Goodyear conducted two days of testing in Iowa to determine which tires it will use in the Father’s Day weekend race scheduled for June 16 at 6 p.m.
The three drivers, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski, turned hundreds of laps on Tuesday in the heat and during a short rain break. But despite their positive comments, the drivers of the No. 9 Chevrolet expressed concerns about the newly paved track.
Chase Elliott ended his 42-race winless streak with a convincing victory at Texas Motorway this year. The race featured nearly 23 lead changes among 13 drivers, making for a very dramatic unfolding. Elliott, currently in fourth place, has been in the top five multiple times and led 133 laps.
He’s excited to do better in the next-generation car, but his concerns about Iowa Speedway are different than those of the three test drivers. That’s why he’s bringing his expertise to the newly opened route this year.
What was his opinion of the track? Did he think it was good enough, and did it live up to his expectations? Braking Challenges at Iowa
Iowa Speedway underwent some renovations following the repaving. The two lanes at the entrance and exit of turns 2 and 4 were repaved, leaving only small sections of the original track near the walls of each turn.
And after the repaving, Iowa Speedway became the subject of heated discussion among drivers, including the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet, who didn’t seem to like the track very much. “The brakes on this track are very hard.” “There are long straights and downshifts,” said Elliott.
His main focus was on the significant braking challenges posed by the track’s design, because hard braking on long straights and in corners can put a lot of strain on the brakes and rotors. But the JGR Iowa test riders had a different opinion.
Christopher Bell, one of only three drivers to test the newly repaved track, including all 350 laps, said, “The repaving basically turned it into a whole new race track.” “It gives you a lot of grip on the race track. Iowa used to be a track with very little grip. You could go anywhere and pass people.
Now the pace is a lot faster and it’s going to be even harder to pass, so I’m a little concerned.”
But “the issue is getting the brakes warmed up properly so they can withstand the heat for an extended period of time,” he said, and when asked how he maintains his brakes despite the harsh braking conditions, Chase Elliott replied: “You don’t. It’s just the way it is.” You have to bring it up to temperature as best you can, and after that, you just run your lap and hope they don’t fall.”
On the other hand, Kyle Larson had his own set of problems in Iowa.
The 2021 Cup Series Champion did quite well this year, winning at Las Vegas and Kansas. After the test drive on the track, Larson mentioned, “The test was difficult with just three cars… brand new surface so it took probably 4 hours or so until we could actually get some grip and make some decent laps,” commented Larson.
In addition, he added, “With 30-something other cars the groove should hopefully widen out… it was just not wide wherever you can put your right sides in”
Brad Keselowski, also voiced his opinions, “We knew the repaving was coming the whole time so it’s no surprise… you change it up hopefully it does wear fairly quickly and becomes an annual event so that we can see it age back out,” said Brad. With so many mixed reactions around Iowa, it’s worth exploring why NASCAR chose this track for the 2024 season.
NASCAR’s Hesitant Decision to Add Iowa
Iowa Speedway was not initially scheduled to be added to the 2024 NASCAR calendar. Among the options NASCAR considered was Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which emerged as a leading contender for the international points race. However, despite several rounds of negotiations, it appears that NASCAR and the organizers of the Montreal race could not reach an agreement.
Thus, NASCAR had no choice but to look for an alternative. The 1.475-mile Iowa Speedway is a short-track oval track located in Newton, Iowa. Despite the logistical nightmare and fan enthusiasm issues, NASCAR decided California Speedway was not suitable due to ongoing renovations. As another short track on the 28-race schedule, Iowa helps maintain enthusiasm for short tracks.
Short tracks are deeply rooted in NASCAR tradition and hold great sentimental value for fans, Dale Earnhardt Jr. being no doubt one of them. The hesitation was due to concerns that the shorter distance regulations would affect the quality of the racing. But negotiations went smoothly, in part because NASCAR itself owned the track.
This ensured a smooth transition to the season. As the track ages, we expect it to meet or even exceed the expectations of drivers and fans. In this way, the initial doubts become full support.
