2020 Iowa IndyCar 250s

The 2020 Iowa IndyCar 250s was an IndyCar Series event that took place from July 17–18, 2020. It made up the fifth and sixth rounds of the series' 2020 season. The race was originally scheduled as a single race for July 18 for 300 laps, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic an additional race had to be added due to cancellations of other races so IndyCar officials made the weekend a doubleheader & shortened each race to 250 laps.[1] The race was also the second event of the 2020 season to allow spectators at the track, however there were restrictions regarding attendance.[2][3]

United States 2020 Iowa Speedway
Race details
5th and 6th round of the 2020 IndyCar Series season
DateJuly 17 and 18, 2020
Official nameIowa IndyCar 250s
LocationIowa Speedway
CoursePermanent racing facility
0.875 mi / 6.458 km
Distance250 laps
218.75 mi / 352.044 km
Race 1
Pole position
DriverConor Daly (Carlin)
Time18.3711
Fastest lap
DriverUnited States Conor Daly
Time18.9515 (on lap 3 of 250)
Podium
FirstFrance Simon Pagenaud
SecondNew Zealand Scott Dixon
ThirdUnited States Oliver Askew
Race 2
Pole position
DriverJosef Newgarden (Team Penske)
Time18.3559
Fastest lap
DriverJosef Newgarden (Team Penske)
Time19.1928 (on lap 4 of 250)
Podium
FirstJosef Newgarden (Team Penske)
SecondWill Power (Team Penske)
ThirdGraham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)

Entry list

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The entry list for both races were released by IndyCar on July 15 with separate entry lists for both races. The only difference between the two was the main sponsor for Graham Rahal.[4]

Car
No.
Driver Name Owner/Team Engine
1   Josef Newgarden  W  Team Penske Chevrolet
4   Charlie Kimball A. J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet
5   Patricio O'Ward Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet
7   Oliver Askew  R  Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet
8   Marcus Ericsson Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
9   Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
10   Felix Rosenqvist Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
12   Will Power Team Penske Chevrolet
14   Tony Kanaan  W  A. J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet
15   Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
18   Santino Ferrucci Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan Honda
20   Ed Carpenter Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
21   Rinus VeeKay  R  Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
22   Simon Pagenaud Team Penske Chevrolet
26   Zach Veach Andretti Autosport Honda
27   Alexander Rossi Andretti Autosport Honda
28   Ryan Hunter-Reay  W  Andretti Autosport Honda
30   Takuma Sato Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
55   Álex Palou  R  Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh Honda
59   Conor Daly Carlin Chevrolet
60   Jack Harvey Meyer Shank Racing Honda
88   Colton Herta Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport Honda
98   Marco Andretti  W  Andretti Herta Autosport with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian Honda
Sources:[5][6]

All cars run a Dallara safety tub utilizing the IndyCar mandated Universal Aero Kit 18. All cars also will utilized Firestone tires.

Key Meaning
R Rookie
W Past winner

Pre-qualifying notes

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Racer.com's Robin Miller reported on July 15 that after speaking with IndyCar officials that the qualifying procedure for Iowa would be modified. There would be 1 session of qualifying on July 17, however it would not be a 2 lap average to set the field as was usually done on short ovals, rather lap 1 would set the cars starting position for race 1 and lap 2 would set the cars starting position for race 2.[7]

Combined Qualifying Session, July 17

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Key Meaning
 R  Rookie
 W  Past winner
Pos
Race 1
Pos
Race 2
No. Name Lap 1 Lap 2
1 3 59   Conor Daly 18.3711 18.3951
2 1 1   Josef Newgarden  W  18.3796 18.3559
3 2 12   Will Power 18.4112 18.3883
4 5 88   Colton Herta 18.4120 18.5566
5 21 27   Alexander Rossi 18.6831 19.0846
6 20 30   Takuma Sato 18.6975 19.0242
7 10 10   Felix Rosenqvist 18.7048 18.7841
8 12 5   Patricio O'Ward 18.7534 18.8102
9 6 60   Jack Harvey 18.7540 18.6549
10 9 8   Marcus Ericsson 18.7666 18.7495
11 16 18   Santino Ferrucci 18.7837 18.8818
12 4 28   Ryan Hunter-Reay  W  18.7905 18.4705
13 15 21   Rinus VeeKay  R  18.8205 18.8681
14 13 7   Oliver Askew  R  18.8344 18.8244
15 11 4   Charlie Kimball 18.8412 18.7888
16 14 20   Ed Carpenter 18.8584 18.8434
17 18 9   Scott Dixon 18.8631 18.9841
18 7 55   Álex Palou  R  18.8768 18.6702
19 8 14   Tony Kanaan  W  18.8782 18.7297
20 17 98   Marco Andretti  W  18.9951 18.8970
21 19 15   Graham Rahal 19.1109 19.0136
22 22 26   Zach Veach 19.4520 19.9487
23 23 22   Simon Pagenaud No Time

Race 1 – July 17

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All sessions for race 1 took place on Friday, July 17.

The aeroscreen had its first major test when during an aborted restart on lap 157, Ed Carpenter Racing's Rinus VeeKay appeared to slow behind eventual race winner Simon Pagenaud and move to the right, and behind the Dutch rookie, Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Racing's Colton Herta was caught in an accordion affect, launching the No. 88 Honda over the left-rear tire of VeeKay's No. 21 Chevy. Prior to getting significantly airborne, Herta's unimpeded nose – minus its wings – attempted to spear into the left side of VeeKay's cockpit, level with his helmet. With the aeroscreen acting as a vertical barrier, Herta's nose was forced upward, sliding skyward on the screen before hitting the top of the aeroscreen frame and flying over VeeKay's Dallara DW12 chassis. This saved Veekay from apparent serious injury.[8]

Race

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Pos No. Driver Team Engine Laps Time/Status Pit
Stops
Grid Laps
Led
Pts.1
1 22   Simon Pagenaud Team Penske Chevrolet 250 1:41:25.2939 12 23 83 53
2 9   Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Honda 250 +0.495 12 17 40
3 7   Oliver Askew  R  Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet 250 +7.212 13 14 35
4 5   Patricio O'Ward Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet 250 +13.989 13 8 30 33
5 1   Josef Newgarden  W  Team Penske Chevrolet 250 +16.735 12 2 68 31
6 27   Alexander Rossi Andretti Autosport Honda 250 +19.600 13 5 28
7 60   Jack Harvey Meyer Shank Racing Honda 250 +20.048 13 9 26
8 59   Conor Daly Carlin Chevrolet 250 +20.534 13 1 13 26
9 8   Marcus Ericsson Chip Ganassi Racing Honda 250 +20.738 14 10 22
10 30   Takuma Sato Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda 249 +1 Lap 13 6 49 21
11 55   Álex Palou  R  Dale Coyne Racing w/Team Goh Honda 249 +1 Lap 12 18 19
12 15   Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda 248 +2 Laps 14 21 18
13 18   Santino Ferrucci Dale Coyne Racing w/Vasser-Sullivan Honda 247 +3 Laps 14 11 17
14 10   Felix Rosenqvist Chip Ganassi Racing Honda 247 +3 Laps 14 7 7 17
15 20   Ed Carpenter Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet 247 +3 Laps 14 16 15
16 28   Ryan Hunter-Reay  W  Andretti Autosport Honda 247 +3 Laps 13 12 14
17 4   Charlie Kimball A. J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet 245 +5 Laps 13 15 13
18 14   Tony Kanaan  W  A. J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet 213 In Pits 13 19 12
19 21   Rinus VeeKay  R  Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet 156 Contact 3 13 11
20 88   Colton Herta Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport Honda 156 Contact 2 4 10
21 12   Will Power Team Penske Chevrolet 142 Contact 3 3 9
22 98   Marco Andretti  W  Andretti Herta Autosport w/Marco Andretti and Curb-Agajanian Honda 128 Mechanical 2 20 8
23 26   Zach Veach Andretti Autosport Honda 95 Mechanical 2 22 7
Official Box Score

Notes: 1 Points include 1 point for leading at least 1 lap during a race, an additional 2 points for leading the most race laps, and 1 point for Pole Position.

Race statistics

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Average speed: 132.220 mph (212.787 km/h)

Championship standings after the race

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  • Note: Only the top five positions are included.

Race 2 – July 18

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All sessions for race 2 (except qualifying) took place on Saturday, July 18.

Race

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Pos No. Driver Team Engine Laps Time/Status Pit
Stops
Grid Laps
Led
Pts.1
1 1   Josef Newgarden  W  Team Penske Chevrolet 250 1:38:40.5189 3 1 214 54
2 12   Will Power Team Penske Chevrolet 250 +2.786 3 2 2 41
3 15   Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda 250 +3.564 3 19 13 36
4 22   Simon Pagenaud  W  Team Penske Chevrolet 250 +6.124 4 23 32
5 9   Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Honda 250 +6.575 4 18 2 31
6 7   Oliver Askew  R  Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet 250 +16.000 3 13 10 29
7 60   Jack Harvey Meyer Shank Racing Honda 250 +16.618 4 6 26
8 27   Alexander Rossi Andretti Autosport Honda 250 +17.886 3 21 24
9 8   Marcus Ericsson Chip Ganassi Racing Honda 250 +18.520 4 9 22
10 98   Marco Andretti  W  Andretti Herta Autosport w/Marco Andretti and Curb-Agajanian Honda 250 +20.017 4 17 20
11 14   Tony Kanaan  W  A. J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet 250 +20.742 4 8 19
12 5   Patricio O'Ward Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet 249 +1 Lap 3 12 1 19
13 59   Conor Daly Carlin Chevrolet 249 +1 Lap 4 3 4 18
14 55   Álex Palou  R  Dale Coyne Racing w/Team Goh Honda 249 +1 Lap 3 7 16
15 10   Felix Rosenqvist Chip Ganassi Racing Honda 248 +2 Laps 3 10 15
16 4   Charlie Kimball A. J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet 248 +2 Laps 4 11 14
17 21   Rinus VeeKay  R  Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet 248 +2 Laps 3 15 13
18 18   Santino Ferrucci Dale Coyne Racing w/Vasser-Sullivan Honda 247 +3 Laps 5 16 12
19 88   Colton Herta Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport Honda 247 +3 Laps 6 5 11
20 26   Zach Veach Andretti Autosport Honda 247 +3 Laps 3 22 10
21 30   Takuma Sato Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda 247 +3 Laps 5 20 9
22 28   Ryan Hunter-Reay  W  Andretti Autosport Honda 178 Contact 4 4 4 9
23 20   Ed Carpenter Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet 112 Contact 2 14 7
Official Box Score

Notes: 1 Points include 1 point for leading at least 1 lap during a race, an additional 2 points for leading the most race laps, and 1 point for Pole Position.

Race statistics

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Average speed: 135.900 mph (218.710 km/h)

Championship standings after the race

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  • Note: Only the top five positions are included.

References

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  1. ^ "INDYCAR Announces Updated 2020 Series Schedule".
  2. ^ "Fans Welcome for July 17–18 INDYCAR Races at Iowa Speedway".
  3. ^ "IndyCar weekend schedule Iowa Speedway: Start times, TV, streaming info". July 15, 2020.
  4. ^ "FAQ: Iowa INDYCAR 250s Doubleheader".
  5. ^ "NTT Indycar Series" (PDF). www.imscdn.com. July 17, 2020.
  6. ^ "NTT Indycar Series" (PDF). www.imscdn.com. July 18, 2020.
  7. ^ "IndyCar tweaks Iowa qualifying plan". July 15, 2020.
  8. ^ "IndyCar's aeroscreen passes its first real test at Iowa". July 18, 2020.


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Previous race:
2019 Iowa 300
Iowa IndyCar 250s Next race:
2022 Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend