NTT INDYCAR SERIES Teams Test In Advances of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend
June 22, 2023 | By INDYCAR
A Total of 20 Cars Post Times Wednesday at the ‘Fastest Short Track on the Planet’
NEWTON, Iowa (June 21, 2023) — With only a month left until Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, July 21-23, NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams spent Wednesday testing at Iowa Speedway as they gathered data while searching for the right combination of balance and speed in advance of next month’s annual series visit to the 7/8 of a mile oval track.
A total of 20 cars representing eight series teams tested throughout the day, with competitors recording over 3,800 combined laps at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet.” Three former NTT INDYCAR SERIES Iowa race winners, six Indianapolis 500 winners and four former series champions were among the drivers testing on Wednesday.
“We got through our program and I was pretty happy with how everything went,” said Colton Herta, driver of the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda for Andretti Autosport, who posted one of the fastest laps of the test. “We started out with a pretty good car and we just kept making it better so I’m pretty happy with the result and we should have some pretty good stuff to go off of when we come back here.”
Current series points leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, winner of the three of the last four series races, was also among the fastest testers on the day. Palou is in position to capture a $1 million bonus if he can produce a victory in either of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races during Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend. After posting wins at both a street circuit and permanent road course already this season, Palou just needs to secure a victory on an oval track to earn the bonus though the PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge.
“I feel very fortunate to be in a position to compete for the $1 million prize and we will have two opportunities to do it next month here at Iowa,” said Palou, who has produced a top result of sixth in four previous career races at Iowa Speedway.
Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will once again feature the only doubleheader weekend on the series schedule. The Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart will take the green flag on Saturday, July 22 followed by the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade on Sunday, July 23. Both races will be televised live on NBC and streamed live on Peacock. In addition to the INDYCAR races during the action-packed weekend, the rising stars of INDY NXT by Firestone will also compete on Saturday, July 22 (11 am ET on Peacock).
The event will also feature an amazing music lineup with country music superstar Carrie Underwood performing live before Saturday’s INDYCAR race and Kenny Chesney live in concert after the race, followed by Zak Brown Band in concert before Sunday’s INDYCAR race and Ed Sheeran hosting a post-race concert Sunday. All concerts are included with the price of a ticket.
To purchase 2023 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend tickets and to learn more about the event, visit https://www.hyveeindycarweekend.com/.
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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 $13 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 80,000 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 NXT by Firestone. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES features an international field of the world's most versatile drivers – including two-time and reigning series champion Will Power, six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and reigning Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2023 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 NXT by Firestone, 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 NXT by Firestone , please visit www.indynxt.com.