motorsports), 39.6735 seconds, 162.244 mph (two laps)
One-lap qualifying record: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Helio Castroneves, 17.2283 seconds, 186.809 mph, July 11, 2014
INDY NXT by Firestone Colton Herta, 19.6441 seconds, 163.835 mph, July 9, 2017
NBC race telecast: Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart, 8 p.m. ET Saturday, July 13, NBC; Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade, noon ET Sunday, July 14, NBC. Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Kevin Lee, Dillon Welch and Georgia Henneberry will be the pit reporters.
Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while NBC’s race telecasts of the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart and Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade will be simulcast on the streaming service. The INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway will be streamed on Peacock with practice and qualifying shown on INDYCAR LIVE.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman is the turn announcer. Michael Young, Jake Query and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart race (7:30 p.m. ET Saturday), Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade race (noon ET Sunday),
INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway (2 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 218, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times Central):
FRIDAY, JULY 12
1-2:15 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Practice, INDYCAR LIVE
2:35 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Installation Laps
2:45-3:15 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES High-Line Session (Two groups, 15 minutes each), Peacock
3:30-5 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice, Peacock
5:30-6:15 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Single car, Two laps), INDYCAR LIVE
7:30 p.m. $50,000 Pit Stop Challenge, INDYCAR.com (Live)
SATURDAY, JULY 13
1:10 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway “Drivers, start your engines)
1:15 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway (75 laps/67.05 miles), Peacock
2:45 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Single car, Two laps (Lap 1/Race 1; Lap 2/Race 2), Peacock
7 p.m. NBC on air
7:01 p.m. “Drivers, start your engines”
7:06 p.m. Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart (250 laps/223.5 miles), NBC (Live
)SUNDAY, JULY 14
11 a.m. NBC on air
11:25 a.m. “Drivers, start your engines”
11:30 a.m. Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade (250 laps/223.5 miles), NBC (Live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes: The Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart and Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade will be the 10th and 11th races of the 2024 season. There have been six winners in nine NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Pato O’Ward (Streets of St. Petersburg and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), Scott Dixon (Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit), Scott McLaughlin (Barber Motorsports Park), Alex Palou (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca), Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500) and Will Power (Road America) have all won in 2024. The modern record (1946-present) for the most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, featuring the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart and Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade, will be the second and third oval races of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. The first oval race of the season was won by Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500). The remaining oval races will occur Aug. 17 at World Wide Technology Raceway and Milwaukee Mile on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.
With the introduction of the INDYCAR hybrid power unit, The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will mark the use of horsepower assist on an oval for the first time. Hybrid energy deployment will include unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 105 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.The Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart and Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade will be the 20th and 21st NTT INDYCAR SERIES events at Iowa Speedway. 
Josef Newgarden is the only entered driver to win at Iowa Speedway more than once. Newgarden has six wins (2016, 2019, 2020 Race #2, 2022 Race #1, 2023 Race #1 and 2023 Race #2). Past winner Pato O’Ward (2022 Race #2) is also entered in the event.
ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS
Josef Newgarden 6 2016, 2019, 2020 Race #2, 2022
Race #1, 2023 Race #1, 2023 Race #2
Pato O’Ward 1 2022 Race #2
Andretti Autosport has won seven of the 19 previous races at Iowa Speedway (Dario Franchitti 2007, Tony Kanaan 2010, Marco Andretti 2011, Ryan Hunter-Reay 2012, 2014 and 2015 and James Hinchcliffe 2013).
Team Penske also has seven wins (Helio Castroneves 2017, Josef Newgarden 2019, 2020 Race #2, 2022 Race #1, 2024 Race #1 and 2024 Race #2 and Simon Pagenaud 2020 Race #1).
Chip Ganassi Racing has two wins (Dan Wheldon 2008 and Franchitti 2009)
.Josef Newgarden has won nine of the last 12 oval races on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule – including three of the four races held at Iowa Speedway during Hy-Vee INDYCAR Weekend in 2022 and 2023.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dario Franchitti and Josef Newgarden are the only drivers to win at Iowa Speedway and win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in the same season. Newgarden accomplished the feat in 2019, Hunter-Reay in 2012 and Franchitti in 2007 and 2009.Scott Dixon is the only driver to have competed in every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Iowa, and although he has 11 top-five finishes in his previous 19 starts on the oval, he’s never won at “The World’s Fastest Short Track.”
Twelve drivers entered have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 1,847, Will Power 383, Dixon 131, Pato O’Ward 97, Graham Rahal 32, Ed Carpenter 18, Felix Rosenqvist 9, Alexander Rossi 4, Marcus Ericsson 3, Scott McLaughlin 2, David Malukas 1 and Alex Palou 1).
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 332nd and 333rd consecutive starts, extending his record streak … Saturday’s race will mark Dixon’s 395th INDYCAR SERIES start, which will break a tie with Helio Castroneves for second on the all-time list.

INDY NXT by Firestone Race Notes:
The INDY NXT by Firestone title fight between Jacob Abel and Louis Foster saw a new challenger step forward as Brazilian Caio Collet claimed his first win at Mid-Ohio. The series moves to Iowa Speedway for the first of four oval events this season. Foster, who has recorded six straight top-two finishes, heads to Iowa with a 41-point lead, but Abel, a two-time race winner in 2024, nearly won at Iowa a year ago and outscored Foster in the two oval races in 2023. The ultra-competitive 2024 season has seen five winners in nine races this season and eight different drivers finish on the podium.
The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Iowa Speedway will be the series’ 13th race at Iowa Speedway.
Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at Iowa include Josef Newgarden, Ana Beatriz, Sage Karam, Matheus Leist, Pato O’Ward, Hunter McElrea and Christian Rasmussen. 

HyVee Indycar Weekend at Iowa Schedule

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Iowa schedule A;; times Eastern. Iowa is on Central time

Friday

3:15p: INDY NXT Practice

4:30p: INDYCAR Practice Peacock, Indycar Radio

6:30p: INDY NXT Qualifying

Satutday

2:15p: INDY NXT Race

3:45p: INDYCAR Qualifying Peacock, Indycar radio

5:15p: @lukecombs Concert

8p: INDYCAR Race 250 laps NBC, Peacock, Indycar Radio

10:30p: @ericchurch Concert

Sunday

12:30p: INDYCAR Race 250 laps NBC, Peacock, Indycar Radio

3p: @KelseaBallerini Concert

4:45p: @PostMalone Concert

Iowa Race 2- Quick Thoughts

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Josef Newgarden is the Indycar Ovalmeister with his fifth straight oval win. Newgarden has won seven of the last nine Indycar oval races, and he was one suspension failure away from winninf eightn of nine. The finalovalof 2023 comes at gateway in about a month. He is defintiely the favorite going into that race as well.

A;ex Palou managed to put some salve on the bleeding ofm his point lead. His thrid place finish today cuts his lead to 80 points as the series heads to tracks more to his liking at Nashville and the IMS road course. Palou tied his worst finish of the year yesterday finishing eighth.

Today’s race was a much better show than we saw yesterday. There were battles all through the field, with teamates going after each other, and several different challengers for the lead. The teams had he opportubnity overnight to put their cars in race trim, which helped the racing a lot. Iowa should move qualifying to Friday to make Saturday’s race better. And to make both races better, run them at night.

Race Control

I am most confused by calls from race control today. Sting Ray Robb exited the pits with an unsecured tire, which rolled onto the track at pit exit. It seemed that there was no immediate yellow. Several cars, including Newgarden, dodged the errant tire.

The stewards also looked inconsistent on wall contact. Agustin canapinombrushed the wall and brought out the first yellow of the day. later, takuma sato had wall contact, and no caution was thrown. With 12 laps to go, Ryan hunter-reay’s wall contact brough out a yellow, which led to more confusion,.

Race control decided not to open the pits except to let the lapped cars drive through. I admire their effort to finish under green, but this is not how they handled a similar late caution period at Indianapolis. The decision cost some cars the opportunity to get fresh tires for the final few laps. We have seen that move pay dividends at Iowa in the past.

In 2018 at Iowa, a crash late in the race left a green flag finish in doubt. rave vontrol told the teams that they would go back to green. several cars pitted for new rubber. The race finished under yellow, costing those that pitted several positions.

I felt a red was called for given race control’s previous actions at other places.

I have little argument with whatever calls they make as long they are consistent. I may not always agree with the call, but if the stewards are consistent, I’m fine with what they do.

Great Drives

Felix Rosenqvist finished fourth after starting 16th, but he was the last serious challenger to Josef Newgarden just before the last caution. His finish, paired with Pato O’Ward’s third place on Saturday, gave Arrow McLaren two top five finishes for the weekend.

Alex Palou had his best Iowa finish in third. Palou started 12th, and languished n the bottom half of the top 10 or just outside of it most of the day. Palou went a lap down a couple of times, but still managed to end up on the podium. Tesults like today are the kind that win titles.

The Points Battle

A weekend that could have seen Palou’s mhuge lead in the championship demolished turned out to be not so bad. He entered the weekend 117 points ahead of second place. Palou heads to the next race with an 80 point lead. He lost just one third of his lead.

The remaining schedule favors Palou. With just one oval left in 2023, Palou has the edge in tracks where he is stronger than Newgarden. I think Palou will still win the title.

Thanks for following along this weekend. I will be ay IMS this coming Friday and saturday for the IMSA test. I am excited for the sports var series tocome to the Speedway.

Iowa Race 2

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Today’s schedule -Times are Eastern Iowa is in the Central Time Zone

10 am: Gates Open

11:25 am: Cars come around 1 time for systems check

12 pm: @zacbrownband Concert

1:43 pm: Driver Intros

2:13 pm: Invocation

2:14 pm: Anthem

2:25 pm: Command

2:30 pm: Green Flag

5:15 pm: @edsheeran Concert

From last night:

Quick Thoughts- Qualifying and Race 1

https://thepitwindow.blog/2023/07/22/quick-thoughts-qualifying-and-race-1/

Starting lineup for part 2 of the Josef Newgarden Invitational”

This lineup looks as if it will produce a more interesting race than we saw on Saturday.

Quick Thoughts- Qualifying and Race 1

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First- Will Power. Not much more to say about his prowess as a qualifier. He swept the poles today for the second year in a row. 70 career poles is a record that may never be touched. Each year it seems to take Power longer to win his first pole of the season. In 2022 he won just three poles- two at iowa and at Laguna Seca.

The Race

Today was the first time I have watched a race from Iowa on television in eight years. It is definitely a better race to watch at the track. I found today’s race a bit of a snoozer. The Penske domination was fascinating but Newgarden even made a sham of the competiton between the three drivers.

At home I missed a lot of the crazy action that happens all around the track every lap. NBC having comnmercial breaks every four laps or so did not help. They also lost a lot of laps coming back from breaks as they felt a need to show the countryside around the track. Yes, it is beautiful. Keep those shots in prerace.

I will give Josef Newgarden his due. he owns this track. Heck, he owns oval racing. Only three other drivers have won four ovals in a row, and they are legndary ones- A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Nigel Mansell. That is aver nice club to a part of.

Alex Palou did not get hurt too badly today. His eighth place finish cot him 19 points of his lead. I’m not sure that he will get any of the points back tomorrow, but if he keeps the lead in the 90s, he will be fine.

If Pato O’Ward’s crew can figure out how to get his car to pass someone, he might have a chance tomorrow. Tomorrow and at gateway are his last two best hots at winning this year.

Chip Ganassi Racing again placed all four drivers in the top 10. Marcus Ericsson was fourth, Scott Dixon sixth Alex Palou eighth, and Takuma Sato ninth. Ericsson had one of the best drives of the race.

Tomorrow’s starting lineup should make for a more interesting race with Newgarden starting seventh and O’Ward lining up 11th. The cars will be in race trim tomorrow as well.

Thanks for following along today. See you tomorrow.