History of Iowa Speedway in Timeline

Iowa Speedway is a 0.875-mile oval short track located in Newton, Iowa. Opened in 2006, it has hosted races from NASCAR and IndyCar. NASCAR has owned the track since 2013, and Eric Peterson is the current president. The speedway is accessible via Interstate 80.

November 2000: Kentucky Speedway Developer Proposal

In November 2000, Kentucky Speedway developer Jerry Carroll proposed plans to build a 40,000-seat track in Newton, Iowa.

January 2001: Carroll Abandoned Plan

In January 2001, Jerry Carroll abandoned the plan to develop the Iowa Speedway, and Jerry Lowrie replaced Carroll.

2002: Funding Rejection

In the fall of 2002, Vision Iowa rejected funding for the Iowa Speedway project.

April 16, 2003: Newton City Council Approval

On April 16, 2003, the Newton City Council unanimously approved a proposed project for a multi-use racing facility headed by the U.S. MotorSport Entertainment Corporation.

2003: U.S. Motorsport Entertainment Corporation Bid

In 2003, the Paul Schlaack-owned U.S. Motorsport Entertainment Corporation made a bid to build a shorter racing facility at Iowa Speedway.

2004: Construction Delayed

In June 2004, construction was delayed due to a lack of funds for the Iowa Speedway project.

2004: Delay Due to Lack of Funds

Throughout 2004, there was a delay in construction at Iowa Speedway due to a perceived lack of funds.

February 2005: Progress Resumed

In February 2005, progress on the Iowa Speedway project resumed as developers announced they had gathered enough funds.

June 21, 2005: Groundbreaking Held

On June 21, 2005, groundbreaking was held for Iowa Speedway.

2005: Hopes of opening in 2005

In October, with the city now investing a planned $17.3 million there were stated hopes of opening the Iowa Speedway in 2005.

2005: Groundbreaking Commenced

In mid-2005, groundbreaking commenced for Iowa Speedway.

April 2006: Expansion Plans

By April 2006, developers stated hopes of expanding the Iowa Speedway area to include a water park and a hotel.

September 15, 2006: Hooters Pro Cup Series Race Scheduled

In mid-October 2005, the Iowa Speedway confirmed racing dates for the 2006 season, with a Hooters Pro Cup Series race scheduled for September 15, 2006.

September 2006: First Races Held

In September 2006, Iowa Speedway held its first races.

2006: Luxury Suites Constructed

According to a 2006 Autoweek report, Iowa Speedway constructed 28 luxury suites.

2006: Opening Year Delayed

By February 2005, the opening year for the Iowa Speedway was delayed until 2006.

2006: Inaugural Season of Racing

In 2006, Iowa Speedway had its inaugural season of racing, hosting a variety of events sanctioned by NASCAR and IndyCar.

2006: Indy Racing League Announcement

In 2006, the Indy Racing League announced their intentions to run annual IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway.

2007: First IndyCar Races

In 2007, the first IndyCar races were run at Iowa Speedway.

2007: Rumored Indy Racing League Race Weekend

In June 2006, Iowa Speedway was rumored to hold an Indy Racing League (IRL) race weekend for 2007; the report was confirmed in August.

February 2008: New Track President

In late February 2008, Jerry Jauron replaced Stan Clement as the track's president of Iowa Speedway.

2009: Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series events

From 2009, the track also hosted the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series events.

2009: Annual NASCAR Races Awarded

In 2008, the Iowa Speedway was awarded annual NASCAR races for 2009, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

2012: Second Truck Series race held

From 2012, the track hosted a second Truck Series race with the Fan Appreciation 200.

2013: NASCAR Buys Track

In 2013, NASCAR bought the Iowa Speedway to save it from financial issues.

2013: Financial Troubles and Sale to NASCAR

In 2013, the Iowa Speedway was found to be in financial trouble and was later sold to NASCAR for $10 million.

2013: Second Truck Series race held

Until 2013, the track hosted a second Truck Series race with the Fan Appreciation 200.

February 2018: New Track President Appointed

In February 2018, David Hyatt replaced Jimmy Small as the president of Iowa Speedway.

2019: Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series events

Until 2019, the track also hosted the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series events.

2020: IndyCar Doubleheader

In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, IndyCar opted to run a doubleheader at Iowa Speedway.

2020: Races Canceled or Limited Spectators

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Iowa Speedway's races were either canceled or run with fewer spectators.

July 2021: Track Reopened with Limited Attendance

When Iowa Speedway reopened to full capacity in July 2021 for the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series, attendance was reported at 5,000.

2021: High Chances of Cup Series Date

By 2019, Hyatt claimed that Iowa Speedway had high chances of being awarded a Cup Series date in 2021.

2022: IndyCar Doubleheader Continued

In 2022, IndyCar decided to stick with the doubleheader format when the series resumed racing at Iowa Speedway.

2022: IndyCar Return with Doubleheader

In August 2021, IndyCar announced its return to Iowa Speedway in 2022, with a doubleheader event.

October 2, 2023: Possible Cup Series Weekend

On October 2, 2023, reports claimed that NASCAR chose Iowa Speedway as a backup option for a Cup Series weekend in the 2024 season.

2023: Seating Capacity

According to a 2023 report by The Des Moines Register, Iowa Speedway holds 30,000 seats.

February 2024: New Track President

In February 2024, Eric Peterson was appointed to replace David Hyatt as the track's president of Iowa Speedway.

July 2024: Fastest Official Race Lap Records

As of July 2024, the fastest official race lap records of the Iowa Speedway are listed.

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