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Everything to know about the IndyCar races in Newton this weekend, from drivers to concerts

des moines register staff
·7 min read

Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend rolls into central Iowa this weekend at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, just 34 minutes from Des Moines. The race weekend Friday through Sunday brings the only doubleheader on the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series schedule — the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart on Saturday and the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade on Sunday.

That's not all. Indy NXT by Firestone will also compete with a race on Saturday.

Where does Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend take place?

The 2 car driven by Josef Newgarden leads cars down the backstretch in the IndyCar Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, on July 23, 2022.
The 2 car driven by Josef Newgarden leads cars down the backstretch in the IndyCar Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, on July 23, 2022.

The Iowa Speedway is located at 3333 Rusty Wallace Drive in Newton. The 7/8 of a mile oval, known as the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet,” features 25,000 permanent seats and a multi-tiered RV viewing area along the backstretch.

What's the history of IndyCar racing at the Iowa Speedway

IndyCar Series driver Josef Newgarden celebrates with team official Tim Cindric after winning the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May.
IndyCar Series driver Josef Newgarden celebrates with team official Tim Cindric after winning the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May.

Since 2007, the NTT IndyCar Series races have competed at Iowa Speedway 17 years.

In Iowa, 10 different drives have won races.

In the opening NTT IndyCar Series race of the 2022 Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend, Josef Newgarden became the all-time NTT IndyCar Series win leader at Iowa Speedway by capturing the Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 for his fourth career win at the Iowa Speedway and his fourth win of the 2022 season in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet.

IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward speaks with reporters on June 16 at Road America ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at the track outside Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward speaks with reporters on June 16 at Road America ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at the track outside Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

In the second race of the weekend, Pato O’Ward won the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet after Newgarden suffered an accident while leading with 65 laps remaining.

Indy NXT by Firestone has hosted 12 races at Iowa Speedway, with the first event taking place in 2007. Last summer, polesitter Hunter McElrea scored the second win of his career after leader Linus Lundqvist made contact with the car driven by Matt Brabham and was penalized for avoidable contact. The win marked the 250th race victory for Andretti Autosport across all series.

How can I watch the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend?

IndyCar driver Christian Lundgaard fires up the crowd before a pit stop demonstration this summer in downtown Des Moines.
IndyCar driver Christian Lundgaard fires up the crowd before a pit stop demonstration this summer in downtown Des Moines.

Watch the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart on Saturday live on NBC at 2 p.m. CDT. Listen locally on the radio at KBGG (1700-AM/101.3-FM) and nationally on the IndyCar Radio Network on SiriusXM Radio (Channel 160).

Watch the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade on Sunday live on NBC at 1 p.m. CDT. Listen locally on the radio at KBGG (1700-AM/101.3-FM) and nationally on the IndyCar Radio Network on SiriusXM Radio (Channel 160).

For coverage of the 2023 Indy NXT by Firestone on Saturday, watch live on Peacock TV at 11 a.m.

Where do I find tickets to the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend?

Tickets, including grandstand seats and general camping, are still available starting at $50. Fans can also get special access to the garage area, as well as passes to the post-race concerts on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets/passes may be purchased online at hyveeindycarweekend.com/buy-tickets or by calling the event ticket office at 641-417-6007.

Who's performing at the Iowa Speedway?

Country superstar and seven-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood delivered hit after hit during the final Grandstand concert of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines in 2022.
Country superstar and seven-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood delivered hit after hit during the final Grandstand concert of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines in 2022.

Carrie Underwood: The former "American Idol" winner and country music superstar Underwood will perform before the start of the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart race on Saturday. Underwood is known for her songs such as "Before He Cheats," "Jesus, Take the Wheel," and "Two Black Cadillacs."

Kenny Chesney performed at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines in 2019.
Kenny Chesney performed at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines in 2019.

Kenny Chesney: Following Saturday’s race, country music icon and six-time Grammy Award nominee Chesney will take the Hy-Vee stage at Iowa Speedway. Chesney is famous for songs such as "Baptism," "When I Close My Eyes," "For the First Time" and more.

Zac Brown Band opens day two of Hy-Vee's IndyCar Race Weekend.
Zac Brown Band opens day two of Hy-Vee's IndyCar Race Weekend.

Zac Brown Band: On Sunday, three-time Grammy Award winners and country music power group Zac Brown Band will perform before the start of the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade race. "Chicken Fried," "Free" and "As She's Walking Away" are some of the band's biggest hits.

Ed Sheeran brought his "Divide" tour to Wells Fargo Arena in 2017 in Des Moines.
Ed Sheeran brought his "Divide" tour to Wells Fargo Arena in 2017 in Des Moines.

Ed Sheeran: A performance by multiplatinum artist Sheeran caps the weekend following Sunday’s race. "Perfect," "Photograph," "Shivers" and "Bad Habits" are among his hits.

Both pre- and post-race concerts are included with Saturday and Sunday Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend tickets. Each artist will perform on stage trackside, in front of the main grandstands at Iowa Speedway.

What happens on the Free Family Friday?

All fans will have the opportunity to take part in the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend for free on Friday. Gates will open at 2 p.m. CDT, and all grandstand seating areas will be first-come, first-served general admission viewing throughout the day for both NTT IndyCar Series and Indy NXT by Firestone practice.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., the infield will be open to all, allowing fans a chance to walk on the track and enjoy some unique experiences in the infield area at Iowa Speedway. The stars of the NTT IndyCar Series will host an autograph session from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. on the patio area next to the Hy-Vee Chairman’s Club and the main grandstands.

IndyCar driver Jack Harvey prepared for testing at Iowa Speedway in Newton earlier this year.
IndyCar driver Jack Harvey prepared for testing at Iowa Speedway in Newton earlier this year.

Check out the Pit Stop Challenge: For the first time at Iowa Speedway, the NTT IndyCar Series will host a pit stop competition on Free Family Friday. The single-elimination, six-team competition will feature world-class pit crews battling head-to-head for $50,000 in prize money. The drivers and teams participating in the Pit Stop Challenge will include the two defending IndyCar race winners at Iowa — Josef Newgarden and the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet team along with Pato O’Ward and the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet team. Current NTT IndyCar Series points leader Alex Palou and the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda team will also participate in the competition along with Rahal Letterman Lanigan teammates Graham Rahal and the No. 15 Honda team and Christian Lundgaard and the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda team with Devlin DeFrancesco and the No. 29 Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport Honda team completing the six-team pit stop field. The challenge starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday on the Iowa Speedway pit lane.

More fan activities: The weekend also features food trucks, live music on the Turn 4 stage, the Vietnam Memorial Wall, the Kansas City Chiefs NFL Champions Tour and more family-friendly activities.

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles down the court during the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Carver-Hawkeye Arena last March.
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles down the court during the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Carver-Hawkeye Arena last March.

Located on the Iowa Speedway Concourse, overlooking Turn 1, younger fans can visit the Hy-Vee KidsFit activities area, which will include special appearances by University of Iowa women’s basketball star and reigning Collegiate Women’s Athlete of the Year Caitlin Clark from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Sunday.

Can I camp at the Iowa Speedway?

Camping is a tradition at Iowa Speedway and both the Turn 3 Terrace (RV Hill) and main campground areas will be popular spots throughout Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend. Hy-Vee is also providing some unique services and options for campers and all fans in attendance at Iowa Speedway.

Featuring basic grocery items and camping/outdoor needs, Hy-Vee Mini Markets will be conveniently located on both RV Hill and in the main campground areas at Iowa Speedway. All ticketholders will be able to visit the Mini Market in the main campground while access to the RV Hill Mini Market will be limited to those with Turn 3 Terrace Camping weekend passes. Hy-Vee’s convenient Aisles Online delivery service will also be available as fans can order items online to be delivered to the Mini Market locations at Iowa Speedway.

Are there any charitable events during Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend?

Saturday’s theme will honor U.S. service men and women to align with the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart, while Sunday will be focused on helping to fight hunger across America to support Hy-Vee’s One Hundred Million Meals Challenge with the final race of the weekend — the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade.

Where can I find more information?

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Everything to know about Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway