2025 IndyCar race weekend at Iowa: Preview and predictions

After Scott Dixon's win at Mid-Ohio, IndyCar teams and drivers have now arrived at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, as a double-header race weekend approaches quickly. Multiple teams tested at the Iowa Speedway before the Mid-Ohio race and will be racing at the oval this weekend.

The race weekend begins on July 11 with the two practice sessions. July 12 will start with the qualifying session in the afternoon. With two races during the weekend, each driver will be given two flying laps to decide the grid order for either of the races.

The first race will be held on Saturday evening, and the second will take place on Sunday, July 13. With the two races on the horizon, let's take a closer look at the preview and predictions for the IndyCar races at Iowa.

The short oval in Iowa: All you need to know about the Iowa Speedway

The Iowa Speedway is the short oval that IndyCar races at, with the circuit length coming in at just 0.875 miles. It is classified as a D-shaped oval, with the start and finish straight being more banked and curved than the back straight.

The two corners are banked between 12-14⁰, the frontstretch banked 10⁰, and the backstretch banked at 4⁰. The track became operationally available in 2006 and was owned by U.S. Motorsport Entertainment. NASCAR bought the 0.875-mile oval in 2013 and is the present owner.

The circuit currently hosts IndyCar, NASCAR Cup Series, and Xfinity Series races. Ryan Briscoe holds the record for the fastest lap in 17.4908 seconds around the oval, which was set in 2008 in the IR04 IndyCar chassis.

Major downforce package changes brought by IndyCar following the repavement in 2024

NASCAR repaved the lower lane at the Iowa Speedway in 2024, which led to a better stock car race. However, it compromised IndyCar racing as all the drivers ran in a single file during the 2024 race at Iowa, as there wasn't sufficient grip in the second lane.

Iowa Corn Indy 250 - Day 2 - Source: Getty

To resolve this issue, IndyCar has brought major package changes for the 2025 doubleheader at Iowa. The driver tested a higher downforce package at the Iowa test in June before going to Mid-Ohio.

IndyCar used barge boards and strakes to produce the necessary downforce for the 2024 season’s race. However, it failed, and for this year, IndyCar has banned barge boards and strakes, and brought a rear and front wing with higher downforce.

According to the reports, the front and rear wings brought to the Iowa test pushed the boundaries of what the Firestone tires can accommodate, and hence, Christian Rasmussen’s tire burst at the test. A strong tire has also been introduced, along with a reduction in the angle of the rear wing to make sure an accident like Rasmussen's isn't repeated.

Predictions for the IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway

#1 Chevrolet to land their first win of the season with Team Penske

Honda has won all the opening 10 races so far this season. However, Team Penske has been good at the oval races, but has been unlucky with reliability issues or driver errors. Scott McLaughlin crashed out at the Indy 500 on warm-up laps, and Josef Newgarden faced fuel issues when charging towards the race leaders.

NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio - Source: Getty

At WWTR, Josef Newgarden crashed with Louis Foster while in the lead of the race, Scott McLaughlin had mechanical issues towards the end of the race, and Will Power had a tire failure. The two races at Iowa Speedway will be a chance for Team Penske to redeem themselves and put Chevrolet on the race winner leaderboard.

#2 AJ Foyt Racing to finish on the podium

AJ Foyt Racing has performed well at the oval circuit this season, possibly down to their technical alliance with Team Penske. David Malukas finished P2 at the Indy 500, with Santino Ferrucci also finishing inside the Top 5. Ferrucci again put in a strong performance at the World Wide Technology Raceway, where he started 19th and finished 5th.

Both Malukas and Ferrucci will look to continue their strong showcase at the oval and eye the Top 3 spot at Iowa Speedway.

#3 New downforce package to create an entertaining, high-overtake race

The higher downforce package will allow the drivers to have more confidence going into the corners, and it'll be easier to take the higher line. Contrary to the single-file racing of 2024, fans can expect an entertaining, high-overtake race at Iowa. However, the same also increases the chances of a driver making a mistake and crashing the car into the barrier.