The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season welcomed Iowa Speedway to the top-tier schedule, and by all accounts, it was a roaring success. The grandstands were packed, Ryan Blaney dominated, and the energy was electric. But just as the track’s debut was being celebrated, it stirred up frustration across two fanbases—first IndyCar fans, and now, NASCAR fans too.
Why? Because NASCAR’s half-pave job is turning into a full-blown controversy.
The Half-Pave Problem: What Went Wrong?
When NASCAR announced its Cup Series debut at Iowa late in 2023, there simply wasn’t enough time for a full track repave before the June 2024 race. Instead, officials partially repaved the track, targeting the lower lanes in Turns 1 & 2 and Turns 3 & 4.
For NASCAR’s heavy stock cars, this worked fine. More grip on the bottom lanes, less on top—it made for a solid race with multiple grooves developing. But for IndyCar, which had already built a strong fanbase at Iowa with its high-speed, side-by-side racing, the impact was disastrous.
The numbers tell the story:
- In 2023, IndyCar saw 1,168 total passes, with 379 for position.
- In 2024, after NASCAR’s partial repave? Just 204 total passes, with only 95 for position.
That’s a staggering drop-off, leading Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward to label the race a “snoozefest.”
While NASCAR had no problem with the surface, it wrecked what made Iowa a great IndyCar track.
Now, NASCAR Fans Are Feeling the Heat
Initially, the NASCAR community was unbothered. Fans understood that the half-pave was a time-sensitive decision and expected a full repave before 2025. But now? That’s not happening.
NASCAR journalist Jordan Bianchi broke the news that Iowa Speedway has no plans for a full repave before its 2025 race weekend.
“Iowa Speedway track president Eric Peterson says there will be ‘no major adjustments to the track surface’ in advance of its August NASCAR weekend. Also, Peterson anticipates Iowa again being a sellout, with it trending that tickets will be gone sometime in March.”
Translation? The track’s surface isn’t changing anytime soon.
Is NASCAR Ignoring Fan Demands?
For now, NASCAR’s decision makes sense—at least from a business standpoint. The Cup race at Iowa was a sellout success, the racing product was solid, and demand for 2025 tickets is already trending toward another sellout.
From NASCAR’s perspective, why mess with something that worked?
But many fans aren’t happy.
🚨 NASCAR fans wanted a full repave to create even better multi-lane racing.
🚨 IndyCar fans feel abandoned after their race lost its signature high-speed action.
🚨 Iowa’s partial repave made one series better but arguably ruined another.
Should NASCAR be listening to these concerns? Absolutely. Because while 2024’s Iowa race worked, there’s no guarantee that success continues if track conditions degrade further.
The Bigger Picture: Does NASCAR Owe Anything to IndyCar?
One of the underlying tensions in this debate is NASCAR’s control over Iowa Speedway.
📌 NASCAR owns the track.
📌 NASCAR leases it to IndyCar (which is owned by Roger Penske).
📌 NASCAR made the decision to repave part of it—without much input from IndyCar.
So, was this just NASCAR looking out for itself, making sure Cup racing at Iowa was solid, while IndyCar was left to deal with the fallout? Some IndyCar fans seem to think so.
Final Verdict: Should NASCAR Fully Repave Iowa?
✅ If the track continues selling out and producing solid races, NASCAR will see no urgency to repave.
✅ If fan demand grows and IndyCar’s struggles continue, pressure could mount for a full repave.
✅ If the track surface worsens over time, NASCAR will have no choice but to act.
Right now, NASCAR’s decision makes financial sense, but it risks alienating fans who want to see Iowa Speedway at its absolute best. Whether they double down on the current surface or give in to pressure for a full repave will likely depend on how the 2025 race weekend plays out.
Until then, the debate rages on.