This article is part of our RaceDayScore IndyCar series.
Iowa Corn 300
Location: Newton, Iowa
Course: Iowa Speedway
Format: 0.87-mile oval
Laps: 300
Race Preview
Will Power drove to victory last time out at Road America, but this week the IndyCar drivers and teams return to oval racing. After postponement of the most recent oval race in Texas, Alexander Rossi remains the most recent oval winner with his Indy 500 victory in May. The smaller oval in Iowa presents a much different challenge for teams, however. Ryan Hunter-Reay has been the driver to beat there. After winning three of the last four races at the Midwestern oval, the target is on his back as drivers search for a 2016 win to help their championship efforts.
Key Stats at Iowa Speedway
• Number of previous races: 9
• Winners from pole: 0
• Winners from top-5 starters: 4
• Winners from top-10 starters: 6
• Lowest starting position to win: 17
• Fastest race: 148.559 mph
Previous Winners at Iowa Speedway
2015 - Ryan Hunter-Reay
2014 - Ryan Hunter-Reay
2013 - James Hinchcliffe
2012 - Ryan Hunter-Reay
2011 - Marco Andretti
2010 - Tony Kanaan
2009 - Dario Franchitti
2008 - Dan Wheldon
2007 - Dario Franchitti
Iowa Speedway has been on the IndyCar calendar since 2007. The short oval features the distance of a circuit like the Milwaukee Mile, but has steeper banking in the turns like some of the faster ovals on the calendar. The track is a unique venue on the IndyCar schedule, and Ryan Hunter-Reay has been the most adept at getting the job done. The track is physical for drivers due to the portion of each lap spent turning with high g-force, and will require driver concentration throughout the race distance for them stay off of the walls and be mistake-free. Cars generally race closely on the circuit and that creates an exciting race where drivers need to be able to make the chassis adjustments to pass. While Penske Racing has been the dominant team so far this season, Andretti Autosport has visited Victory Lane more frequently in Iowa. This could be a good week for the team to close the gap in the championship standings before Penske drivers can extend their lead further.
RACE DAY SCORE VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
Tier 1 Values
Scott Dixon - $10,900
Helio Castroneves - $10,800
Will Power - $10,800
Juan Pablo Montoya - $10,700
Tier 2 Values
Ryan Hunter-Reay - $10,300
Carlos Munoz - $10,200
Marco Andretti - $9,700
James Hinchcliffe - $9,400
Tier 3 Values
Alexander Rossi - $9,200
Conor Daly - $8,700
Mikhail Aleshin - $8,500
Long-Shot Values
Jack Hawksworth - $8,700
Gabby Chaves - $7,700
Ed Carpenter - $7,300
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Scott Dixon - $10,900
Juan Pablo Montoya - $10,700
Ryan Hunter-Reay - $10,300
James Hinchcliffe - $9,400
Ed Carpenter - $7,300
The Penske Racing cars haven't been as dominant on ovals this season as they have been on road courses. That's why Dixon is the top choice in this lineup. He won on the Phoenix oval earlier this season and finished eighth in the Indy 500. This circuit should help him close the gap with Penske. Montoya hasn't had success at Iowa quite yet, but he qualified third there last season. He has the speed, but needs to finish the race this Sunday. Hunter-Reay should be a lock for most rosters. He has three Iowa wins and hasn't finished lower than second there for the last four years. The one time Hunter-Reay didn't win this race in that span, Hinchcliffe took home the trophy. He also finished sixth here last season. Oval specialist Ed Carpenter returns to the cockpit this week, and with no finish worse than 11th in his last six Iowa starts, he certainly deserves a spot in the lower-risk lineup this week.
Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Simon Pagenaud - $11,300
Will Power - $10,800
Tony Kanaan - $10,500
Marco Andretti - $9,700
Gabby Chaves - $7,700
Simon Pagenaud has a 74-point lead in the championship over teammate Helio Castroneves and would love to add an oval win to his impressive season. He finished second in Phoenix earlier this season and has a best Iowa finish of fifth. Power has worked his way up the championship standings and has momentum on his side from winning at Road America. He led two laps in Iowa last season before finishing 10th. Another value-added driver for this lineup is Kanaan. He won at Iowa in 2010 and led 247 laps here in 2014 before finishing third. Leading 70 laps in last year's race before a mechanical DNF shows that he hasn't fallen behind the competition. While Marco Andretti's season has been a disappointment so far, Iowa gives him a golden opportunity to turn things around. He won here in 2011 and has four top-10s in the last five races at the track. Finally, Chaves is getting more comfortable and visits Iowa for the second time in IndyCar. He was running sixth in Texas before the race was halted, and he'll be hungry to emulate that type of run on another oval this week.
