Former Iowa Speedway General Manager and current Newton Economic Development specialist Craig Armstrong says the lack of music concerts by big name artists during July’s IndyCar weekend is a welcome change to some race fans. Country music performers Luke Combs, Eric Church, Tim McGraw, and Blake Shelton have given concerts at Iowa Speedway during the past three years under Hy-Vee’s title sponsorship of the IndyCar races. But the Iowa-based supermarket chain has now dropped its title sponsorship. That means race day concerts will now feature regional and local singers and bands. Armstrong says that change will not deter IndyCar fans from buying tickets.

“Some of the race fans I talked to the past couple of years were feeling there wasn’t as much emphasis on the reason they were coming to the race, which was racing. Part of the grant Newton Community Events secured for IndyCar weekend will be utilized to go back and talk to those race fans that maybe haven’t come for the past couple years because they really want to see the race.”

That grant from Iowa Economic Development Authority is a $437,000 Sports Tourism Marketing Program Grant. IndyCar weekend at Iowa Speedway is Saturday, July 12th and Sunday the 13th. Newton Economic Development Specialist Craig Armstrong talks more about Hy-Vee’s reduced sponsorship of Iowa Speedway’s IndyCar Weekend on today’s Let’s Talk Newton.