Iowa Speedway facts for kids
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D-shaped Oval (2006–present)
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| Location | 3333 Rusty Wallace Drive, Newton, Iowa, 50208 |
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| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (UTC−05:00 DST) |
| Coordinates | 41°40′40″N 93°0′52″W / 41.67778°N 93.01444°W |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Owner | NASCAR (November 2013–present) Clement family (July 2011–November 2013) U.S. MotorSport Entertainment (September 2006–July 2011) |
| Broke ground | June 21, 2005 |
| Opened | September 15, 2006 |
| Construction cost | $70 million USD |
| Major events | Current: NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 (2024–present) NASCAR Xfinity Series Hy-Vee PERKS 250 (2011–2019, 2024–present) U.S. Cellular 250 (2009–2019) IndyCar Series Synk 275 Powered by Sukup (2007–2020, 2022–present) Farm to Finish 275 Powered by Sukup (2020, 2022–present) Former: NASCAR Truck Series M&M's 200 (2009–2019) Fan Appreciation 200 (2012–2013) Rolex Sports Car Series (2007) |
| D-shaped Oval (2006–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.875 mi (1.408 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns: 12–14° Frontstretch: 10° Backstretch: 4° |
| Race lap record | 0:17.4908 ( Ryan Briscoe, Dallara IR-04, 2008, IndyCar) |
| Road Course (2006–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.300 mi (2.092 km) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Banking | Turns 1–2: 12–14° Frontstretch: 10° Backstretch: 4° |
| Race lap record | 0:41.624 ( Michael Valiante, Riley MkXI, 2007, DP) |
Iowa Speedway is a race track in Newton, Iowa. It's an oval track that is about 0.875 miles (1.408 km) long. Since it opened in 2006, it has hosted many exciting races. These include events from major racing groups like NASCAR and IndyCar.
NASCAR has owned the track since 2013. The current president of the track is Eric Peterson. Iowa Speedway is easy to get to, located right off Interstate 80.
As of 2023, the track can hold 30,000 fans. Besides the main oval, there are also seven different road course layouts. One of these is a 1.300-mile (2.092 km) "roval". This layout combines parts of the main oval with a special road course inside the track.
Before Iowa Speedway was built, there were ideas for a larger track. These plans didn't work out. In 2003, a company called U.S. MotorSport Entertainment Corporation proposed building a slightly smaller track. After some delays, construction began in 2005. The first races were held in September 2006. NASCAR later bought the track in 2013 to help it with money problems.
About Iowa Speedway
Track Design and Layout
The main track at Iowa Speedway is 7/8 of a mile (1.408 km) long. It has special sloped turns called "banking." The front straight part of the track has a 10-degree slope. The back straight has a 4-degree slope. The turns have a progressive banking system, meaning the slope changes from 12 to 14 degrees.
Different racing groups measure the track length slightly differently. NASCAR says it's 0.875 miles. However, IndyCar measures it as 0.894 miles (1.439 km).
Besides the main oval, the track also has road course layouts. These combine parts of the oval with special roads built inside the track. There are seven different road course designs.
Getting to the Track and Facilities
Iowa Speedway is located near Interstate 80. It's about 35 miles (56 km) east of Des Moines, the capital city of Iowa.
A report from 2023 stated that the track has 30,000 seats for fans. When it first opened in 2006, it had 28 special luxury suites. In recent years, extra temporary suites have been added for IndyCar races by a company called Hy-Vee.
History of the Track
Early Ideas and Building the Speedway
First Plans That Didn't Work Out
In November 2000, a developer named Jerry Carroll suggested building a large race track in Newton, Iowa. It would have cost $76 million and had 40,000 seats. He wanted the county to help pay for it with bonds. He also hoped for money from a state program called Vision Iowa.
By January 2001, Carroll decided not to build the track in Iowa. Another businessman, Jerry Lowrie, took over the project. He chose not to ask the county for bonds. The mayor of Newton supported the idea, but some local residents were against it. They worried about noise and traffic.
Getting money from Vision Iowa was very important for the project. Developers hoped for $20 million. But by August, there wasn't enough money left in the program. Lowrie then left the project to focus on a track in California. Race team owner Larry Clement took charge. He said he had private investors, but Vision Iowa leaders still refused to give money. They wanted to know who the investors were. The funding was officially rejected by late 2002.
Building the Track Begins
On April 16, 2003, the Newton City Council approved a new plan. This plan was for a $30 million, 7/8-mile (1.408 km) track with 25,000 seats. It was led by the U.S. MotorSport Entertainment Corporation. The city planned to invest $9 million but waited for the company to find more investors.
In June, famous NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace was announced as the main designer. By October, the city planned to invest $17.3 million, hoping to open the track in 2005. However, construction was delayed in June 2004 because the $50 million project didn't have enough money yet.
In February 2005, work on the project started again. Developers announced they had enough money, but the cost had grown to $70 million. The opening year was pushed back to 2006. They also tried to pass a special sales tax break bill. This bill was the first of its kind in Iowa. It received support from lawmakers and was approved by the Governor of Iowa, Tom Vilsack, on May 4. The project also got a promise of a large loan from UBG Financial Corporation.
Groundbreaking for the track happened on June 21, 2005. People were hopeful that the track would help Newton's economy. The city's biggest employer, Maytag, had started laying off many workers. In August, Todd Melfi became the track's general manager.
By mid-October, the track confirmed race dates for 2006. These included races from the ARCA Re/Max Series and United States Auto Club (USAC). The first race was scheduled for September 15, 2006. Two months later, developers got a $40 million loan from Wells Fargo. This replaced the earlier promise from UBG Financial, which seemed to have left the project.
By April 2006, developers hoped to add a water park and a hotel near the track. When the Maytag factory closed in May, the track became even more important for Newton's economy. In June, there were rumors that the track would host an Indy Racing League (IRL) race in 2007. This was confirmed in August.
First Races and Changes in Ownership
The track opened on time on September 15, 2006. Woody Howard won the first race. This first event had some issues with tires wearing out too quickly. So, officials added mandatory caution periods during the race. Three weeks later, the track hosted its first music festival.
The next year, the track held its first IRL race. Dario Franchitti won this big event. In early 2008, Jerry Jauron became the track's president. That same year, Iowa Speedway was given annual NASCAR races starting in 2009. These included races for the NASCAR Nationwide Series (now called the NASCAR Xfinity Series) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Three years later, in 2011, U.S. MotorSport Entertainment sold most of its ownership to the Clement family from Newton. Jauron left soon after, and Doug Fritz took over. In 2013, the track tried to get an $8 million grant from the Iowa government to make improvements, but it didn't succeed. The track also faced financial problems and was late on payments. Fritz resigned, and the track looked for new financial help.
Two months later, in November 2013, it was reported that NASCAR had bought the track for $10 million. Jimmy Small became the new leader. After buying the track, NASCAR chairman Brian France said he hoped Iowa Speedway could host a special NASCAR All-Star Race for the Xfinity Series. However, he said the Cup Series schedule was "full" and wouldn't add a Cup race there.
In February 2018, David Hyatt became the track's president. He hoped to expand the track and get a NASCAR Cup Series race, especially the All-Star Race. By the next year, Hyatt believed Iowa Speedway had a good chance of getting a Cup Series race in 2021.
Recent Years and Return of Big Races
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the track's races in 2020 were canceled or had very few fans. There were rumors that the track might be sold or even closed down. However, a former general manager said it was just a "temporary setback." He said the track still hoped to host smaller club racing events.
When the track fully reopened in July 2021 for the ARCA Menards Series, only about 5,000 people attended. This put future events at risk. But a month later, IndyCar announced it would return to the track in 2022. This time, they would have two races on the same weekend.
On October 2, 2023, reports said that NASCAR chose Iowa Speedway for a NASCAR Cup Series weekend in 2024. This was a backup plan after another location didn't work out. The decision was confirmed the next day. This meant Iowa Speedway would host its first-ever Cup Series races. In February 2024, Eric Peterson became the track's new president.
Racing Events
NASCAR Races
The track now hosts an annual NASCAR weekend. This includes the NASCAR Cup Series' Iowa Corn 350 and the NASCAR Xfinity Series' Hy-Vee PERKS 250. From 2009 to 2019, the track also hosted Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events. For a couple of years (2012-2013), there was a second Truck Series race called the Fan Appreciation 200.
IndyCar Races
The Indy Racing League (now called the IndyCar Series) announced in 2006 that they would hold annual IndyCar races at the track. The first races were in 2007. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IndyCar decided to have two races on the same weekend. IndyCar kept this "doubleheader" format when the series returned to the track in 2022.
Other Racing Events
Iowa Speedway has also hosted many other races. These include events from groups like the ARCA Menards Series, the Rolex Sports Car Series, the Pro Mazda Championship, and the USF2000 Championship.
Lap Records
As of August 2025, here are some of the fastest official race lap records at Iowa Speedway:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
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| D-Shaped Oval: 1.408 km (2006–present) | ||||
| IndyCar | 0:17.4908 | Ryan Briscoe |
Dallara IR-04 | 2008 Iowa Corn Indy 250 |
| Indy NXT | 0:19.2168 |  Caio Collet |
Dallara IL-15 | 2024 Iowa 100 |
| Star Mazda | 0:22.052 |  Sage Karam |
Star Formula Mazda 'Pro' | 2012 Iowa Star Mazda round |
| NASCAR Xfinity | 0:23.341 | Chandler Smith |
Toyota GR Supra NASCAR | 2024 Hy-Vee PERKS 250 |
| NASCAR Cup | 0:23.362 | Alex Bowman |
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | 2024 Iowa Corn 350 |
| ARCA Menards | 0:23.536 | Brenden Queen |
Chevrolet Camaro SS | 2025 Atlas 150 |
| NASCAR Truck | 0:23.747 | Chandler Smith |
Toyota Tundra | 2019 M&M's 200 |
| US F2000 | 0:23.881 | Sage Karam |
Van Diemen DP08 | 2010 Iowa US F2000 round |
| Road Course: 2.092 km (2006–present) | ||||
| DP | 0:41.624 | Michael Valiante |
Riley MkXI | 2007 Iowa 400k |
| Grand-Am GT | 0:45.663 | Kelly Collins |
Pontiac GXP.R | 2007 Iowa 400k |
See also
In Spanish: Iowa Speedway para niños
