The Turn 2 billboard appears every 18 seconds but disappears before it can be fully deciphered. Eighteen-second laps on the .875-mile Iowa Speedway oval -- 250 of them in the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by DEKALB -- is a dizzying pace for IZOD IndyCar Series drivers.
“It's a very physical track, actually the most physical oval track I have known," A.J. Foyt Racing driver Takuma Sato said. "Because you have high downforce, you get a lot of grip. With it being a high-banked track, there’s even more grip so the car runs very fast in the quite tight corners. It pulls over 5 Gs (five times body weight) during cornering, which is very high. So it requires high stamina from the driver and is especially demanding because of the steering effort required.”
Added defending race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay: "The Iowa Speedway oval is one of a kind; a very unique track that makes for some of the closest racing of the year. Last year's race came down to the wire and I expect the same this year."
In the race car, drivers have tools to improve the car's balance (as the weight drops with the 18.5 gallons of E85 being used) and mechanical grip lap after quick lap.
What are some things spectators can accomplish in the span of one lap at Iowa Speedway?
Tie their shoes ... text a race update ... eat a hot dog (sans chili) ... blow their nose ... Post others to our Facebook page HERE
How are IndyCar seats made? Find out June 20
Catch the new episode of “How It’s Made,” featuring the production of an IZOD IndyCar Series seat. The program airs at 9 p.m. (ET) June 20 on The Science Channel.
The segment also is included in "How It's Made" on The Discovery Channel in Canada at 8 p.m. (ET) June 25.
GoWichita to be featured on No. 67 car
Wink Hartman is promoting Wichita, Kan., in Newton, Iowa, and on the ABC broadcast (2:30 p.m. ET).
The co-owner of Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing has donated the space on the sidepods of the No. 67 car driven by Josef Newgarden for the June 23 Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by DEKALB to GoWichita, the city’s convention and visitors bureau.
Other spots on the car are being sold to local companies and institutions, including Wichita State University.
“All of them wanted to support Wichita and get national exposure for our city,” Hartman said. “You never know when it might jog somebody’s memory to make it a positive. Somebody might just Google Wichita. If we can get one person to move 25 jobs to Wichita, we’ve won.”
Of note
Sato and A.J. Foyt Racing team director Larry Foyt will attend the ABC Supply Founders Celebration Picnic at the company’s headquarters in Beloit, Wis., June 20 on the way to Iowa Speedway. A.J. Foyt will miss his fifth race of the season because of health issues.