NTT INDYCAR SERIES
PREVIEW: RD. 12 – IOWA 300 (USA)
Only a matter of days ago, he again led the rookie campaigners to finish fifth behind some of IndyCar’s greatest names on the Canadian streets of Toronto. This weekend sees Felix Rosenqvist take on a fresh challenge of quite a different kind as the series returns to US soil for the intense Iowa 300.
At just 0.875 miles (1.4 km), the Iowa Speedway oval is the shortest track on the calendar. With a lap taking just over 17 seconds to turn – and 300 of them (hence the event’s name) set to be completed in the race on Saturday night – traffic and lapping is likely to be on everybody’s mind as the 22-car field prepares to resume battle.
Felix Rosenqvist recently completed a rookie test at the track and is looking forward to his return to Iowa in racing mode.
“We tested at Iowa Speedway just the other week prior to Toronto and I learned a lot,” says the Swede. “Scott [Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing team-mate] came to help with the set-up on the No. 10 car, which was great. I’d never been to Iowa so to have him come set up the car was really, really helpful. I’m going to try and learn as much as I can from Scott and the team. This will be a new challenge for me again, as the track is so short and different to the previous ovals. However, I know the team is up for it and we’ll be ready to go.”
The Iowa 300 is the third oval event out of a total five to feature in the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series. The two previous ones saw Felix Rosenqvist tangled up in a multi-car crash while on course for a top ten finish in the blue-riband Indy 500, while the second netted him 12th place at Texas Motor Speedway.
The Iowa weekend begins with free practice and qualifying on Friday. The 300-lap race, which usually takes just under two hours to complete, is run on Saturday evening.
Felix Rosenqvist currently sits tenth in the overall NTT IndyCar Series standings. He extended his lead in the rookie classification last weekend in Toronto.
GUIDE: IndyCar – rules and information
LIVE TIMING: racecontrol.indycar.com
TIME TABLE
NTT IndyCar Series | Iowa 300
All times local (US Central)
Friday 19 July
Free Practice 1: 10.00-11.00 am
Qualifying: 1.15-2.15 pm
Free Practice 2: 6.00-7.00 pm
Saturday 20 July
Race (300 laps): 6.10-8.45 pm
STANDINGS – OVERALL
(TOP FIVE)
NTT IndyCar Series | After 11/17 races
1: Josef Newgarden (USA), 434 p.
2: Alexander Rossi (USA), 430 p.
3: Simon Pagenaud (FRA), 395 p.
4: Scott Dixon (NZL), 348 p.
5: Will Power (AUS), 306 p.
—
10: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), 239 p.
View complete standings
STANDINGS – ROOKIES
(TOP FIVE)
NTT IndyCar Series | After 11/17 races
1: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), 239 p.
2: Santino Ferrucci (USA), 223 p.
3: Colton Herta (USA), 209 p.
4: Marcus Ericsson (SWE), 193 p.
5: Patricio O’Ward (MEX), 115 p.
View complete standings