NEWTON, Iowa – It hasn’t been the most memorable weekend thus far for AJ Foyt Racing at Iowa Speedway. The team owned by the legendary driver with more Indy car wins than anyone seeks a turnaround in today’s Iowa Corn 300.
Saturday’s action on the 0.894-mile oval left savvy veteran Tony Kanaan and aggressive rookie Matheus “Matt” Leist both searching for answers, however.
IOWA CORN 300: Starting lineup
Kanaan, who will start his Indy car-record 294th straight race, boasts a strong resume at Iowa Speedway. The 2004 Verizon IndyCar Series champion won at the bullring oval in 2010, the first of five straight podium finishes at Iowa. His 523 laps led are more than anyone at the track.
The new Indy car for 2018, with the universal aero kit used by every entry, has presented its share of challenges for the Kanaan, driver of the No. 14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet who sits 14th in points after 10 of 17 races.
The struggle continued Saturday as the 43-year-old Brazilian came away bewildered after qualifying 13th for the 300-lap race.
"It wasn't very good,” Kanaan said.
“The track was really slippery; it was hotter right now. This morning (in practice), it was a little cooler, so it was a handful (in qualifying). We went the quickest of what we did all weekend, so I guess we did something right.
“It was kind of nerve-racking. I'm not comfortable in the car. I haven't been this uncomfortable in a long time. We've got a lot of work to do."
For everything that Kanaan endured, it was as tough or tougher for his rookie teammate.
Leist logged just 15 laps in opening practice Saturday before backing his No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet into the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier. The team made quick work of the repairs in time for qualifying, but the pace simply wasn’t in the car and he will start today’s race from last on the 22-car grid.
A winner of the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires last year at Iowa, getting up to speed with the Indy car has been a challenge for the 19-year-old Brazilian.
“The cars are completely different,” Leist said. “Last year, I was the fastest guy out here and that car was fantastic. It was a great car from Carlin, but this year we’ve been struggling a little bit. This is a tricky track. It’s just too bumpy. You’ve got to set the car up for the bumps and not for the track, so it’s a tough track.”
Still, Leist said it’s not for lack of comfort driving the car on a short oval for the second time.
“To be honest, I feel comfortable in the car since about Phoenix,” said the 2016 British Formula 3 champion. “It’s just the first two races that everything was new for me, like pit stops, saving fuel. But since then, I’m already comfortable in the car and making progress every time.”
Like his veteran teammate Kanaan, Leist expected the engineers and crew to work hard into the night to come up with a race setup that helps him move up through the field.
“We have to figure out something faster for (the race),” Leist said. “We’ll keep working hard and try to race to the front. … Right now, it’s not fun to drive a car like this.”
The Iowa Corn 300 airs live at 2 p.m. ET today on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network
IOWA CORN 300 FAST FACTS:
Race 11 of 17 on the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule
Track: Iowa Speedway, a 0.894-mile oval in Newton, Iowa. The track has hosted the Verizon IndyCar Series annually since 2007.
Race distance: 300 laps/268.2 miles
Fuel: 95 gallons of Sunoco E85 ethanol for each car
Full fuel stint: 70-80 laps
Television: NBCSN, 2 p.m. ET (live)
Radio: Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network (network affiliates, Sirius 217, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com, INDYCAR Mobile app), 2 p.m. ET (live)