“It was a boring race,” he told the media in the post race press conference. Scott McLaughlin echoed those thoughts.
Today’s race pretty much turned out the way I expected. I thought there might be another yellow or two.
This weekend at Iowa we saw two races without a single on track pass for the lead. Today it was an overcut pit stop by Will Power that got him to the front. With the lack of passing Power cruised to the victory.
Update-Sting Ray Robb is awake and alert after his horrific flip at the checkered flag. He was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
There is a consensus among the drivers that something must be done to improve this race. Power said a second lane “…would make this race amazing.”
He suggested a softer tire and a lighter car asn two possible solutions. he surface in turns also needs some attention.
Iowa used to be really fun track. I almost wish that they would bring back the bump in turn 2.
The last lap incident cost Kyle Kirkwood his top 10 streak.
Nice Recoveries
Colton Herta and Alex Palou bounced back from difficult Race 1 results. Palou crashed Saturday and finished 23rd.
Herta finished mid pack last night after getting caught out by a yellow just after he pitted.
Palou was 2nd today and Herta was 5th.
Good Weekends
Rinus VeeKay earned a top 10 in both races.
Pato O’Ward finished second and sixth. he moves to third int he standings, 52 points behind Palou. Power takes over second, just 35 points behind. The battle for second is helping Palou keep his lead.
Final Thought
I’m glad Indycar and Iowa have extended their agreement. If both parties want a race here, Indycar and the track have to work together to find a solution to get the racing back to where it was.
I love this track. the quick laps are incredible to watch, but I want to see good racing, which was in very short supply this weekend.
Indycar can’t control where NASCAR races, b ut if a track wants Indycar as well, a compromise needs to be reached so that both series can put on a great show.
I will have a final wrap-up tomorrow. Thanks for following along on what was a very quick trip.
The racing was good- what there was of it. Six caution periods slowed the pace. No matter how slow the pace car leads the field around, cautions eat laps quickly on a 7/8 mile track.
Early on we saw a great duel between Colton Herta and Scott McLaughlin. When McLaughlin beat Herta out of the pits, the race was pretty much over.
In the post race press conference, Pato O’Ward talked about how the repave hurt the racing. “You couldn’t get by anybody,” he said. The track seemed to get racier when the sun went behind the grandstands.
We don’t normally see this much attrition in an Indycar race. The half dozen cautions and the number of cars dropping out made the race a bit old school.
McLaughlin starts on pole tomorrow, and he has a great chance of sweeping the weekend. The driver may change, but the team remains the same.
McLaughlin says he can now call himself an Indycar driver since he’s won on an oval. “I’m proud to say I’ve won on all three types of courses, ” McLaughlin said.
O’Ward is now second in points, just 37 behind Alex Palou. Will Power and Scott Dixon are also within 50 points of Palou. The standings are refreshing to see after last year’s runaway by Palou.
Kyle Kirkwood notched another Top 10, as did Santino Ferrucci. Both have been consistent all season,. The logjam of drivers who usually get Top 5s is keeping them from moving up a bit.
I will have a pre race post early tomorrow morning. remember, the race begins at 12:30 pm Eastern
After a delayed and confusing qualifying session in which Jack Harvey both began and ended, Colton Herta won the pole for tonight’s race and Scott McLaughlin will loead the field to green tomorrow morning.
Hybrid issues apparently hindered Harvey’s run, and he was given another chance. I was traveling during qualifying and will need to watch the replay to see exactly what happened.
Will Power’s two year deiouble pole streak has ended. He will start fourth tonight and 23rd tomorrow.
Josef Newgarden’s string of wins is in jeopardy. the winner of three of the last four Iowa races starts14t5h Sunday and 22nd tonight.
INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, July 12, 2024) – INDYCAR officials have announced a nine-position starting grid penalty for the entries of No. 4 Chip Ganassi Racing and No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for unapproved engine changes following the Sunday, July 7 race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The teams were in violation of: Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out. According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart Saturday, July 13 at Iowa Speedway.
HyVee Indycar Weekend at Iowa Speedway this summer will feature just two concerts instead of the four that supported the double headers in 2022 and 2023.
The announcement from Iowa Speedway:
2024 CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT
Award-winning artists Luke Combs and Post Malone will lead the star-studded entertainment lineup for next summer’s Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, July 12-14, 2024. Entering its third year in 2024, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend brings capacity crowds to Iowa Speedway for a turbocharged blend of thrilling racing, world-class live music and three days of fun and excitement.
Want to celebrate the Hy-Vee #INDYCAR Race Weekend? Buy your tickets NOW for 2024 and catch night racing, award-winning musical artists and so much more. Don’t miss out!
Act now for the best seats at the lowest remaining prices of the year! We are excited to return to Iowa Speedway in 2024 with three days full of amazing concerts, thrilling racing, and great food. Prices will increase closer to Race Weekend.
Has Iowa and Indycar gone too far? The Hy-Vee Indycar Weekend in 2022 at Iowa Speedway was a smashing success. There were big crowds, two Indycar races, and four concerts with popular acts. For 2023, the series and sponsor looked to improve the show, but has the average fan been priced out?
I was one of many fans who gasped at the renewal prices. In my case, my single ticket, upper grandstand, went from a weekend price of $156 to $348. I felt last year’s price was reasonable. Each day’s ticket was actually less than my seat for the Indianapolis 500.
Price jumps I have heard from other fans:
2022-$200 2023-$700
2022-$335 2023-$796
2022-$250 2023- $800
Last year’s $50 flex ticket is now $100 and kids under 15 years old must have a ticket. Last year kids were free with an adult ticket purchase.
The renewal prices. Prices listed are single day tickets.
While these prices are nowhere close to what a ticket to an F1 race cost, I find a jump of more than 200% unconscionable.
My understanding is the fees the 2023 performers charge are the reason. The promoters should have taken that into consideration before booking these acts. I don’t go for the concerts; none of them interested me last year, nor do they interest me this coming season.
Indycar and Hy-Vee need to make a decision- are they putting on a race with concerts or are they putting on a music festival with races as intermission? If it’s the latter, I’m not interested. Indycar is straying from its mission to provide racing entertainment.
Bud Denker of Penske Corporation talks about what a great value the event is. I guess it depends on what you value. I love Iowa Speedway and the racing there, but I don’t think it is worth $174 a day.
When he 20 event was announced, I thought that this package would be the future for ovals. The model may be, but if the series is going to price out the average fun, will it matter?
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (November 16, 2022) —Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend returns to Iowa Speedway, July 21-23, 2023, and today, Hy-Vee, Inc. announced the impressive lineup of musical acts that will be featured before and after each NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on Saturday and Sunday of event weekend.
Building off the momentum of a highly successful Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend in 2022 that brought capacity crowds to Iowa Speedway for a turbocharged blend of world-class live music and thrilling racing, Hy-Vee will shift into high gear in 2023 with another powerful concert lineup accompanying the only doubleheader weekend on next year’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule.
Carrie Underwood and Kenny Chesney will perform on Saturday of race weekend while Zac Brown Band and Ed Sheeran will rock the Hy-Vee Stage on Sunday. Ticket renewals for the 2023 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will begin on Monday, November 21 and fans can register now for an exclusive pre-sale opportunity at https://www.hyveeindycarweekend.com/ before tickets go on sale to everyone on Monday, December 5.
“When we first agreed to hold the event in Newton (Iowa), we knew we wanted to make it the best and biggest event on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s Chairman of the Board and Executive Director. “We made the weekend quite the spectacle in 2022; however, we knew we could top our efforts when planning for 2023, and I think our lineup of concerts shows just that. This is an event you won’t want to miss.”
With four nationally acclaimed acts over two days, the 2023 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend concert lineup features some of the biggest names in country and pop music.
Concert Prior to the Saturday, July 22 INDYCAR Race:
Carrie Underwood is a multi-media superstar, with achievements in music, television, film, and as a New York Times bestselling author and successful entrepreneur. She has sold more than 66 million records worldwide, recorded 28 No. 1 singles (14 of which she co-wrote), has seven albums that are certified Multi-Platinum or Platinum by the RIAA, and is the most-awarded female country artist for digital singles in RIAA history. Underwood has won over 100 major awards including 8 GRAMMY® Awards, 16 ACM Awards including three for Entertainer of the Year, 25 CMT Music Awards where she continues to hold the record for the most award wins ever by any artist, 7 CMA Awards, and 17 American Music Awards. She was the first artist to perform at the new Resorts World Theatre, where her ongoingREFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency, began with sold-out runs in December 2021 and throughout Spring 2022, and will continue in 2023. Her new album, Denim & Rhinestones, which she co-produced, is out now, and her 43-city U.S. arena tour, THE DENIM & RHINESTONES TOUR, kicked off October 15 with dates throughout Fall 2022 and Spring 2023.
Concert Following the Saturday, July 22 INDYCAR Race:
Kenny Chesney has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, 32 of which have reached No. 1. Many of these hits have also charted within the Top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, making him one of the most successful crossover country artists ever. He has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Chesney has received 12 Country Music Association Awards (including winning the Entertainer of the Year honor four times) and 11 Academy of Country Music Awards (including four consecutive Entertainer of the Year awards from 2005 to 2008) as well as six GRAMMY® Award nominations. He is one of the most popular touring acts in country music history, regularly selling out the venues in which he performs.
Concert Prior to the Sunday, July 23 INDYCAR Race:
Zac Brown Band has won 3 GRAMMY® Awards, sold more than 30 million singles and 9 million albums, had over 10 billion catalog streams, and achieved 16 No. 1 radio singles. Since 2009, Zac Brown Band has earned 55 award nominations from the GRAMMY® Awards, Academy of Country Music, American Music Awards, Country Music Association and Country Music Television. Most recently, Zac Brown Band released “The Comeback Deluxe” album with songs featuring Cody Johnson, Blake Shelton, James Taylor and Jimmy Buffet among others. On November 19, they will serve as house band for the legendary Dolly Parton during her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Concert Following the Sunday, July 23 INDYCAR Race:
Ed Sheeran is an era-defining artist. With five multiplatinum, critically acclaimed albums under his belt, the British singer-songwriter has amassed more than 60 billion streams and sold over 50 million albums, globally to date, making him one of the world’s biggest-selling artist. An unparalleled live performer, Sheeran’s two-year ÷ world tour made history becoming the most-attended and highest-grossing tour of all time when it wrapped in 2019. Late last year, Sheeran released ‘=’, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and marked his fourth consecutive full-length release to top the chart after its first week. Sheeran is currently in the midst of his worldwide “+ – = ÷ x Tour,” hitting North America for the first time in nearly 5 years, including a stop at the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.
Both pre- and post-race concerts are included with Saturday and Sunday Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend tickets as each artist will perform on stage trackside, in front of the main grandstands at Iowa Speedway. Both pre-race concerts will feature 60-minute performances while each post-race concert will include a 90-minute show. Exclusive trackside concert viewing passes will be available for purchase once 2023 tickets go on sale in December.
“Thanks to the support of Hy-Vee and their commitment to making Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend one of the biggest annual events in Iowa, we truly delivered a memorable experience for our fans this summer at Iowa Speedway,” said Bud Denker, President of Penske Corporation. “With four incredible concerts featuring some of the most popular acts in music today, Hy-Vee is raising the bar even higher in 2023. Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend is going to bring non-stop excitement on and off the track July 21 through July 23.”
More than 80,000 people attended Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend in 2022 as INDYCAR made its return to Iowa Speedway this summer. With the star-studded concert lineup and festival atmosphere adding to the high-speed action on track including two NTT INDYCAR SERIES races – both televised live on NBC – and the next generation of stars competing in the INDY NXT by Firestone Series, event organizers are looking to surpass those totals with sellout crowds at Iowa Speedway in 2023.
To register for a pre-sale opportunity to purchase 2023 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend tickets and to learn more about the event, visit https://www.hyveeindycarweekend.com/.
For Immediate Release 
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 