IndyCar Betting At Iowa Sportsbooks

The IndyCar Series comes to Iowa every year for the Iowa Corn 300, a race that runs over 218.75 miles. The 2020 event is set to be held on Saturday, July 18.

This event, which takes place at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, has been part of the IndyCar circuit since 2007. The track first hosted a race in 2006, with the Soy Biodiesel 250, which was won by Woody Howard for the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Four championship. 

There are now IndyCar and NASCAR races in Iowa.

This guide to Iowa IndyCar starts by detailing the Iowa Speedway track, and then we break down the history of IndyCar races in the Hawkeye State. 

Next, we detail all of the popular IndyCar bets you can place. 

With recent laws allowing sports betting in Iowa, you can now place your wagers at both retail sportsbooks and online, which we cover on this page.

Where to bet on IndyCar in Iowa

Recent law changes in Iowa mean that all but one of the casinos in the state now offer retail sports betting. 

Head to any of the brick-and-mortar locations and you’ll find each of the markets listed above and more. 

Each of the casinos is affiliated with an online sportsbook brand. William Hill was the first to offer online sports betting on IndyCar and a long list of pro and college leagues. 

Other brands include Fox Bet, theScore and FanDuel sportsbooks.

Check our detailed reviews of the Iowa sportsbooks before you place your IndyCar bet.

Bet on IndyCar racing

If you’re looking to place a wager on the Iowa 300 (or any other IndyCar race), sportsbooks will offer a wide range of betting markets. 

Here are some of the most popular:

  • Outright Winner: The most popular and straightforward bet of all, you’ll aim to pick the winner of the race. With so many cars on the track, you can receive long odds on drivers, especially those who are not considered the favorites.
  • Pole Position: Placing a bet on which driver will gain pole position is a great way to start the race weekend.
  • Driver Head-to-Heads: A sportsbook will pit one driver (with similar ability) against another in a head-to-head competition. Take your pick and hope your driver forges ahead.
  • Fastest Lap: This is one of the more exciting bets on the race, feasibly, your driver could achieve this right up until the final lap (unless they crash, of course).
  • Podium Finish: Betting on a driver to finish in the first three is a good option if you’re backing a driver you have tagged as “consistent.”

IndyCar in Iowa: The Iowa 300

The first Iowa 300 took place in 2007, although for the first several years of the race’s existence, it was known as the Iowa 250; the move to 300 laps came in 2014. 

Dario Franchitti was the first winner of the race, edging out teammate Marco Andretti (both drove for Andretti Green Racing) by less than a tenth of a second in a thrilling finish. Franchitti would win again in 2009, while fellow Brit, Dan Wheldon, won in 2008.

British dominance of the race ended in 2010 when Brazil’s Tony Kanaan won, while Andretti finally achieved victory in 2011. The most successful driver in the history of the race is Ryan Hunter-Reay with three victories (2012, 2014 and 2015). Both James Hinchcliffe and Josef Newgarden currently sit on two wins, so they are just one victory away from tying the record.

Alongside the main race, race fans can also enjoy the Indy Lights series races at Iowa Speedway, which is run before the main race (either the day before or earlier in the day).

Guide to the Iowa Speedway track

The Iowa Speedway is the largest racetrack in the state, with a capacity of 30,000. 

This circuit was based on the same pattern as the Richmond Raceway. It was built with input from famed NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace (Wallace was particularly successful at Richmond).

In terms of distance, the oval track is exactly 0.875 miles long. The current track record, which was set in IndyCar, is 17.2283 seconds recorded by Helio Castroneves in his Team Penske car in 2014. The track also features a road course at 1.3 miles long.