Hy-Vee, IndyCar aim for “unforgettable experience” at Iowa

Iowa Speedway was absent from the IndyCar schedule last year, as a sponsor was sought to replace Iowa Corn, which sponsored the event up to and including 2019. IndyCar then funded the double-header held there in 2020, but series owner Roger Penske made clear that was not a situation that would continue indefinitely, so the event went on hiatus last year.

However, Hy-Vee Inc., an Iowa-based supermarket chain with 285 stores across eight Midwestern states, has stepped up from being a primary car sponsor – the #45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan-Honda of Jack Harvey – to back the 2022 series’ only double-header. The aim at the 0.894-mile oval is to create a “festival atmosphere” more traditionally associated with successful street courses.

Last month it was announced that the Saturday race, the Hy-Vee Deals.com 250, will be presented by DoorDash, while the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 on Sunday will be presented by Google.

Today, Hy-Vee and IndyCar revealed the music stars to perform at the July 22-24 event. Three-time Grammy award-winning country music superstar Tim McGraw will perform prior to the start of the Saturday race while following the race Florida Georgia Line will take to the stage. Three-time Grammy award winner and multi-platinum artist Gwen Stefani will perform before Sunday’s race, while afterward there will be a performance by Stefani’s nine-time Grammy-nominated husband Blake Shelton.  

Both pre- and post-race concerts are included with Saturday and Sunday Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend tickets as each artist will perform on stage trackside, in front of Iowa Speedway’s main grandstands. Both pre-race concerts will be 50 minutes long, while the post-race concerts will be 90 minutes.

“We want this event to be one of the most talked about events of the year by providing race-goers with an unforgettable experience,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s chairman and CEO. “We are thrilled to work with our sponsors to bring this caliber of musical entertainment to Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway.

“Iowa will be the place to be this summer with these live music acts coupled with nationally televised IndyCar races and a festival-like atmosphere that has something for everyone to enjoy.” 

Bud Denker, president of Penske Corporation, added: “What an incredible music lineup for fans to enjoy during Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend. With some of the biggest names and best performers in music, combined with great racing at the ‘Fastest Short Track on the Planet,’ the weekend is going to deliver an experience unlike one we have ever seen in IndyCar.

“Thanks to the continued support of our partners at Hy-Vee, fans in Iowa will be part of something special during Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend.”