Iowa Speedway has no imminent plans to close

Iowa Speedway has no plans to shut down in the near future, according to former track vice president and general manager Craig Armstrong.

The two biggest race entities — NASCAR and IndyCar — will not be coming to Iowa Speedway in 2021, but it's just a "temporary setback," according to Armstrong.

"The pandemic has turned everything around," said Armstrong, who is currently the Economic Development Specialist for the City of Newton. "Iowa Speedway was hoping to get a NASCAR race in 2021, but the priorities for the circuit changed with the pandemic."

Armstrong said NASCAR's first priority now on the two support series, which include the trucks and Xfinity Series, was holding races at Cup tracks first and then going to tracks close to the home base in Charlotte.

The 2021 race season will likely look similar to 2020 but with a few more fans in the stands.

Armstrong said Iowa Speedway plans to keep the track in race-ready condition. It plans to hold club races, private events and test sessions in 2021.

Armstrong, who was the Iowa Speedway vice president and GM for five years, said the rumor about the track closing down is premature and not true.

"They have no plans to shut down," Armstrong said.

Iowa Speedway representatives recently posted a press release on its website.

Some of that release states: "At this juncture it’s hard to determine what will happen from a scheduling standpoint for 2022 and beyond. Working with NASCAR and our partners, we will continue to look at what potential opportunities might exist and we will keep you updated."