Iowa Speedway

Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile (1.4 km) paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond International Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful. It has over 25,000 permanent seats as well as a unique multi-tiered Recreational Vehicle viewing area along the backstretch. It is one of only two tracks on the NASCAR circuit to have a SAFER barrier installed around the entire circumference of the outer wall (with Martinsville Speedway being the other).

History

The track opened in September 2006 with the Soy Biodiesel 250, won by Woody Howard, for the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Four Champions playoff. The Indy Racing League announced a race there on June 24, 2007, the Iowa Corn Indy 250, which was won by Dario Franchitti, who barely nipped Marco Andretti at the finish line. The track has secured a combined NASCAR Camping World East-West race where results will count towards both series' championships. That race delivered a dramatic battle between 17-year-old Joey Logano from the Busch East Series, who defeated Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick, 1998 West Series champion, who represented the West Series at the end of the race. The track was awarded a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and a Nationwide Series race in 2009.

Iowa

Iowa (ⁱ/ˈaɪ.əwə/) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States, bordered by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west, by Wisconsin and Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, Nebraska and South Dakota to the west, and Minnesota to the north.

In colonial times, Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana; its state flag is patterned after the flag of France. After the Louisiana Purchase, settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt.

In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy made the transition to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, information technology, biotechnology, and green energy production. Iowa is the 26th most extensive in land area and the 30th most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital and largest city is Des Moines. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states in which to live. Its nickname is the Hawkeye State.

Iowa Corn 300

The Iowa Corn 300 is an IndyCar Series race held at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. The first event was held in 2007. From 2007-2013, it was a 250-lap (218.75 miles) race; beginning in 2014, the race was increased to 300 laps (262.5 miles).

Since 2011, the race has been scheduled as a Saturday night race under the lights.

The race takes place in the "Corn Belt" of the United States, and highlights the league's ties to the ethanol fuel industry.

Indy car history in Iowa

The first Championship Car race in Iowa took place on July 9, 1915. AAA held a 100-mile (160 km) race at Tri-State Fair Grounds in Burlington, Iowa, won by Bob Burman. Additional AAA races were held at Des Moines Speedway in Valley Junction, a one-mile (1.6 km) wooden board track, in 1915 and 1916. Only two championship car races, won by Ralph Mulford and Ralph DePalma respectively, were held at Des Moines, as the track closed and was dismantled shortly thereafter.

In October 2013, Iowa Speedway announced that the 2014 race was extended to 300 laps.

Speedway

Speedway may refer to:

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