Rusty Wallace
Iowa Speedway is getting a second NASCAR Nationwide Series event for the 2011 season. The Newton facility has hosted a Nationwide event the past two years and last month’s race drew a crowd of more than 56,000 fans.
Track designer Rusty Wallace says they came to the track and said they wanted to give them a second race, and he says the drivers have been good supporters and the track has had great fan support.
He says the two races will serve as bookends for the 2011 schedule. The new day will be Sunday May 22nd right after the all-star race in Charlotte, and the second date will be August the 6th.
Wallace says Iowa Speedway was fortunate to get the two dates they wanted. He says there are hardly any tracks that get the dates they want because of various weather concerns. Wallace says they got what they needed, two races spread apart enough to keep the interest. He says the only thing they didn’t get was a truck race.
Wallace says the track has earned a chance to host another big event as he says all the drivers talk about the atmosphere at the track and he hopes the crowd is as passionate about the second race as they are for the first. U.S. Cellular will remain the title sponsor for the August sixth race and officials will search for a sponsor for the race in May.