“If you build it, they will come.”
Sure, it may be a cliché to use a quote from Field of Dreams to describe a racing facility located in Iowa, but who doesn’t think of Kevin Costner when the word Iowa is thrown around?
Plus, there isn’t a more accurate parallel to be made when talking about Iowa Speedway’s inception, near closure and eventual revival.
With design input from NASCAR Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace, Iowa Speedway opened in 2006 and quickly became a staple of both the NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as the ARCA Menards Series and NTT IndyCar Series.
Several all-time greats from both open wheel and stock car racing made an impact at the bullring in Newton, Iowa, over the years. Names range from Dario Franchitti and Josef Newgarden to Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney as just a few of its notable winners over the years.
The exciting racing there has had fans and drivers alike clamoring for the NASCAR Cup Series to race there for decades — and though rumors persisted, it never happened.
That is, until now.
The announcement of the 2024 Cup schedule brought with it a few major surprises, perhaps none more surprising than the inclusion of Iowa hosting a date on June 16.
While it isn’t surprising to some, the story of the track getting NASCAR back after five years is nothing short of incredible.
After the checkered flag fell on Chase Briscoe‘s Xfinity win there in 2019, few could see what would come next. The COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the globe, forcing a shutdown of most things that would be regarded as fun, including racing.
The state of Iowa was hit particularly hard. For that reason, NASCAR wasn’t able to return to the track in 2020. IndyCar and ARCA did, but with social distancing and other protocols in place. The next season, though, only ARCA returned.
With the track on the ropes and fear of it closing its doors in the air, the place needed a bit of a miracle.
That’s where Roger Penske and Hyvee came in.
In August 2021, Penske and Hyvee partnered to bring IndyCar back to the heartland in 2022, which proved to be a smashing success for the track. The weekend produced impressive crowds and revenue in both 2022 and 2023.
NASCAR, which took ownership of the track in 2013, leased the track to IndyCar for both weekends, and the success caught the attention of the right people.
Together, NASCAR’s Ben Kennedy and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced last year that not only would the NASCAR Xfnity Series return on June 15 but the Cup Series would also finally make its debut on June 16.
Once thought dead in the water, Iowa was back, rising from the ashes of a global pandemic to fulfilling the dream of having NASCAR’s top division race there for the very first time after nearly 20 years of trying.
Sure, there are questions. The short track package that the Cup Series has been running as of late has been much maligned and derided by some since the Next Gen car hit the track for the first time in 2022.
But the Midwest loves its racing. From the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the fantastic Kansas Speedway, NASCAR has planted roots in the heartland that bodes well for Iowa Speedway.
This could most certainly be a flop, but after years of hosting great races in the lower division of NASCAR, the track and the fans deserve to see it happen.
“If you build it, they will come.” Iowa Speedway was built, and NASCAR as well as IndyCar came. Catastrophe took them away, and took a dream in the process.
Thanks to the hard work of passionate people, though, Iowa Speedway is back, and hopefully it is here to stay.
About the author
Garrett joined Frontstretch as a news writer in 2023, and became a fantasy racing and betting writer in 2024. Hailing from the heart of coal country in southern West Virginia, he's a married father of three and currently enrolled in the Physical Therapy Assistant Program at New River Community Technical College in Beaver, WV.
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“Sure it could be a flop” is a heck of a way to end an otherwise positive article. Also, and I don’t live in Iowa, Hyvee is one of the most interesting companies I’ve researched. They are huge supporters of events in Iowa and not a traditionally run company. But all in all, I’m sure the event appreciates any positive press.