The Official Blog of the IZOD IndyCar Series

Iowa Speedway – the IndyCar Series’ shortest circuit – emerged, literally, from a corn field.

Small wonder, then, the Iowa Corn Growers Association has been the title sponsor of the Iowa Corn Indy 250 – which will again bring the established stars and hungry upstarts of the IZOD IndyCar Series to Newton’s fast 7/8-mile tri-oval on June 25.

We’re proud of our agricultural roots, from the rich soil beneath the facility to the high-performance fuel powering the car engines.

A fan demonstrates their pride for Iowa Speedway's agricultural roots

Extreme excitement – from the grandstands to the garage – has rippled through the first four renditions of the popular event and the spirited crowd has topped the 35,000 mark each time.

Drivers hail the 7/8-mile Rusty Wallace-designed track as racy, ultra-demanding, and a pleasure to navigate.

“I love the track and I love the fans at Iowa,” Tony Kanaan, who won the 2010 Iowa Corn Indy 250 after three hard-luck runs/DNFs at Newton. The place is always packed – beyond packed – with people everywhere.  It is a track that races both like a short track and a super-speedway, so it is a lot of fun to drive.”

Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves jokingly celebrate at Iowa Speedway

And despite being carved out of prime farmland, there’s plenty of fun - racing and otherwise – to be found in Newton and within a half hour or so from here. The venerable “Sprint Car Capital of the World,” Knoxville Raceway, surrounds a hallowed half-mile ring of dirt a mere 30 miles from Iowa Speedway. Iowa’s capital city, Des Moines, is about the same distance away and a straight shot on Interstate 80. We draw from central Iowa and beyond – with fans from 26 states enjoying the speedway.

And rest assured, if there’s a race, Iowans line up to attend.

They tailgate enthusiastically. They get involved – cheering, discussing, dissecting the day’s (or night’s) action. They’re knowledgeable, but not snobbish about it. They’ll say, ‘Hi,’ and ask how you’re doing with a genuine interest in your answer. You’ll feel right at home here, on IndyCar’s only short track of less than a mile in length – nestled in small town Iowa, but criss-crossed by well-traveled, coast-spanning interstate highways.

Yes, there’s that corn, both around the track and fueling the car’s engines. And that’s a good thing – for the economy, for the environment, and for performance.

We think when you come see us, you’ll heartily agree. We look forward to seeing you all at our facility, and are determined to help make the 2011 Iowa Corn Indy 250 the best one to date. So tell us your ideas below– Have you attended a race at Iowa Speedway? Tell your fellow fans what sets Iowa Speedway apart!