IndyCar News: Iowa Sukup doubleheader race weekend preview
Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend will be hosted July 11-13 at Iowa Speedway. The race weekend will once again feature the only NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader of the season – the Synk 275 powered by Sukup on Saturday, July 12 and the Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup on Sunday, July 13.
The 275-lap races will serve as the 11th and 12th rounds of the 17-race 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. INDY NXT by Firestone will also race on Saturday, July 12, and the event is collectively known as Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend.
One of Iowa’s leading manufacturing companies, Sukup Manufacturing Co., has expanded its longstanding support of motorsports and one of the state’s most popular summer events this year by becoming the title sponsor of the 2025 INDYCAR race weekend at Iowa Speedway.
RACE HISTORY
Iowa Speedway delivered high-speed excitement during the 2024 INDYCAR Race Weekend. Since hosting its first race in 2007, the 7/8-mile oval has seen 21 INDYCAR events and 12 different winners. In the opening NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, Scott McLaughlin put on a masterclass, leading a jaw-dropping 164 laps to earn his sixth career victory and his first win on an oval. McLaughlin held off a hard-charging Pato O’Ward through multiple late-race restarts and became just the third active driver to win at Iowa, joining his Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden and O’Ward. Newgarden, who had won four of the previous five races at Iowa and nine of the last 12 oval events, including back-to-back Indianapolis 500 victories, finished third.
Sunday saw Team Penske complete the INDYCAR weekend sweep as Will Power earned his first career victory at Iowa Speedway in his 19th start at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet.” The two-time INDYCAR champion charged through the field, gaining 21 positions to capture his first oval victory since winning at Pocono Raceway in 2019. It marked the 43rd INDYCAR win and his 10th career oval victory. The victory marked Team Penske’s eighth win in the last nine NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in Iowa. Reigning series champion Alex Palou finished second while McLaughlin come home in third place.
Fast Facts
Race weekend: Friday, July 11-Sunday, July 13
Track: Iowa Speedway, a 7/8-mile (0.894-mile) oval in Newton, Iowa
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Synk 275 powered by Sukup: 275 laps / 245.85 miles (Saturday) | Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup: 275 laps / 245.85 miles (Sunday) | INDY NXT by Firestone: INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway: 75 laps / 67.05 miles
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 125 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Thirteen sets for use through the doubleheader weekend. An extra set will be available for the high-line session on Friday. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets for use through the event weekend. A carryover set from June’s test day may be used for the first 10 minutes of Practice 1.
Entry List
|
CAR |
DRIVER |
HOMETOWN |
CAR NAME |
TEAM |
ENGINE |
|
|
1 |
2 |
Josef Newgarden |
Nashville, Tennessee |
Astemo Team Penske |
Team Penske |
Chevrolet |
|
2 |
3 |
Scott McLaughlin |
Christchurch, New Zealand |
XPEL (Race 1) / Gallagher Insurance (Race 2) |
Team Penske |
Chevrolet |
|
3 |
4 |
David Malukas |
Chicago, Illinois |
Clarience Technologies |
A.J. Foyt Enterprises |
Chevrolet |
|
4 |
5 |
Pato O’Ward |
Monterrey, Mexico |
Arrow McLaren |
Arrow McLaren |
Chevrolet |
|
5 |
6 |
Nolan Siegel |
Palo Alto, California |
Arrow McLaren |
Arrow McLaren |
Chevrolet |
|
6 |
7 |
Christian Lundgaard |
Hedensted, Denmark |
Arrow McLaren |
Arrow McLaren |
Chevrolet |
|
7 |
8 |
Kyffin Simpson |
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands |
Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
|
8 |
9 |
Scott Dixon |
Auckland, New Zealand |
PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
|
9 |
10 |
Alex Palou |
Barcelona, Spain |
DHL Chip Ganassi Racing |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
|
10 |
12 |
Will Power |
Toowoomba, Australia |
Verizon Team Penske |
Team Penske |
Chevrolet |
|
11 |
14 |
Santino Ferrucci |
Woodbury, Connecticut |
Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing |
A.J. Foyt Enterprises |
Chevrolet |
|
12 |
15 |
Graham Rahal |
New Albany, Ohio |
One Cure |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
Honda |
|
13 |
18 |
Rinus VeeKay |
Hoofddorp, Netherlands |
askROI |
Dale Coyne Racing |
Honda |
|
14 |
20 |
Alexander Rossi |
Nevada City, California |
ECR Java House |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
15 |
21 |
Christian Rasmussen |
Copenhagen, Denmark |
ECR Splenda |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
16 |
26 |
Colton Herta |
Valencia, California |
Gainbridge |
Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian |
Honda |
|
17 |
27 |
Kyle Kirkwood |
Jupiter, Florida |
Andretti INDYCAR |
Andretti Global |
Honda |
|
18 |
28 |
Marcus Ericsson |
Kumla, Sweden |
Delaware Life |
Andretti Global |
Honda |
|
19 |
30 |
Devlin DeFrancesco |
Toronto, Canada |
Luther Automotive |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
Honda |
|
20 |
45 |
Louis Foster (R) |
Odiham, England |
Droplight |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
Honda |
|
21 |
51 |
Jacob Abel (R) |
Louisville, Kentucky |
Abel Construction |
Dale Coyne Racing |
Honda |
|
22 |
60 |
Felix Rosenqvist |
Värnamo, Sweden |
SiriusXM |
Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian |
Honda |
|
23 |
66 |
Marcus Armstrong |
Christchurch, New Zealand |
SiriusXM/Root Insurance |
Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian |
Honda |
|
24 |
76 |
Conor Daly |
Noblesville, Indiana |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
25 |
77 |
Sting Ray Robb |
Payette, Idaho |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
26 |
83 |
Robert Shwartzman (R) |
Tel Aviv, Israel |
PREMA Racing |
PREMA Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
27 |
90 |
Callum Ilott |
Cambridge, England |
PREMA Racing |
PREMA Racing |
Chevrolet |
2024 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet), Race #1
Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet), Race #2
INDY NXT by Firestone
Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global)
2024 NTT P1 Award winners:
Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 17.5606 seconds, 187.655 mph (Race 1);
Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet), 17.0966 seconds, 188.248 mph (Race 2)
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:
James Roe (No. 29 Andretti Global), 37.7248 seconds, 170.625 mph (two laps)
One-lap qualifying record:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Scott McLaughlin, 17.0966 seconds, 188.248 mph, July 13, 2024
INDY NXT by Firestone
James Roe, 18.8114 seconds, 171.088 mph, July 12, 2024
Two-lap qualifying record:
INDY NXT by Firestone
James Roe, 37.7248 seconds, 170.625 mph, July 12, 2024
FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 3:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, noon ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Synk 275 powered by Sukup Race, 5 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX (live); Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup Race, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice 1, 2:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 6:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Race, 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes serves as the anchor, alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Michael Young is the turn announcer. Alex Wollf, Drake York and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Synk 275 powered by Sukup race (4:30 p.m. ET Saturday), Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup race (12:30 p.m. ET Sunday), INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway (1:25 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 218, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times Central):
FRIDAY, JULY 11
1:30-2:15 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Practice, FS2 (live)
2:35 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Installation Laps (one time by), FS2 (live)
2:40-3:20 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES High-Line Session (Two groups, two 10-minute sessions each), FS2 (live)
3:30-5 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice, FS2 (live)
5:35-6:20 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Single car, two laps), FS2 (live)
SATURDAY, JULY 12
11:05 a.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Single car, two laps (Lap 1/Race 1; Lap 2/Race 2), FS1 (live)
12:31 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway “Drivers, start your engines”)
12:35 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa Speedway (75 laps/67.05 miles), FS1 (live)
4 p.m. FOX on air
4:15 p.m. Synk 275 powered by Sukup “Drivers, start your engines”
4:20 p.m. Synk 275 powered by Sukup (275 laps/245.85 miles), FOX (live)
SUNDAY, JULY 13
Noon FOX on air
12:15 p.m. Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup “Drivers, start your engines”
12:20 p.m. Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup (275 laps/245.85 miles), FOX (live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:
- The Synk 275 powered by Sukup and Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup will be the 11th and 12th races of the 2025 season. There have been three winners in 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2025 season. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Indianapolis 500 and Road America), Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit and World Wide Technology Raceway) and Scott Dixon (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course).
- The Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend doubleheader, featuring the Synk 275 powered by Sukup and Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup, will be the third and fourth oval races of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. The previous two oval races of the season were won by Alex Palou (Indianapolis 500) and Kyle Kirkwood (World Wide Technology Raceway). The remaining oval races will take place on Aug. 24 at the Milwaukee Mile and Aug. 31 at Nashville superspeedway.
- The Synk 275 powered by Sukup and Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup will be the 22nd and 23rd NTT INDYCAR SERIES events at Iowa Speedway. Josef Newgarden is the only entered driver to win at Iowa Speedway more than once. Newgarden has six wins (2016, 2019, 2020 Race #2, 2022 Race #1, 2023 Race #1 and 2023 Race #2). Past winners Pato O’Ward (2022 Race #2), Scott McLaughlin (2024 Race #1) and Will Power (2024 Race #2) are also entered in the event.
| ACTIVE RACE WINNER | WINS | SEASONS |
| Josef Newgarden | 6 | 2016, 2019, 2020 Race #2, 2022 Race #1, 2024 Race #1, 2024 Race #2 |
| Pato O’Ward | 1 | 2022 Race #2 |
| Scott McLaughlin | 1 | 2024 Race #1 |
| Will Power | 1 | 2024 Race #2 |
- Team Penske has won nine of the 21 previous races at Iowa Speedway, including eight of the last 10 races. (Helio Castroneves 2017, Josef Newgarden 2019, 2020 Race #2, 2022 Race #1, 2023 Race #1 and 2023 Race #2. Simon Pagenaud 2020 Race #1, Scott McLaughlin 2024 Race #1 and Will Power 2024 Race #2). Andretti Global has seven wins (Dario Franchitti 2007, Tony Kanaan 2010, Marco Andretti 2011, Ryan Hunter-Reay 2012, 2014 and 2015 and James Hinchcliffe 2013). Chip Ganassi Racing has two wins (Dan Wheldon 2008 and Franchitti 2009).
- Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dario Franchitti and Josef Newgarden are the only drivers to win at Iowa Speedway and win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in the same season. Newgarden accomplished the feat in 2019, Hunter-Reay in 2012 and Franchitti in 2007 and 2009.
- Scott Dixon is the only driver to have competed in every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Iowa, and although he has 13 top-five finishes in his previous 21 starts on the oval, he’s never won at “The World’s Fastest Short Track.” Thirteen entered drivers have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 1,847, Will Power 433, Scott McLaughlin 260, Dixon 131, Alex Palou 104, Pato O’Ward 97, Colton Herta 86, Graham Rahal 32, Conor Daly 17, Felix Rosenqvist 9, Alexander Rossi 4, Marcus Ericsson 3, and David Malukas 1).
- Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 350th and 351st consecutive starts, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 250th and 251st consecutive start, the third-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 213th and 214th consecutive starts, the sixth-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Pato O’Ward will attempt to make his 100th INDYCAR SERIES start in Saturday’s Synk 275 powered by Sukup…Callum Ilott will attempt to make his 50th start in Sunday’s Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup…Dixon passed Mario Andretti for the INDYCAR SERIES record for starts with his 408th start May 25 at Indianapolis and will extend his record to 414 with starts Saturday and Sunday…Dixon’s win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 6 – his 59th INDYCAR SERIES win – extended four other ongoing INDYCAR SERIES records he holds: Seasons with a win (23), consecutive seasons with a win (21), podium finishes (144) and top-five finishes (214).
INDY NXT by Firestone Race Notes:
- The INDY NXT by Firestone title fight between Andretti Global drivers Dennis Hauger and Lochie Hughes moves to Iowa Speedway for the first of three ovals in the final six races. Hauger, who has recorded five wins this season, heads to Iowa with a 47-point lead over Hughes, a two-time race winner this season. The ultra-competitive 2025 season has seen three winners in eight races so far, with six different drivers finishing on the podium.
The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Iowa Speedway will be the series’ 13th race at Iowa Speedway. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at Iowa include Josef Newgarden, Ana Beatriz, Sage Karam, Matheus Leist, Pato O’Ward, Hunter McElrea, Christian Rasmussen and Louis Foster.