The work to build Iowa Speedway began in Newton, Iowa on June 21, 2005 and the uniquely-designed short oval was completed on September 15, 2006. Known as the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet,” NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace helped design the D-shaped, 7/8 of a mile oval that shares some characteristics with another popular short oval track – Richmond Raceway. Iowa Speedway hosted its first race in September of 2006 while the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and first competed at Iowa the weekend of June 23-24, 2007.
Some of the top drivers in modern INDYCAR history have raced and won at Iowa Speedway. Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden is the winningest series driver in the history of the track as the current Team Penske racer won the Iowa INDY NXT by Firestone race in 2011 before producing six INDYCAR SERIES victories at the track in 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022 and a doubleheader sweep in 2023. Former INDYCAR SERIES champion Ryan Hunter-Reay has also produced three Iowa Speedway wins – in 2012, 2014 and 2015 – while Dario Franchitti (2007 and 2009) and James Hinchcliffe (2013 and 2018) each posted a pair of Iowa victories.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has hosted 19 races at Iowa Speedway with seven events held under the lights. The track hosted INDYCAR doubleheader events in 2020, 2022 and 2023 with the 2020 event being one of the first major events in the state of Iowa coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With support from Hy-Vee, the popular Midwest Supermarket company based in West Des Moines, Iowa, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned to Iowa Speedway in 2022 with the only doubleheader on the series schedule. Newgarden won the Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash on Saturday while Pato O’Ward claimed the win Sunday in the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google. The INDY NXT by Firestone also made its return to Iowa Speedway in 2022 with Hunter McElrea winning from the pole on Saturday of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.