"Don’t be upset if it isn’t a lot better": Andretti star sends clear message on IndyCar’s risky Iowa experiment

IndyCar has introduced many changes to the aerodynamics package for the 2025 races at the Iowa Speedway. These changes follow NASCAR's repavement last year, which led to a rather dull 2024 IndyCar at Iowa. However, Andretti Global star Kyle Kirkwood believes that the changes made by IndyCar won't help with the issue at hand.

NASCAR, which owns the Iowa Speedway, repaved the inside lane at the 0.875-mile circuit, which led to an interesting stock car race. However, it made the IndyCar races boring as all the cars ran in a single file on the newly paved area, which offers the most grip.

IndyCar introduced a high downforce package for the two races at Iowa Speedway to resolve the issue. The teams tested it in June before the Mid-Ohio race during the Iowa open test.

The open wheel racing series allowed the teams to run barge boards and strakes during the 2024 race in hopes of improving racing following the repavement. However, that did not help, and the series has now banned those elements for this year's race.

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The American open-wheel racing series has introduced a front and rear wing with elements set at a steeper angle. However, Christian Rasmussen suffered a tire failure during the Iowa test, and the rear wing element has been changed slightly so that it will produce less downforce. Firestone will also bring in a strong front tire.

However, Andretti Global driver and three-time race winner in 2025, Kyle Kirkwood, came out and gave his statement about the changes, suggesting that drivers are still likely to run in a single file, and that the changes will not make much of a difference. He said:

“The only thing I will say about Iowa is don’t be upset if it isn’t a lot better. With just the one lane getting the repave, it's stuck where it is. IndyCar’s doing their part by throwing a whole new package at it for this year, but it's got nothing to do with the package that we run, the power that we run, the fact that the car is heavier, or even if it was lighter.”

“None of those things would fix it. It's just the fact that they changed the asphalt and it creates too much grip and too little (tire) deg,” added Kyle Kirkwood.

Kyle Kirkwood reveals the solution to the issues led by repavement for IndyCar at Iowa

IndyCar introduced a new package for Iowa, hoping that the increased downforce would encourage drivers to take the higher line and carry more speed, despite the grip being limited in the bottom repaved lane. However, Kyle Kirkwood believes the only solution is to let the new lane degrade or replace the whole track. He said:

“It's just not going to change until we see degradation in that asphalt. Or they repave the entire track. The only line that they repaved happens to be at the bottom, so that’s where all the grip is for our cars and so that’s where we run. That's the issue.”

The two races at Iowa Speedway take place on Saturday, July 12, and Sunday, July 13.