IndyCar News: Series announces Hy-Vee multi-year Iowa Ext.
Building on the momentum of what has become one of the most popular and unique weekends in motorsports, Hy-Vee and INDYCAR today announced an extension of their partnership for the annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES event at Iowa Speedway. Under the new multi-year agreement, Hy-Vee – the Iowa-based and employee-owned supermarket chain – will continue as the title sponsor of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.
Hy-Vee’s ongoing commitment to motorsports has been demonstrated through its support of the annual INDYCAR event weekend held at Iowa Speedway, which is the longest-standing race held at the 7/8 of a mile oval track located in Newton, Iowa. INDYCAR first began competing at Iowa Speedway in 2007 and this weekend represents the 20th and 21st NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at the venue. The 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will be hosted July 12-14, featuring the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart (Saturday at 8 pm ET on NBC and Peacock) and the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade (Sunday at 12 pm ET on NBC and Peacock).
Since 2022, Hy-Vee has served as the host and entitlement partner for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway. Attracting capacity crowds with a combination of world-class racing at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet” and premier live music acts for an entertainment-filled fan experience, has helped transform the INDYCAR weekend into one of the biggest annual events in Iowa. The continued collaboration marks a significant milestone in Hy-Vee’s partnership with INDYCAR, which originally began in 2020 when the popular grocery chain first joined forces with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as a team sponsor in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
“This event has been a great fit for Hy-Vee,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s executive chairman of the board. “We look forward to continuing to support this race in Iowa by serving as the title sponsor in the years ahead. We set out to make this a world-class event and believe the momentum we have created will continue into the future as INDYCAR continues to gain more fans year after year.”
Driven by the partnership with Hy-Vee, INDYCAR returned to Iowa Speedway in 2022 after not competing at the venue during the 2021 season. Since its inception, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend has become a highlight on the INDYCAR calendar. With a record-breaking estimated crowd of approximately 85,000 spectators over three days, last year’s Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend marked the highest attendance ever recorded for an INDYCAR event at Iowa Speedway. Celebrating its third year as one of the most popular annual events in racing, this weekend’s three-day festival is on track to once again draw capacity crowds to Iowa Speedway.
“We are so proud to continue the partnership with Hy-Vee and build on the success of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend well into the future,” said Bud Denker, President of Penske Corporation, which owns INDYCAR. “With Hy-Vee’s vision and unwavering support, this event has continued to grow and expose new fans to INDYCAR. We thank the entire Hy-Vee team for their partnership and continued commitment to Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, and we can’t wait to host another incredible event this weekend at Iowa Speedway.”
Beyond its support of the INDYCAR event at Iowa Speedway, the industry-leading grocery brand is also the title sponsor of two NTT INDYCAR SERIES 250-mile races that will be hosted at the Milwaukee Mile August 30-September 1 – the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s Weekend.
The 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will officially get underway on Friday, July 12, with the return of Free Family Friday. All fans will once again enjoy free gate admission to Iowa Speedway on the opening day of the three-day weekend festival.
In addition to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on Saturday and Sunday, along with the INDY NXT by Firestone race at Iowa Speedway (Saturday at 2 pm ET on Peacock), Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will once again feature a stellar concert lineup rivaling even the most prestigious music festivals. Country music sensations Luke Combs and Eric Church will both perform on the Hy-Vee Stage on Saturday, with country superstar Kelsea Ballerini and award-winning artist Post Malone each hosting post-race concerts on Sunday. All concerts are included with Saturday and Sunday Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend tickets as each artist will perform on the trackside Hy-Vee Stage, in front of the main grandstands at Iowa Speedway.
To learn more about the event, visit https://www.hyveeindycarweekend.com/.