Iowa Corn Indy 250 2013: Start Time, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
June 23, 2013
The IZOD IndyCar Series continues on Sunday, as some of the world's best drivers compete at the 2013 Iowa Corn Indy 250.
Sunday's race at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa will mark the seventh time that IndyCar drivers have taken the stage, with the inaugural race taking place in 2007. Dario Franchitti has enjoyed the most success there, winning the event twice.
Meanwhile, Andretti Autosport has taken the past three victories by way of Tony Kanaan in 2010, Marco Andretti in 2011 and Ryan Hunter-Reay as the defending champion. Hunter-Reay's victory in Iowa last year helped fuel his run to the IndyCar Series title.
Heat races determined who would man the pole for Sunday's event. Helio Castroneves won the pole, but he will start 11th due to an unapproved engine change.
Let's break down everything you need to know about the Iowa Corn Indy 250.
When: Sunday, June 23
Where: Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa
Start Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Full Lineup
Position | Driver | Car Number |
1 | Will Power | 12 |
2 | James Hinchcliffe | 27 |
3 | Marco Andretti | 25 |
4 | Ed Carpenter | 20 |
5 | Tony Kanaan | 11 |
6 | Graham Rahal | 15 |
7 | Oriol Servia | 4 |
8 | Simon Pagenaud | 77 |
9 | Alex Tagliani | 98 |
10 | Justin Wilson | 19 |
11 | Helio Castroneves | 3 |
12 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 1 |
13 | Tristan Vautier | 55 |
14 | Charlie Kimball | 83 |
15 | Scott Dixon | 9 |
16 | E.J. Viso | 5 |
17 | Takuma Sato | 14 |
18 | Sebastian Saavedra | 6 |
19 | Sebastien Bourdais | 7 |
20 | Simona de Silvestro | 78 |
21 | Dario Franchitti | 10 |
22 | Josef Newgarden | 67 |
23 | Ana Beatriz | 18 |
24 | James Jakes | 16 |
Lineup per NBC Sports.
Biggest Storylines
Can Castroneves Distance Himself in Standings?
Heading into Sunday's race, Helio Castroneves has a tight lead over Ryan Hunter-Reay in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings, per NBC Sports.
However, the 38-year-old Castroneves has never won the title despite becoming one of the faces of IndyCar racing and winning the Indy 500 three times.
Holding off the defending champion will be easier said than done, as Hunter-Reay took last year's race and is coming off a win at the Milwaukee IndyFest last weekend.
Castroneves seems poised to maintain his lead, as he finished right on Hunter-Reay's heels in second place last weekend at Milwaukee, and another top-five finish could help cement his place at the top.
Will Hunter-Reay Continue His Dominance?
In a sport that is dominated by racing celebrities, Ryan Hunter-Reay made himself a household name by dominating the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.
Apparently, he's not done making his mark on IndyCar racing, as his two wins and five top-five finishes have him trailing Castroneves by just 16 points in the standings.
The 32-year-old is coming off a victory at the Milwaukee IndyFest last weekend and was able to hold off second-place Castroneves to pull closer within reach to his lead in the standings. Additionally, he took the Iowa Corn Indy 250 last year.
Hunter-Reay has finished in the top three in four of his past five appearances, and if he can do so again, his chances of repeating as IZOD IndyCar Series champion will receive a big boost.
Can a Pole-Winner Finally Break Through?
The importance of pole position can never be understated, but in Iowa IndyCar races, it's turned into quite the curse.
No driver has ever won an IndyCar race from the pole at Iowa.
Although Castroneves won the pole late Saturday, he was given a 10-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change and that bumped him back to 11th. Now, Will Power will man the pole.
Though if anyone can break the mold and become the first pole-winner to win at Iowa, it's Power. The 32-year-old Australian has finished in second place in the IndyCar Series in each of the past three years.