Fansided

2018 IndyCar Iowa Corn 300 preview

By Brittany Frederick

July 10, 2016: Driver Max Chilton (8) during the Verizon Indycar Series: Iowa Corn 300 at Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA.
July 10, 2016: Driver Max Chilton (8) during the Verizon Indycar Series: Iowa Corn 300 at Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA. /
facebooktwitterreddit

The 2018 IndyCar season resumes with the 2018 Iowa Corn 300. Here’s what to watch for when the Verizon IndyCar Series arrives at Iowa Speedway.

After a well-earned break for the Fourth of July, the Verizon IndyCar Series fires up its engines again this Sunday in the 2018 Iowa Corn 300. But while there will be plenty of corn references, nobody will have time to sit back and make some popcorn.

This is the 11th round of the 2018 IndyCar season, and everyone is hungry to get into the win column with the championship chase wide open. And the fast-paced oval of Iowa Speedway will be a major change of pace from the long road course that is Road America.

Will it be business as usual, or could another driver like Max Chilton emerge to get back onto the board, like we’ve seen in past weeks? The first Verizon IndyCar Series race in July will have its own fireworks, even though it’s four days after the holiday.

What should we look for this weekend? Let’s break the race down in our Iowa Corn 300 preview:

THREE THINGS TO WATCH:

  • Penske perfection: When it comes to the Iowa Corn 300, Team Penske is all over the record books. The team has the incumbent race winner, last year’s pole winner, and the fastest lap in qualifying at Iowa Speedway. Does that bode well for Penske’s three drivers coming into the 2018 race?
  • The rule of three: Three current Verizon IndyCar Series drivers have competed in every race at Iowa Speedway. They are Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan and Kanaan’s ex-teammate (and current points leader) Scott Dixon. Let’s see if their experience with the track pays off.
  • The short weekend: This is another one of IndyCar’s short race weekends, with two days of on-track activity instead of three. There will be no practice sessions Friday, with practices packed into the Saturday schedule which also includes qualifying. That abbreviated timing has worked out so far this season, but it’s always worth keeping an eye on.

THREE DRIVERS TO WATCH:

  • Ryan Hunter-Reay: The Andretti Autosport driver is the only driver who has won the Iowa Corn 300 more than once. He also just broke a cold streak for the No. 28 DHL Honda with his win at the Dual in Detroit. A second victory would be priceless for RHR, who currently sits second in the points behind Dixon.
  • Robert Wickens: Speaking of experience, the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver is at a distinct experience disadvantage going into this weekend’s race. He’s one of five rookies who are competing in the 2018 Iowa Corn 300, but he’s the only driver who didn’t previously drive the track in Indy Lights. This is all going to be new to him, so can he be a fast learner and get back to the form that impressed IndyCar fans earlier in the season?
  • Josef Newgarden: The defending Verizon IndyCar Series champion has more pluses in his column this week. He’s coming off a win at Road America, he’s been on the podium at Iowa the last four times and he’s led the second-most IndyCar laps in Iowa Speedway history. The Kohler Grand Prix victory catapulted Newgarden back into the title hunt; he’s now in fourth place behind Dixon, Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi. A second consecutive win would enable him to leapfrog two of the three, depending on where they finish.

Next: Read our interview with IndyCar's Stefan Wilson

The 2018 Iowa Grand Prix takes place Sunday, July 8 at 2:00 p.m. ET from Iowa Speedway. For full coverage of the 2018 IndyCar season, follow the Motor Sports category at FanSided.