Pit Stop Challenge To Fuel Return of Iowa Free Family Friday

By INDYCAR | Published: Jul 13, 2023

Alex Palou

Fans Also Can Enjoy Autograph Sessions, Track Walk, Paddock Access

Following the popular debut of “Free Family Friday” last summer at Iowa Speedway, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend announced July 13 that fans will once again enjoy free access to the track on the opening day of the action-packed event on Friday, July 21.

The return of Free Family Friday during Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will include an exciting new element with an evening pit stop competition under the lights at Iowa Speedway, featuring some of the top teams and pit crews in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES competing for $50,000 in prize money.

The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Weekend Pit Stop Challenge will feature a single-elimination, six-team competition. Drivers and teams participating in the Pit Stop Challenge will include the two defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners at Iowa – Josef Newgarden and the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet team along with Pato O’Ward and the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet team. Current NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou and the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda team will also participate in the competition along with Rahal Letterman Lanigan teammates Graham Rahal and the No. 15 Honda team and Christian Lundgaard and the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda team with Devlin DeFrancesco and the No. 29 Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport Honda team completing the six-team pit stop field.

Set to begin at approximately 7:30 p.m. CT Friday on the Iowa Speedway pit lane, fans can watch the teams battle for pit pride and prize money. Teams will change all four tires and simulate refueling on each car to complete the stop and determine a winner. The winning team from each head-to-head matchup will advance in the competition, with each team fighting to win the $20,000 grand prize awarded to the fastest crew on pit road. The runner up team will earn $10,000 while the other four teams will each win $5,000 in prize money.

Iowa Speedway gates will open at 2 p.m. CT Friday, July 21, and fans can enter free of charge to watch the first on-track action from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the rising stars of INDY NXT by Firestone. All grandstand seating areas will feature first-come, first-served general admission viewing throughout the course of the day.

Friday on-track action will feature NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice from 3:30-5 p.m. Also on track will be INDY NXT by Firestone practice from 2:15-3 p.m. and INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying at 5:30 p.m.

Fans also can get autographs from INDY NXT by Firestone drivers from 4-4:30 p.m. on the patio area facing the track surface, located right next to the Hy-Vee Chairman’s Club (formerly the Newton Club) at the base of the suite tower, adjacent to the main grandstands on the front stretch. An autograph session with NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers is scheduled at 6:15 p.m. on the patio area.

The paddock and garage area also will be open to fans at 6:30 p.m., but that’s just the start of evening fun at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet.” The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Friday Night fun at Iowa Speedway also will include:

  • Track Walk – Fans can walk around the 7/8th-mile Iowa Speedway oval on the actual racing surface between 6:30-7:15 p.m.
  • Visit Victory Lane – Fans can visit the Victory Lane area in the Iowa Speedway infield and take pictures on the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend podium.
  • Connect with Paddock Partners – Check out the Firestone Tires, AMR Safety Team and INDYCAR Technical Inspection areas in the paddock and learn more about what they do on race weekend.

Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will feature the only doubleheader race event on the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Saturday’s series race will feature the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart, and Sunday’s action will be highlighted by the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade. INDY NXT by Firestone will also compete on Saturday of race weekend.

The three-day festival also includes an incredible music lineup with both Carrie Underwood and Kenny Chesney in concert Saturday and Zac Brown Band and Ed Sheeran performing live Sunday.

To purchase 2023 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend tickets and to learn more about the event, visit https://www.hyveeindycarweekend.com/.