Motorsports

‘We Want to Meet People Where They Are’: Corn Farmers Embrace NASCAR

Published

8 months ago

May 16, 2025

This summer, the motorsports version of the “Field of Dreams” will roar back to life. Just an hour from downtown Des Moines with a large cornfield surrounding the Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa, will once again host the two largest professional motorsports series in the United States: the IndyCar Series and NASCAR.

The NASCAR weekend Aug. 1-3 is especially important for the speedway and for Iowa farmers. For the second straight year, the Cup Series race will bear the name of the largest state corn grower organization — the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol.

How this partnership came to be — and the impact it has had on the parties involved — is a story that begins in Iowa Speedway’s infancy.

Beginnings

Since Iowa Speedway opened in 2006, Iowa Corn has been on the radar of racing bodies trying to stage events there. Iowa Corn CEO Craig Floss said that ahead of the first race, the speedway reached out to the association. At the time, though, none of the events at the speedway involved ethanol. Apart from state pride, there was no specific reason for the organization to jump in.

Iowa Corn left the door open, however — and the 2007 IndyCar season just so happened to be when the series announced it would move to 100% fuel-grade ethanol.

“[Iowa Speedway] approached us again and said, ‘Here’s what IndyCar wants to do. This could be one of their flagship races in Iowa. Would Iowa Corn reconsider and would you perhaps come in?’ ” Floss said. “We started working through it and as a farmer board, we decided, ‘Let’s give this a try. Let’s see how this might work.’ ”

Iowa Corn was in — and ready to be the title sponsor of the first top-division nationwide series to take place in the state since three races in 1915 and 1916 at racetracks in Burlington and Des Moines. (Back then, the races were hosted by the American Automobile Association (AAA).)

Beginning with the 2007 Iowa Corn Indy 250, Iowa Corn was a title partner with the Speedway for 11 years under three different names. After the 2018 event, time was up from the ICGA’s point of view. Floss said the partnership had run its course and had been a success for the group’s farmer members — and importantly, it was no longer the organization’s only foray into motorsports.

Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon goes down pit road at Iowa Speedway in a Get Bioethanol sponsored Chevrolet. Iowa Corn signage is seen on the wall in front of pit road.

Iowa Speedway

Ethanol’s Motorsports Expansion

In late 2010, NASCAR announced its intention to begin running an E15 fuel blend (Sunoco Green) in all three of its nationwide series, including the Cup Series. This move also kicked off a partnership with Growth Energy, and American Ethanol branding became an ever-present sight in the sport. American Ethanol and Get Bioethanol branding served as the title sponsor for multiple races, and a further partnership with Richard Childress Racing has seen the famous No. 3 Chevrolet car sponsored by the initiative on numerous occasions.

Floss said that Childress in particular has been a visible proponent of Growth Energy and ethanol as a whole, appearing in front of the Senate Agriculture Committee in 2014, and other occasions, for the ethanol industry.

(In Dec. 2024, it was reported that the recognizable green Get Bioethanol ring situated at the fuel port of the stock cars would be going away from the 2025 season onward.)

A Speedway Reborn

Penske Racing driver Ryan Blaney (left) is interviewed at the Iowa Speedway during a fan event ahead of the 2024 Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. Blaney would go on to win the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series at the racetrack.

Iowa Speedway

In 2023, Iowa Speedway was navigating the second year of its new main event — an IndyCar Series doubleheader weekend introduced in 2022. The racetrack, owned by NASCAR but not hosting a race at the organization’s top three levels, was suddenly thrust into the discussion as a potential option for a Cup Series race in 2024.

By Sept. 2023, an opening in the Cup schedule appeared. It was going to be a very quick turnaround, but NASCAR’s top drivers would be headed to Iowa for the first time ever. Current Iowa Speedway President Eric Peterson was on the NASCAR West Corporate sales team at the time, and began work on trying to get a title sponsor for the race.

The person he got in touch with was Floss, who said he had no idea the call was coming. Floss said Iowa Corn made its decision in October or November, and the decision was officially announced Dec. 4, 2023, as The Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol.

In between negotiations for the title sponsorship and the race in June 2024, Peterson moved to Iowa and took the mantle as president of the speedway. The pressure was immense — not only because it was the first race at the speedway for the Cup Series. It was also going to be held in prime time on USA Network — another boost Iowa Corn considered when taking on the sponsorship, as it was NBC‘s first event of the season.

Peterson said NASCAR had to “roll out the red carpet” in preparation to make the event a success.

“When NASCAR’s heading is on a show somewhere, they offer the resources, the support, [and] the team to make this successful. It’s not even an option not to be successful,” Peterson said.

A Winning Weekend

Iowa corn farmers (in yellow shirts on the left) interact with race-going fans outside of Iowa Speedway ahead of the 2024 Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. Over 1,000 corn farmers attended the race on behalf of Iowa Corn.

Iowa Speedway

The dash to promote the 2024 race and prepare sponsor events on a short turnaround put the Iowa Corn and Iowa Speedway teams into overdrive. Tickets for the race sold out before Christmas, only heightening the pressure.

Floss said the quick sellout confirmed the decision to be a title sponsor was the right one, and it was backed up by the results of a survey Iowa Corn did with farmer members. Floss said he expected farmers’ most popular sport to be football or baseball — but racing was at the top of the list. Iowa Corn Promotion Board First Vice President Joe Roberts, a farmer from Wright County in the northern part of the state, is one of those farmers.

A fan of racing since he was a little kid, Roberts said he could barely contain his excitement when the announcement was made. As a part of the Iowa Corn checkoff promotion staff, he worked on the market development, research, and education angles the organization was taking in the lead-up to the race. He said the race (and the location of the track) was a great jump-off point for the educational aspect of the campaign.

“A lot of people might not be familiar with what Iowa Corn does, and then we get to highlight everything that we do, not just here at the race, but what we do to grow markets nationwide,” Roberts said. “What we do in the research field, trying to drive new uses for corn. A little bit of it is public perception, the ability to reach consumers and educate them about what corn farmers do, and to be able to showcase that right there in their backyard where they’ve got cornfields right outside the racetrack.”

When race day arrived on June 16, more than 1,100 farmers gathered at Iowa Corn’s hospitality tent outside turn four of the racetrack. Floss said the farmer response in the lead-up to the race exceeded expectations, as did the race weekend. The Cup race, won by Ryan Blaney, drew 2.693 million average TV viewers, and Iowa Corn’s internal metrics confirmed the sponsorship had been a smart bet.

“We really believed and felt that for the dollars invested, the return and exposure that we got — the leverage factor — was awesome,” Floss said. “That’s why we decided to do it again.”

Full Speed Ahead

Iowa Speedway

Iowa Speedway and NASCAR agreed — Peterson said economic impact studies done after the race showed that the race provided about $100 million of economic benefit for Iowa. A new two-year title sponsorship deal was swiftly reached. With a triumphant first Cup weekend in the books, there was now a full year to try and make the 2025 edition of the Iowa Corn 350 an even bigger success.

Peterson said a lot of credit for the partnership working has to go to Iowa Corn’s persistence and emphasis on activation — year-round promotion and events that advertise the race to a wider audience. He said there has been an incredible amount of effort from both the organization and the speedway to highlight the race and the impact of Iowa’s corn farmers.

With more time to get the word out, Peterson and Iowa Speedway have gone on a barnstorming tour of the state, hitting counties in all four corners and bringing along a racing simulator. Peterson has gone on a lot of these visits, and he said Iowa farmers have felt the love from the racing community. Iowa Speedway also made improvements to its own facilities with more entrance gates and the Busch Light Concert Series, which will take place in the infield during race weekend.

Iowa Corn has also been very active in planning and promoting the event, and Floss said there are a number of activations the commodity group is setting up, including partnerships with mechanics studying at local community colleges. Floss said it has been important for Iowa Corn to be active and open, as they want the race to be a celebration of the farmers who make E15 happen.

“It’s about corn farming, but it’s about agriculture,” Floss said. “It’s about showcasing what agriculture does for the broader economy, not only in Iowa, but nationally. What we do to help bring down fuel prices — we really hit on that with farmers present. Our goal is to always highlight, Why do farmers want to do this? Why does it matter to them? How does this impact their bottom line?”

A New Date, New Possibilities

With a year-round push ahead of the second Iowa Corn 350 also comes a new date: Aug. 3.

When the 2025 schedule was under development, NASCAR reached out to Peterson to ask when the best time to run the race would be. Peterson said he was asked if putting the race on during harvest season would be a bad idea. The track avoided running into harvest, but Peterson said the new August date might lead to improved visuals around the speedway, thanks to the fields tended by Tyler Clement (whose family are the former owners of the track).

“We said, ‘Yeah.’ This is the Iowa Corn 350, right?” Peterson said. “That was a major part that played into this. Bumping it into August, which is just kind of on that cusp as you’re leading into the fall. I feel like that timing is really good from the overall visual and presentation of folks coming in from out of state and they see the corn there. That alone is pretty impactful. It looked good in June last year, it will look even better in August this year.”

Over 1,000 Iowa corn farmers will be present at the race weekend this summer. Roberts said one of his favorite parts of the weekend is welcoming those who come in from all over the country to see what the Heartland has to offer and telling them all about the role farmers play in American motorsports.

“I hope they come up and see the performance of E15 at the fastest short track on the planet and enjoy the beautiful cornfields that surround it and are the true source of that amazing, homegrown affordable biofuel,” Roberts said.

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Motorsports

Porsche runs Panamericana tribute livery at Mexico City

Published

35 minutes ago

January 10, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Photo credit: Porsche

Porsche is bringing a piece of its racing past to the streets of Mexico City, where its two factory-run Porsche 99X Electric cars will wear a special livery at the second ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race of the season in the country’s capital. The design nods to the 550 Spyder driven by Hans Herrmann at the 1954 Carrera Panamericana, Mexico’s best-known road race.

Herrmann won the “Sport” category for cars up to 1,500 cc and finished third overall. Porsche says the widely acclaimed result helped underline its early international motorsport standing and, along with further successes in 1952 and 1953, contributed to the creation of the Porsche name “Carrera.”

‟Historically and still today, Mexico is a special place for us,” says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. ‟Porsche’s story in electric motorsport is still young, but the circuit in Mexico City has played a defining part in it. Our factory team took its first Formula E pole position and first victory here, in 2020 and 2022 respectively. Nowhere else has Porsche been more successful in Formula E. The livery honours our motorsport heritage and the Mexican fans at the same time. It is also a thank-you to a country that welcomes us so warmly in Formula E every year.”

Photo credit: Porsche

The appearance also connects to a milestone ahead. In 2026, Porsche says it will celebrate 75 years of motorsport, a history it traces back to 1951 with the Porsche 356 SL and a class win at Le Mans. Laudenbach draws a parallel between eras, noting that the 550 Spyder was the first Porsche designed specifically for racing, while the 99X Electric is the first Porsche developed solely for all-electric motorsport. Laudenbach: ‟Our heritage in traditional motorsport is unique and is reflected in every Porsche. In the future, we want to be able to say the same in all-electric motorsport. That is why we are competing in Formula E. We want to write stories – and history.”

Porsche also points to how the 550 Spyder’s Panamericana effort reflected an evolving racing landscape. Its aluminium bodywork carried multiple brand logos from companies supporting the campaign, at a time when sponsorship was still a relatively new concept in motorsport. Porsche says that influence helped shape some of the most memorable liveries across 75 years of Porsche Motorsport, and the variety of colors that has become part of its racing identity.

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Front Row Motorsports announce changes after NASCAR lawsuit – Motorsport – Sports

Published

6 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Following over a year of back-and-forth negotiations with NASCAR after joining forces with 23XI Racing and filing an antitrust lawsuit against the organization in October 2024, FRM is now back as a chartered team and making its final preparations for the upcoming season.

FRM and 23XI sued NASCAR after opting not to sign its new charter agreement in September 2024, alleging “monopolistic” practices. Despite settlement talks prior to the December court date, the suit ultimately went to court, where, after eight days in session, a settlement was reached.

The settlement granted chartered teams “evergreen” status and reinstated all six of 23XI and FRM’s full-time entries as chartered rides. A potentially major financial settlement was also involved, although the specifics of this were not made public.

Now that the ever-looming shadow cast by the lawsuit has finally cleared, FRM’s full attention has turned to the 2026 season, with Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, and Zane Smith all returning to the Cup Series, while Layne Riggs and Chandler Smith will also be back behind the wheel in the team’s two Craftsman Truck Series rides.

But while FRM’s driver lineup will be unchanged, Gragson will be working with a new crew chief after two seasons with Drew Blickensderfer. In an announcement made on Friday, FRM stated that Blickensderfer will be transitioning into the role of competition director, where he and technical director Seth Barbour “will continue to lead the organization’s technical direction and engineering efforts.”

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Blickensderfer steps away from the pit box after 17 years in the role, during which he oversaw four wins, including both the 2009 and 2021 Daytona 500s with Matt Kenseth and Michael McDowell, respectively.

Assuming his place in the No. 4 pit box will be Grant Hutchens, who has previously served as a crew chief for Brad Keselowski, Austin Cindric, and Harrison Burton, although only for six total races.

Hutchens’ career has also seen him work as Kevin Harvick’s race engineer, a lead engineer for Ryan Blaney, and in 2025, as the crew chief for Team Penske’s test team.

Beyond a change in crew chief, FRM also announced the addition of former IndyCar Aero Car Chief and Hendrick Motorsports body production manager Jonathan DeHart to lead its aerodynamic operations.

“We are very fortunate, and I am extremely excited to add experienced, talented people like Grant and Jonathan to leadership roles in the organization,” FRM owner Bob Jenkins said.

“With the inclusion of our Truck Series teams, we operate (5) full-time teams and I’m equally as excited to have Drew turn his attention to providing direction and guidance to our crew chiefs and competition group as a whole.

“Having Drew in this new role for us and Seth being able to focus on the technical aspects within our team, it puts us in a better position to execute on the track and achieve our goals in 2026.”

FRM will kick off its 2026 season with the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1, before heading to Daytona for the first points-scoring events of the season two weeks later. There, it will be looking to secure its fifth-ever Cup Series win in 2026 and its first since 2023.

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Dean Leads Nitro Motorsports Sweep on Opening Day at Daytona – Speedway Digest

Published

7 hours ago

January 9, 2026

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Daytona International Speedway roared back to life as pre-season practice for the ARCA Menards Series kicked off, and Nitro Motorsports made an emphatic statement. The team fielded six cars on Friday, and all six topped the leaderboard during the first day of the two-day session.

Leading the charge was Gus Dean in the No. 25 Nitro Motorsports Toyota, returning to the track for the first time since his victory in last year’s season opener. Dean’s strong performance set the tone for the organization, which showcased speed and depth across its lineup. Gavan Boschele followed in second with the No. 90B entry, while Jake Finch placed third in the No. 15 Phoenix Toyota. Thomas Annunziata, Isabella Robusto, and Jake Bollman rounded out the top six, giving Nitro Motorsports a clean sweep of the fastest positions.

Garrett Mitchell, better known to millions of fans as YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland, broke up the Nitro dominance by placing seventh in the No. 30 Kennetix Ford. Andy Jankowiak was eighth in the No. 71 KLAS Motorsports Chevrolet.

Amber Balcaen overcame early adversity after an incident in Turn 3 left her with significant nose damage. Following evaluation and release from the Infield Care Center, Balcaen returned in a backup car and posted the ninth-fastest time. Taylor Reimer completed the top ten in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, marking three female drivers inside the top ten.

Further down the charts, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Giovanni Ruggiero and Max Reaves finished 13th and 14th, separated by just 0.012 seconds. Reaves will chase the ARCA Menards Series East title in 2026, while Ruggiero will compete in the Daytona season opener alongside his full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign.

CARS Tour standout Timothy “Mini” Tyrell made his first laps at Daytona, ending the day 20th in the No. 17 Cook Racing Technologies Chevrolet. Incidents also sidelined Bob Martin and Alex Clubb, though both plan to return for Saturday’s session after repairs.

In total, 79 drivers and 49 cars are registered for the pre-race practice, with 65 drivers logging laps on Friday. The second day of testing will set the stage for the highly anticipated season opener next month.

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Tibbetts Lumber Backing Spire, McDowell for Truck Race at Daytona

Published

8 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Tibbetts Lumber Company is partnering with Spire Motorsports for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

The family-owned and Florida-based business will adorn the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the February 13 event in Daytona Beach, Florida. 2021 DAYTONA 500 champion Michael McDowell will pilot the entry.

Wood you look at that.@TibbettsLumber will team up with @Mc_Driver in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Daytona!

?: https://t.co/Qd3MwxDt4J pic.twitter.com/Tf4xGtkmhI

— Spire Motorsports (@SpireMotorsport) January 9, 2026

McDowell will be making his fifth career start in the NASCAR Truck Series, and with a trip to Victory Lane, would join an exclusive list of drivers who have won in each of NASCAR’s top-three divisions.

The Phoenix, Arizona-native competed in two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events last season — Daytona and Atlanta — and recorded a best finish of 12th-place.

“I have a great deal of respect for the Tibbetts Lumber team,” said McDowell, “They’ve helped me on my own property, and their team truly combines outstanding service with a high-quality product. It’s special to have them racing with us at Daytona, and earning a win in all three national series is something I’ve wanted to make happen for a long time. I think we’ll have a real opportunity to do that on Friday night in Daytona in our Tibbetts Lumber Chevy Silverado.”

Founded in 1949 by Linton N. Tibbetts, Tibbetts Lumber Company has grown into the largest independently-owned lumber and building materials supplier in Florida, while building its legacy as one of the largest roof and floor truss companies in the Southeast.

“Tibbetts Lumber Co. is thrilled to be the primary sponsor of the Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Michael McDowell,” said Russ Hallenbeck, CEO of Tibbetts Lumber Company. “Being that we are headquartered in Florida, Daytona International Speedway has become a very special place for us come springtime. We are honored to be teaming up with Spire Motorsports and Michael this February.”

This isn’t the first go-around for Tibbetts Lumber Company when it comes to sponsorship in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, either. Over the last two seasons, the company has backed Spencer Boyd and Freedom Racing Enterprises a total of five times, which resulted in a single top-five result at Daytona in 2024.

With nearly 640 starts across NASCAR’s National Series, McDowell is one of the most seasoned veterans in the sport, right now. The Phoenix, Arizona-native has been to Victory Lane twice at NASCAR’s top-level, and once in NASCAR’s second-level NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener will take place on Friday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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Motorsports

Michael McDowell Running Daytona Truck Race for Spire

Published

8 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Michael McDowell will run the season-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway for Spire Motorsports, the team announced Jan. 9.

McDowell will pilot the No. 7 with sponsorship from Tibbetts Lumber Company.

“I have a great deal of respect for the Tibbetts Lumber team,” McDowell said in a team release. “They’ve helped me on my own property and their team truly combines outstanding service with a high-quality product. It’s special to have them racing with us at Daytona, and earning a win in all three national series is something I’ve wanted to make happen for a long time. I think we’ll have a real opportunity to do that on Friday night in Daytona in our Tibbetts Lumber Chevy Silverado.”

#77: Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports, Delaware Life Chevrolet and #7: Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports, NationsGuard Chevrolet, Bristol

Spire Confirms Truck Return, Announces Promotions

McDowell also drove Daytona for Spire in 2025, steering the No. 07 to a 26th-place finish.

He’s the first driver announced to Spire’s Truck program for 2026. The team previously revealed it plans to field the Nos. 7 and 77 this year.

Executive Editor at Frontstretch

Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.

At his day job, he’s a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio — you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.

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