Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Welcomes Saturday Sellout Crowd at Iowa Speedway
July 23, 2022 | News & Press Releases
NEWTON, Iowa (July 23, 2022) — The NTT INDYCAR SERIES made an impactful return to Iowa Speedway Saturday with a sellout crowd enjoying the first race day of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend. A capacity crowd of nearly 38,000 watched Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden win the Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash, along with two-star studded concerts as Tim McGraw and Florida Georgia Line performed trackside at Iowa Speedway.
“To look out and see the stands filled with everyone enjoying INDYCAR racing and world-class entertainment right here in Newton is incredibly exciting,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s chairman and CEO. “This is what I envisioned for the weekend when we decided to take this journey with INDYCAR, so to see it all come together is a true accomplishment.”
Last August, Hy-Vee announced a multi-year agreement to become the title sponsor of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES return to Iowa Speedway. For 2022, Hy-Vee and INDYCAR agreed to host the only doubleheader on the series calendar. After a strong start to the weekend with Free Family Friday, Saturday’s action continued to build positive momentum with a sellout at the box office. To start the day’s on-track action, Hunter McElrea earned his second consecutive Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires victory in the first Lights race at Iowa Speedway since 2018. After Tim McGraw rocked the crowd on the Hy-Vee stage Saturday afternoon, the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES put on one heck of a show as they battled wheel-to-wheel on the 7/8 of a mile oval. Josef Newgarden held off Pato O’Ward and Will Power to earn his fourth career win at Iowa Speedway.
The race weekend excitement continues Sunday with Gwen Stefani hosting a matinee concert before the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google. Following the race, Blake Shelton will perform live on stage to close out an action-packed Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.
“INDYCAR is so proud to return to the State of Iowa,” said Bud Denker, President of Penske Corporation. “The transformation of Iowa Speedway has been truly remarkable, thanks to Hy-Vee and our INDYCAR team. This event clearly demonstrates Hy-Vee’s commitment to our sport, as we’ve worked together to build a world-class entertainment experience for all of our fans. We are excited for the future of this event and the new directions we can go at Iowa Speedway with our partners at Hy-Vee.”
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Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 285 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of more than $12 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 5 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 3 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 90,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.
INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America's premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and its developmental series, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES features an international field of the world's most versatile drivers – including reigning series champion Alex Palou, six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden and four-time and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2022 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com. For more information on Indy Lights, please visit www.indylights.com.