NDN-SS-6-16-2016

State of the Speedway 10 years — still going, still growing as the Fastest Short Track on the Planet

Inside:

Iowa Speedway President Jimmy Small provides the State of the Speedway on its 10th anniversary 2016 Race Overviews

Speedway, Thursday, June 16, 2016 — Page 2

Attractions pictured are Joy the Pig, the Jasper County Courthouse, Valle Drive-In Theater and the Maytag Pool.

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Iowa Speedway celebrates 10 years of racing in 2016

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News Iowa Speedway was innovative from the beginning when NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Rusty Wallace was asked to help design a race track at Newton. Wallace had never designed a race track before.

Wallace, a Missouri native, was indeed a race car driver. A 30-plus year driving career with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and 55 victories under his belt, Wallace landed in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“I have the most wins on short tracks. A call comes out of the blue.

They said they had some property in Iowa and wanted to build a race track.

They asked if I wanted to design it for them. I told them I had never designed a track before, but yes, I’d love to,” Wallace told the Newton Daily News three years ago.

Wallace wanted to see the property.

He fell in love with the way the track would be nestled in the hills of Iowa near Newton. He made sure financial backing was enough — and thanks to Brad Manatt, according to Wallace, it was.

Iowa Speedway has the amphitheater feel where fans look down at the

File Photo Rusty Wallace speaks to race fans before a NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 2014.

track and can see the whole track. That was important for Wallace as he began designing it. As a flying enthusiast, he loved the fact that Newton’s airport was right next to the race track property and access to a major highway was available.

It all came together.

The first race held at Iowa Speedway was in September 2006. It was the Soy Biodiesel 250 USAR Hooters ProCup Four Championship.

On June 24, 2007, Verizon IndyCar Series held the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

Dario Franchitti won the race. IndyCar races for the 10th time at Iowa Speedway on July 10.

“While I was not here in Newton to witness the development and construction of Iowa Speedway firsthand, I’d like to believe our forefathers rallied around the notion, ‘if you build it, they will come,’” Iowa Speedway President Jimmy Small said.

Keeping with an election campaign theme Small adopted for the season, the Newton Daily News asked Small for The State of the Speedway.

Small became president of The Fastest Short Track on the Planet in December 2013. NASCAR decided to purchase Iowa Speedway, which was having financial problems.

Small, his Iowa Speedway staff and NASCAR’s France family has righted the ship. Iowa Speedway is back on the course it set in 2005. The Manatt family and the Clement family provided race fans in Iowa and the midwest a strong venue to enjoy motorsports.

In 2009, NASCAR awarded the Speedway a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and an Xfinity Series — called Nationwide Series — race.

“There was more than just faith involved, though. Iowa Speedway was strategically designed and built to be a completely unique racetrack, unlike every other oval racetrack that had been built in the decade or two prior.

This was, and remains, a very intelligent and forward-thinking decision which has, and will continue to, draw major interest from around the world,”

Jocelyn Sheets/Daily News Iowa Speedway President Jimmy Small has put together a staff, which has continued to improve the fan experience at the Newton track. Small enters his third race season at the helm of Iowa Speedway with three full weekends of racing, plenty of activities for fans to enjoy while at the facility and post-race concerts.

Small said. “This place is the only 7/8 (.875) mile oval, and the ‘Rustic’ design made it the fastest short track on the planet.”

Small said Iowa Speedway was built a little more than 10 years ago, but there’s more than 100 years of significant achievements and invaluable contributions made in Iowa, by Iowans to the development of the automobile

and motorsports that ultimately led to the founding and establishment of Iowa Speedway. Iowan Pioneers such as William Morrison, Frank Wheeler, Fred and August Duesenberg, and Fred Maytag made historically significant contributions to both the automobile and motorsports industries.

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Speedway, Thursday, June 16, 2016 — Page 4

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American Ethanol E15 250 — Sunday Past Winners • 2011: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. • 2012: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. • 2013: Trevor Bayne • 2014: Sam Hornish Jr. • 2015: Chris Buescher

U.S. Cellular 250 — July 31 Past Winners • 2009: Brad Keselowski • 2010: Kyle Busch • 2011: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. • 2012: Elliott Sadler • 2013: Brad Keselowski • 2014: Brad Keselowski • 2015: Ryan Blaney

Xfinity Series on the track for eighth season

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News Entering the second racing season under the banner of Xfinity sponsorship, NASCAR’s second-tier racing series continues high-octane racing.

That quality racing is on display twice at Iowa Speedway in 2016, which is its 10th year of existence.

The Xfinity Series is in its eighth season presenting races at Iowa Speedway. There have been 12 races in the first seven years.

Look for the top drivers in the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series to compete right here — most of them twice this season at Iowa Speedway.

The track continues to develop its “character” as the drivers describe the wear, bumps and seams developing on the 7/8-mile oval here in Newton.

Iowa Speedway features the Xfinity Series American Ethanol E15 250 on its Wide Opening Weekend. The Xfinity practices and qualifying laps run Friday and Saturday with the

race slated for 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

The race, which is presented by Enogen, is part of a special run at Iowa

by NASCAR on Father’s Day 2016.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Speediatrics 200 races at Iowa Saturday night.

Daniel Suarez made history June 11 winning the Xfinity Series race at Michigan International Speedway and becoming the first Mexican-born driver to capture a NASCAR national series victory. Suarez comes to Iowa this weekend as the points-leader in

the Xfinity Series.

Suarez was the pole winner in Iowa’s second Xfinity Series race in 2015.

He won the pole position of the 2015 U.S. Cellular 250, finishing sixth last July.

The Xfinity Series U.S. Celllular 250 is July 30 in the final weekend of racing at Iowa Speedway in 2016. It is paired with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series Casey’s General Stores 150 present by Vaterott College on July 29.

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IndyCar Series longest running at Iowa

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News Will Ryan Hunter-Reay become a four-time Verizon IndyCar Series winner at Iowa Speedway? Will Hunter-Reay win three straight Iowa Corn 300s in July at The Fastest Short Track on the Planet?

Nothing is for sure when the Verizon IndyCar Series hits the Iowa Speedway track, except fans will see why Iowa’s track got its nickname.

IndyCar was the first major racing series to hit Iowa

Speedway payment in 2007.

IndyCar celebrates its 10th year with Iowa Speedway’s 10th anniversary with the 2016 Verizon Iowa Speedway is the shortest track on the IndyCar schedule, being .875 miles long.

For the second year in a row, fans will see all three levels of IndyCar racing — the ProMazada and the Indy Lights — in one big day of racing on the Newton track July 10. The IndyLights presented by Cooper Tires and the Pro Mazda Championship presented by

Cooper Tires will run prior to the Verizon IndyCar Series Iowa Corn 300.

All the practice rounds will be on July 9 along with the IndyCar qualifying. On July 10, the ProMazda and Indy Lights drivers begin qualifying laps at 11 a.m. The Pro Mazada race is at 1:10 p.m. followed by the Indy Lights race at 2:15 p.m.

The Iowa Corn 300’s green flag drops at 4:45 p.m.

Simon Pagenard of Team Penske won three of the IndyCar first eight races and was

the points leader. The 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon sits second.

Series rookie Alexander Rossi is fifth after winning the 100th running of the Indy 500 on May 29.

Max Chilton won the Indy Lights race at Iowa in 2015.

Chilton and 2015 Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot have moved up into the IndyCar Series.

Ed Jones took second in the Indy Lights race a year ago at Iowa and leads the series after eight rounds of racing with

2015 ProMazda Series champion Santiago Urrutia in third place.

Weiron Tan was the ProMazda Iowa race winner in 2015 and is ninth in that series’ points race after seven rounds of racing in 2016. Patricio O’Ward is the series leader.

Leading into the three Indy car races will be the 2016 ARCA Racing Series 150 at 8 p.m. July 9.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

Verizon IndyCar Series Iowa Corn 300 — July 10 Past Winners • 2007: Dario Franchitti • 2008: Dan Wheldon • 2009: Dario Franchitti • 2010: Tony Kanaan • 2011: Marco Andretti • 2012: Ryan Hunter-Reay • 2013: James Hinchcliffe • 2014: Ryan Hunter-Reay • 2015: Ryan Hunter-Reay

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K&N, ARCA are proving grounds for young drivers

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News Developing young talent is what the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the ARCA Racing Series are all about.

Iowa Speedway fans will again have the opportunity to see the up-andcoming drivers in both of these racing series in 2016.

The ARCA Racing Series 150 presented by Casey’s General Stores takes the green flag on July 9 to kick off the second high-powered race weekend of the season. The Verizon IndyCar Series is at Iowa Speedway the same weekend.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East/ West Casey’s General Stores 150 presented by Vatterott College is on July 29. It is the undercard race to Iowa Speedway’s second NASCAR Xfinity Series race and the final weekend of racing at Iowa in 2016.

In 2015, ARCA returned to Iowa Speedway. Fans saw West Des Moines native and 2014 ARCA Series Champion, Mason Mitchell, navigate his Karl’s Chevrolet machine into Casey’s General Stores Victory Lane.

Before the race, Mitchell talked about how important it was for him to win at Iowa Speedway. He made his ARCA debut at Iowa in 2012. Following his first full season of racing in ARCA, Mitchell developed his own racing team Mason Mitchell Motorsports at the end of 2013. Mitchell became the first team owner/driver to win an ARCA championship since 1993.

“For me, winning here at Iowa Speedway is more important than to win at any other track. It is one of the most exciting short tracks in America. A race here, in my opinion, is the coolest event on the schedule,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell won in 2015 which kept up

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File Photo Brandon McReynolds, right, receives the 2015 K&N Pro Series race trophy from former Sprint Cup driver Kenny Wallace, left.

the uniqueness of the Iowa Speedway ARCA race. There have been no repeat winners. Previous ARCA winners here include Steven Wallace, who won the inaugural race in 2006, Frank Kimmel, Matt Hawkins, Parker Kligerman, Tom Hessert III, Ty Dillon, Alex Bowman and Grant Enfinger, who won in 2013.

In addition to no repeat winners, Dillon is the only repeat pole winner.

This year, Mitchell returns to “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet” as he looks to snag back-to-back wins at his hometown track.

In 2015’s K&N Pro Series East and West showdown at Iowa Speedway, William Byron and Brandon McReyn-

olds staged an excited run at the end of rthe 150-lap race. McReynolds held on after two restarts in the final 10 laps for his first K&N Series victory.

This year’s breakout star of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series — Todd Gilliland will make his first trip to Iowa Speedway in the July race. The 15-yearold son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, David Gilliland, will test his skill against a host of rising stars as he faces talent from both the K&N Pro Series East and West.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

Speedway, Thursday, June 16, 2016 — Page 9

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Speediatrics 200 — Saturday benefiting the NASCAR Foundation Past Winners • 2009: Mike Skinner • 2010: Austin Dillon • 2011: Matt Crafton • 2012 Summer: Timothy Peters; Fall: Ryan Blaney • 2013: Summer: Timothy Peters; Fall: James Bueschner • 2014: Erik Jones • 2015: Erik Jones

Young drivers, veteran drivers compete in NCWTS

By Jocelyn Sheets Newton Daily News First on the Iowa Speedway track in 2016 will be the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers. In a firsttime pairing at the Newton track, the NCWTS and NASCAR Xfinity Series open the current racing season for Iowa this weekend.

Some of the top talent in the NASCAR ranks run in the NASCAR

Camping World Truck Series. The only appearance at Iowa for the Truck Series is Saturday in the NCWTS Speediatrics 200 benefiting the NASCAR Foundation. The race is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday with practices Friday and qualifying Saturday.

As Iowa Speedway celebrates its 10th anniversary, fans get a look at younger, up-and-coming drivers and veterans, who enjoy the racing at the truck series level, for the eighth time.

Two of the veterans who thrive in the NCWTS are Matt Crafton and Timothy Peters. Crafton was the NCWTS 2014 champion and finished third in the season standings in 2015. Crafton won at Iowa Speedway in 2012, and Peters is a two-time truck series winner at Iowa — 2012 and 2013.

In 2015, Erik Jones, the 2015 NCWTS champion, won his second consecutive truck race at Iowa Speedway and has since moved on to the

Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Jones set an Iowa Speedway track record for the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole winner at the age of 19 years and 20 days.

NASCAR added a Chase format for the truck series in 2016 similar to the ones at the Xfinity and Sprint Cup levels. Also new this season is the caution clock — a 20-minute timing system TRUCKS | 11

Speedway, Thursday, June 16, 2016 — Page 10

Indy Lights return to Iowa Speedway in 2016

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Speedway Continued from Page 3 “I believe their passion, impact and success sparked our deep love for automobiles and racing here in Iowa,” Small said.

Over the years, the passion of racing fans in Iowa has sustained Iowa Speedway.

Drivers and team owners rave about the fan support they see each time they race in Iowa.

“We are always looking to provide our fans and customers with the very best racing, entertainment and amenities that are offered in the world of sports, but we are also deeply driven to create, develop and offer unprecedented aspects and dimensions of each fan’s experience,” Small said. “We especially believe this quality is not, and cannot, be matched anywhere else in sports and entertainment.”

Small said he learned so

much his first race season — 2014 — at Iowa Speedway.

Even though he had worked in the NASCAR organization, he had never been “the guy in charge” at a track.

Small stressed the development of fan experience enhancments surrounding each race weekend at Iowa Speedway.

“NASCAR’s expectations

were long-term, matching their commitment to this racetrack and community, but we are proud to have sincerely influenced and inspired change and fan experience enhancements in our first year,” he said.

“Iowa Speedway has gone through the transitions the sport has gone through the past 10 years. The future is

bright for our race track and our fans.”

Small said NASCAR, IndyCar and ARCA are great partners. Race title sponsors have changed over the years, but the product continues to be some of the best short track racing on pavement.

Drivers enjoy the character the 10-year-old track has developed. They speak of the

bumps and the grooves.

As Small and the Iowa Speedway staff prepares for the opening weekend of the 2016 season Friday, racing fans can be assured they have already begun work on the 2017 season. Iowa Speedway knows its NASCAR slated for 2017.

The State of the Speedway is very good, according to Small.

File Photo

Ground was broke for Iowa Speedway in 2005 and it held its first race in September 2006.

Xfinity Continued from Page 5 This year at Iowa Speedway the intensity will be even higher because victory in the U.S. Cellular 250 all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Chase. Expect to see drivers leave it all on the track in an attempt to pick up one of these coveted spots.

Iowa’s two Xfinity Series races will have new winners as the 2015 winners Chris Buescher in May and Ryan Blaney in July have moved up to NASCAR Sprint Cup competition.

Fans will see familiar drivers and some new drivers at this level. All of the top-10 drivers in the points race are slated to race in the American Ethanol E 15 250 Sunday. Three-time Iowa Xfinity Series winner Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion, is driving in the Xfinity Series’ first stop at Iowa in 2016. Keselowski is currently third in points in the Sprint Cup driver standings.

Trucks

Elliott Sadler sits second in the Xfinity Series points going into the first race at Iowa.

Sadler won the U.S. Cellular 250 in 2012. Ty Dillon is third in points and was fourth in the 2015 U.S. Cellular 250. Erik Jones, who won back-to-back NASCAR Truck Series races at Iowa in 2014 and 2015, also raced in both Xfinity races a year ago and sits fourth in Xfinity points this season.

Xfinity drivers return to the Newton track for the U.S. Cellular 250 at the end of July. That race is a Saturday night race under the lights at Iowa Speedway, starting at 7 p.m.

Xfinity Series races open and close the 2016 racing season at Iowa Speedway. Iowa Speedway brings fans the opportunity to watch the young and veteran drivers of NASCAR Xfinity twice in 2016, as it has since 2011. In 2009, the Xfinity Series came to Iowa Speedway for the U.S. Cellular 250, then in 2011 Iowa obtained its second Xfinity Series race.

for competition cautions to help teams make adjustments during the race.

Crafton currently leads the truck series with Peters in second and rookie William Byron, who finished second at Iowa a year ago in the K&N Pro Series race, is in third. With the NCWTS and Xfinity races on the same weekend at Iowa Speedway in 2016, fans will see Xfinity Series leader Daniel Suarez competing in both races.

All the drivers in the top-10 spots in points will be on the track in the truck series race. Ben Kennedy is another NCWTS driver to pull double duty this weekend as he makes his Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway.

Most of the top NASCAR Xfinity Series and Sprint Cup Series drivers competed and were successful at the NCWTS level. Young drivers are looking to climb the ladder to the ultimate level of their sport — the Sprint Cup Series — with strong showings at the truck level.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com

Continued from Page 9

Speedway, Thursday, June 16, 2016 — Page 12

Drivers and fans alike enjoy the racing at Iowa Speedway.

THIS IS MY

DRIVING PASSION 2016 RACE SCHEDULE J U N E 18 -19

|| S A T U R D A Y NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES 200 || S U N D A Y NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AMERICAN ETHANOL 250 PRESENTED BY ENOGEN

TICKETS START AT $15

J U LY 9 -10

J U LY 2 9 -3 0

|| S A T U R D A Y ARCA RACING SERIES 150 PRESENTED BY CASEY’S GENERAL STORES

|| F R I D A Y NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES CASEY’S GENERAL STORES 150 PRESENTED BY VATTEROTT COLLEGE

|| S U N D A Y VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES IOWA CORN 300

|| S A T U R D A Y NASCAR XFINITY SERIES U.S. CELLULAR 250