Iowa expecting 40,000 on Sunday

Last year's finish

"One of the biggest assets the Iowa Speedway has is our relationship with the IndyCar Series," Iowa Speedway president Jerry Jauron said. "Our first race last year was just outstanding. This race is going to be even bigger and better. We're excited. We have the Indy Lights on Saturday and expect a crowd in excess of 20,000 and on Sunday we're looking at 40,000-plus people here for our Iowa Corn Indy 250. Next year, we're looking at 50,000.

"We think this race has no limits. The open-wheel popularity in the upper Midwest is, I think, the strongest of anywhere in the country. Our staff has been challenged by me that in three or four years down the road we want 70 to 75,000 people for our IndyCar race. Our short-term plans are to continue to make it happen, but as we exceed that 50,000 figure hopefully next year we would contemplate an immediate grandstand expansion that would incorporate about 60,000 permanent seats with the ability to add temporaries to get us to that 70 to 75,000 figure. We do not want our facility to limit our fan ability to watch the IndyCar Series."