Motorsports means different things to different people. For F1 fans, there’s a special thrill in flying from one city to another, thousands of miles apart. But for NASCAR fans, racing is pure nostalgia. For 75 years, NASCAR has been driven by the fans and the emotions they feel for their favorite drivers.
Does this sound like the essence of Iowa Speedway? After an 18-year existence, the NASCAR Cup Series finally got a foothold in this Midwestern state.
The new asphalt drew initial criticism, but the 350-lap races thrilled the enthusiastic fans. Drivers such as Joey Logano, Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski were moved by the fan response, leading them to ask the question, “Does NASCAR really need a bigger market?”
Brad Keselowski upholds self-worth
Last year, stock car racing’s top series launched its first city race, the Chicago Street Race. Sports officials worked with city officials to manage the large crowds that flocked to the rainy race.
The venture opened up opportunities for other big-city destinations and even international racing circuits. But can these new options keep up with the old circuits? As Brad Keselowski argues, never.
On a recent episode of “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour,” Keselowski, careful not to get into trouble, said, “When you go to a big market like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York or internationally, you sometimes lose sight of why you do it. Why not just cater to the fans that are already there? I think it’s a balancing act.”
The great experience in Iowa shaped Brad Keselowski’s opinion. The RFK Racing driver fondly recalled the warm welcome from the fans. “What I saw in Iowa, and by the way, I loved Iowa a lot, was that the fans wanted us.
The passionate fans said, ‘We’ve been waiting our whole lives for a Cup race to be held near us, and now we finally have it. It means the world to me.'” They are fans who come back, they don’t just come one year… they love our sport.”
And NASCAR takes that love for granted when it comes to race tracks in major cities. “I think sometimes we forget that when we’re chasing the new and shiny thing, whatever the market is.”
The unprecedented fan reception at Iowa Speedway was a sight to behold, which perfectly sums up Brad Keselowski’s personal philosophy in four words: “Go where you’re wanted.” It’s clear that NASCAR is trying to ignore this rule to attract a global audience and a younger demographic. But the Iowa race stood out and maintained the sport’s traditional fan base.
The overwhelming response gave NASCAR executives pause. They racked their brains to come up with ways to improve the repaving, which initially drew harsh criticism from fans.
Iowa holds bright hopes for the future
Brad Keselowski isn’t the only one with opinions about Iowa. RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher felt “excitement when we got to the race track.” That love was shared by Team Penske drivers, as Joey Logano said, “This is definitely a great place that everyone wants to come to see a NASCAR race.”
The race itself was entertaining, but the lead changed hands several times, resulting in a disappointing finish.
This has left Dale Earnhardt Jr. pushing hard for his second Iowa race on the Cup calendar.
And NASCAR executives are planning to improve the track for possible future plans.
Elton Sawyer, senior vice president of competition, also acknowledged that the strong response has prompted them to make improvements to the pavement. “We came into the weekend with a lot of unknowns. As I said last week, our goal when we announced Iowa last October was not to repave the asphalt.
We wanted to do the first race on the old asphalt and get a data point, so to speak, but that wasn’t the case. Some areas needed attention, but we did it and we got the results we got last weekend.” That makes Iowa Speedway a prime candidate for a bigger, more attractive destination. As NASCAR history shows and Brad Keselowski can attest, there’s only one reason for that: the fans.
