July 31, 2024 | By Merrill Cain

Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Reports Strong Results from Entertainment-Filled Event at Iowa Speedway Inbox Cain, Merrill

NEWTON, Ia. — Following a memorable three days that featured exciting on-track action, amazing concerts and fan experiences at Iowa Speedway, the 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend produced strong results for the third consecutive year.

Highlighted by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader on the fast 7/8-mile oval, along with live performances from some of the top acts in music today, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend once again delivered a complete entertainment experience for fans. In its third year with title sponsor Hy-Vee helping to produce a turbocharged weekend full of music and motorsports, the event continued to attract huge crowds to Newton, Iowa, in what has become one of the biggest annual events across the state. With the announcement during race week that Hy-Vee will extend its title sponsorship of the event for years to come, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will continue to benefit the local communities and the state of Iowa well into the future.

Entering the 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend July 12-14, ticket sales were up by more than 20% for both Saturday and Sunday over the event’s record-breaking attendance in 2023. Despite high humidity and temperatures in the 90s Friday-Sunday at Iowa Speedway, the 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend drew an estimated total attendance of approximately 80,000 fans over the course of the three-day event.

Perhaps even more impressive than surpassing the 80,000-attendance mark for the third consecutive year, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend continued its trend of attracting thousands of fans to the state of Iowa. Event officials reported that more than 45% of ticket buyers on both Saturday and Sunday at Iowa Speedway came from outside the state.

“We are excited about the momentum that Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend has built over the past three years, and we are looking forward to supporting INDYCAR in its return to Iowa Speedway in the coming years,” said Anna Stoermer, chief retail officer for Hy-Vee. “We are especially thankful for our presenting sponsors Instacart, Gatorade and Anheuser Busch, and all our employee volunteers, who made the weekend a huge success.”

With all guests enjoying complimentary gate admission on July 12 for Free Family Friday, fans enjoyed watching both the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the rising stars of racing competing in INDY NXT by Firestone to begin Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend. Following autograph sessions with both the INDYCAR and INDY NXT drivers, Friday evening also featured the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Pit Stop Challenge. Six of the top NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams battled for $50,000 in prize money and pit lane pride as the No. 12 Verizon Business Chevrolet team and driver Will Power won the competition to open what would prove to be a productive weekend for Team Penske.

In the first race of the action-packed weekend, Louis Foster scored the first oval win of his young career as he won the INDY NXT by Firestone race on Saturday, July 13, to extend his lead in the series’ championship standings.

Following the INDY NXT race, country music superstar Luke Combs rocked the trackside Hy-Vee Stage in front of a packed house at Iowa Speedway. In Saturday’s Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart, Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin drove the No. 3 XPEL Chevrolet to victory for his first INDYCAR oval win in the first series night race at Iowa Speedway in four years. Following the race, Eric Church performed on the Hy-Vee Stage and the crowd was also entertained by a drone light show and fireworks display to complete a special Saturday night in Central Iowa.

Sunday’s Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade saw Team Penske complete the INDYCAR weekend sweep as Power earned his first career victory at Iowa Speedway in his 19th start at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet.” Two more amazing concerts produced a memorable Sunday afternoon for fans as Kelsea Ballerini took to the Hy-Vee Stage after the race, followed by Post Malone, whose performance provided a perfect ending to Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.

The weekend also delivered some very impressive engagement results across social media and traditional media platforms. Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend saw a 59% increase in earned media coverage from the 2023 event, according to Meltwater Analytics. The event’s INDYCARatIowa social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok) produced a total reach of over 712,000 during race week alone, representing a 47% increase in engagement from 2023. Across the INDYCAR social media channels, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend generated 1.19 million engagements and 7.4 million video views over the course of the event.

“Thank you to our partners at Hy-Vee for all of their support and their continued commitment to making Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend such a unique and special event,” said Anne Fischgrund, General Manager of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend. “And we want to thank all of the fans that overcame the heat to have an amazing weekend at Iowa Speedway.”