Iowa Speedway

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Iowa Speedway
File:Iowaspeed.jpg
"Rusty Wallace Signature Series Track"
Location Newton, Iowa
Time zone GMT-6
Capacity 30,000[1]
Owner Iowa Speedway, LLC
(subsidiary of NASCAR)[2]
Operator Iowa Speedway, LLC
Broke ground June 21, 2005
Opened September 15, 2006
Construction cost $70 million
Architect Paxton Waters Architecture
Rusty Wallace
Former names Quad Cities International Raceway Park (planning stages name)
Major events IndyCar Series
Iowa Corn Indy 300
NASCAR Xfinity Series
American Ethanol E15 250
U.S. Cellular 250
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Iowa 200
D-shaped oval
Surface Asphalt
Length 0.875 mi (1.4 km)
Turns 4
Banking Turns: 12°-14°
Frontstretch: 10°
Backstretch: 4°
Lap record 17.2283 (Helio Castroneves, Team Penske, 2014, IRL IndyCar Series)
Road Course
Surface Asphalt
Length 1.3 mi (2.09 km)
Turns 9
Banking Turns 1-2: 12-14°
Frontstretch: 10°
Backstretch: 4°
Lap record 41.709 (Jon Fogarty, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing, 2007, Daytona Prototype)

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

Flagstand

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.[3] 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.

The track has periodically been rumored as a candidate for a Sprint Cup Series race; in 2013 a bill to allow $8 million in upgrades to the speedway toward that goal began circulating in the Iowa legislature.[4]

Ownership changes

On July 5, 2011 it was announced that the Manatt family, builders and primary owners of the Iowa Speedway through the holding company U.S. Motorsports Corporation, had sold their majority interest to the Clement family, owners of Featherlite Incorporated.[5] "It was our privilege to help build the track five years ago, and like a proud parent, we've enjoyed watching it thrive and grow," said company president Brad Manatt. Featherlite Incorporated already has a long-standing relationship with NASCAR. Many race teams use Featherlite Trailers and Featherlite Coaches for the transport of cars and staff. Rusty Wallace will remain a minority owner in the track.[6]

Following news of financial issues at the track, the facility was purchased by NASCAR by November 2013.[7][8]

Other events

The facility also hosts several driving schools year-round, such as the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience and The Formula Experience, where visitors have the opportunity to experience the speedway from behind the wheel of a race car.

Track length of paved oval

The track length is disputed by the two major series that run at Iowa. The NASCAR timing and scoring use a length of 0.88 miles (1.42 km).[9] The IRL timing and scoring use a length of 0.894 miles (1.439 km).[10]

Races

Current

Former

References

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External links

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  8. ↑ [1][dead link]
  9. ↑ Iowa Speedway at NASCAR.com
  10. ↑ 2015 IndyCar race result at Indycar homepage
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