The NTT IndyCar Series will hold its second consecutive race weekend doubleheader at Iowa Speedway but with a few schedule twists.
After last weekend’s Saturday-Sunday afternoon slate on the Road America road course, IndyCar will race under the lights Friday and Saturday night on Iowa Speedway’s 0.894-mile oval. TV coverage for both nights will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden won IndyCar’s only race at Iowa last year on his way to the 2019 championship. Andretti Autosport has a series-leading seven victories at the Newton, Iowa, track, including three by Ryan Hunter-Reay.
It’s been 10 years (Tony Kanaan, June 20, 2010) since the most recent victory at Iowa for Chip Ganassi Racing, which will be aiming to keep its undefeated streak intact this year.
Scott Dixon won the first three races (Texas Motor Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Road America No. 1), and Felix Rosenqvist scored his first IndyCar victory Sunday at Road America for Ganassi’s fourth consecutive victory to open the 2020 season.
This also will be the second consecutive weekend that fans will be allowed at an IndyCar race. Iowa will have a maximum crowd of about 5,000 in its grandstands.
Social distancing and other health and safety measures will be in place throughout the @IndyCar #Iowa250s event this weekend at @IowaSpeedway pic.twitter.com/qluDmSWLiJ
— Iowa Speedway (@iowaspeedway) July 13, 2020
Here’s the IndyCar weekend schedule at Iowa Speedway:
(All times are Eastern)
IndyCar weekend schedule: Thursday, July 16
5 p.m.: Paddock load-in for NTT IndyCar Series teams
IndyCar weekend schedule: Friday, July 17
9:30 a.m.: IndyCar garage opens
10 a.m.: IndyCar tech opens
1 p.m.: Driver, team manager meeting (conference call)
2-2:30 p.m.: IndyCar practice for rookies and first-time Iowa drivers (NBC Sports Gold)
2:30-3:30 p.m.: IndyCar practice (NBC Sports Gold)
5:30 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying for both races (first lap Friday lineup, second lap Saturday lineup) (NBC Sports Gold)
8:30 p.m.: IndyCar prerace on NBCSN
8:40 p.m.: Cars to grid
8:58 p.m.: Invocation and national anthem
9 p.m.: IndyCar Iowa race #1 (NBCSN)
9:10 p.m.: Command to start engines
9:15 p.m.: Green flag (250 laps)
IndyCar weekend schedule: Saturday, July 18
Noon: IndyCar garage, tech open
3:30 p.m.: IndyCar practice (NBC Sports Gold)
8:10 pm.: Cars to grid
8:28 p.m.: Invocation and national anthem
8:30 p.m.: IndyCar Iowa race #2 (NBCSN)
8:40 p.m.: Command to start engines
8:45 p.m.: Green flag (250 laps)
10:30 p.m.: Postrace show (NBCSN, NBC Sports Gold)