NASCAR stars support Iowa Speedway for Monster Energy Cup event

Tommy Birch | The Des Moines Register

Whenever Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gets asked what tracks he’d like to see NASCAR add to its Monster Energy Cup schedule, he always brings up Iowa Speedway.

Stenhouse would not only like to see Newton track get on the schedule, but also land one of the sport’s marquee events: the All-Star Race.

“To see how much support that the Iowa Speedway gets from the fans, it’s pretty incredible,” Stenhouse said while in Iowa last week. “I’d love to get the All-Star race here.”

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Charlotte, N.C., has recently been the home of the event and will be again in 2018. But after a lackluster race in May, many fans, media members and even drivers have been vocal about making a change. One of the ideas thrown around has been changing the location of the race.

Newton’s Iowa Speedway, which has yet to host a Monster series race, has a supporter in Stenhouse. He got an up-close look at the track and its fan support while racing on the then-Nationwide Series circuit.

Stenhouse’s first win came was the 2011 John Deere Dealers 250 at Iowa Speedway.

“I’d love for the All-Star race to be in Iowa,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been back to Iowa Speedway. But I definitely have some good memories of that. I think I know how to still get around there. It’s been awhile. I’d love to come back there.”

Stenhouse isn’t the only one willing to give Iowa a shot at the race.

“I would like that better than Charlotte, for sure. ... I’d be down for it,” said NASCAR driver Kyle Larson.

Fans around the state have been clamoring for Iowa Speedway to land a Monster series event ever since the track opened in 2006. It's something Iowa Speedway president Jimmy Small said he'd like to make happen.

“We want what the fans want,” Small said. “We want to be delivering upon the wants and needs of every one of our race fans, and that’s loud and clear — that message.”

Small believes that if NASCAR does want a change in scenery, Iowa Speedway will be among the choices considered.

“I believe if a change is made, then we will be looked at immediately, if they want to take It to a new track,” Small said. “I mean, why wouldn’t you want to take it to a short track and why wouldn’t want to take it to a new track?”

Small said landing a Monster series event is still a goal.

“We’re doing everything we can right now to make our set of races the very best in motor sports and entertainment,” Small said. “And if we continue to do that and we continue to get the support that we’ve had out here, we will be in prime position for the next major change in the NASCAR race schedule.”