Both IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway in 2025 will be 25 laps longer than they were last year, IndyCar and the series’ new broadcast partner Fox announced Tuesday.
IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway are scheduled for 4 p.m. July 12 and 1 p.m. July 13. In 2024 both IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway were 250 laps in length or about 218 miles. This year each race will be 275 laps, or about 240 miles, IndyCar announced Tuesday.
IndyCar and Fox lengthened six of the 17 races on its schedule “To maximize the thrilling, wheel-to-wheel racing action,” according to a news release. Fox and IndyCar also announced that races in Long Beach, California; at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course; Toronto; and Nashville, Tennessee, will be lengthened.
Pato O’ Ward in practice during the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend in Newton, Iowa.
Fox — channel 17 in Des Moines — will televise every IndyCar race in 2025, the first time every one of the series’ races will be on network television.
“This will be a season of unrivaled exposure for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” IndyCar President Doug Boles said in a news release. “Fox Sports has proven to be a superb partner and promoter. With the season approaching, we know their unique style of engaging and innovative broadcasts will continue to raise the bar and drive an unparalleled growth opportunity for IndyCar.”
Iowa Speedway will be one of just four tracks hosting both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NTT IndyCar Series this year. The others are Indianapolis Motor Speedway, World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis and Nashville Superspeedway.
West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee will be the title sponsor for both the IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway for the fourth straight year and will be the title sponsor for the West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee will be the title sponsor for both the IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway for the fourth straight year and will be the title sponsor for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, race scheduled for Aug. 2.
Pato O’Ward drives during the HyVee IndyCar Race Weekend in Newton, Iowa on July 13, 2024 (Photo by Joe Skibinski | IMS Photo)
More: IndyCar at Iowa Speedway: What do IndyCar spotters do?
During a virtual news conference last week, Iowa Speedway President Eric Peterson said there is unprecedented support for all forms of racing in Iowa right now.
“There are a lot of race fans in the state of Iowa,” Peterson said.
Philip Joens covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184 or pjoens@registermedia.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway will be 25 laps longer in 2025