NASHVILLE — Former Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar owner Tony George met with team owner Bobby Rahal after Saturday’s NTT IndyCar Series practice session to discuss reviving Iowa Speedway and returning it to the series schedule next season.
George, whose family sold the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Roger Penske on Nov. 4, 2019, ending a 74-year run of Hulman family ownership, told SPEED SPORT he wants to put Rahal and others in touch with people who can return Iowa Speedway to the schedule.
Rahal’s sponsor, Hy-Vee, is an Iowa-based supermarket chain that is very interested in returning the Newton, Iowa short oval to the NTT IndyCar Series schedule.
With its headquarters in Iowa, the annual Saturday night short track race was popular among the paying fans and Hy-Vee’s corporate customer base.
IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske told SPEED SPORT and other reporters in June that he was working with Rahal and Hy-Vee on the possibility of returning IndyCar to Iowa Speedway.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Penske and IndyCar leased Iowa Speedway from NASCAR, the track’s current owners, and self-promoted a Friday night/Saturday night doubleheader.
Although the COVID-19 rules limited the crowd to 7,000 spectators, an enthusiastic crowd attended both races.
Iowa Speedway was left off this year’s IndyCar schedule as Penske Entertainment was trying to ensure a large crowd for this year’s Indianapolis 500 and chose not to lease the Iowa track in 2021.
But Penske indicated if Hy-Vee could sponsor the race, then it would become economically viable to return to the .750-mile short oval.
Penske, George, and Rahal all told SPEED SPORT that it is important to add more oval races to future schedules.
“I want to discuss the possibilities with Bobby Rahal and see what we can come up with,” George told SPEED SPORT before his meeting with the team owner. “I’m not planning on serving as the promoter, but I can put him in touch with a few people that can help make that happen.
“We all agree that IndyCar needs more oval races and even though I’m no longer a track promoter, I know some people that has interest in getting involved to help bring Iowa back. I think it’s important to our series to do so.”
When asked if he thought George might promote the IndyCar race at Iowa, Rahal told SPEED SPORT before the meeting, “My sense is Tony has had enough of that kind of stuff. He has been there, done that as they say. But I have to go meet Tony.
“I don’t know about the Iowa race, but there is a discussion going on with Roger and his people. We are hopeful that Hy-Vee and Iowa can continue. We don’t know, but we’re hopeful. I certainly hope that Iowa happens because that’s a great race track with great races there.”
The Hulman-George Family sold Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar and IMS Productions to the Penske Corp. on Nov. 4, 2019, for in excess of $300 million with a commitment to spend near that amount in capital improvement for the speedway.