Indianapolis, IN
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden promotes IndyCar weekend at Grimes Hy-Vee
Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden visits Grimes Hy-Vee
Josef Newgarden spoke with the Register before signing autographs at Hy-Vee in Grimes. He was there to promote Hy-Vee IndyCar weekend in July.
Two-time reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Josef “Ovals” Newgarden stopped in Iowa on Monday to promote the IndyCar Doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway in Newton on July 13-14.
Newgarden finished second at Road America on Sunday, behind teammate Will Power. Newgarden has not seriously considered changing his middle name to “Ovals,” but it would suit him. He has won five of the seven IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway since 2019 and six of the 10 IndyCar races there since 2016. Since 2020 Newgarden has won 11 of the last 20 oval races in the NTT IndyCar Series.
Newgarden held an autograph session Monday for hundreds of fans at the Grimes Hy-Vee store to promote the Hy-Vee sponsored IndyCar weekend at Iowa. He won both races at Iowa last year.
“I’ve always liked this track. I like this style of racing,” said Newgarden, a Nashville resident. “Short-oval racing in IndyCar is very exhilarating. To me it’s like a high-speed corner on a road course over and over again.”
Newgarden later stopped by the MidAmerican Rec Plex in West Des Moines to compete against drivers ages 10-18 in simulated races.
Newgarden won his second straight Indianapolis 500 on May 26 when he passed Pato O’Ward in turn three of the last lap. There have been four last-lap passes in Indianapolis 500 history. Newgarden has two of those. He is only the sixth driver to win the Indianapolis 500 back-to-back, and the first since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.
“It’s very gratifying to get a win at that track. I had kind of given up on the thought of winning that race, or the reality of winning it,” Newgarden said. “Then it finally turned our way last year. To think that it’s going to happen again, it’s a thought that you let go of also. So I’m very thankful we’ve been able to win two of them.”
For the third straight year, Hy-Vee will promote and sponsor the IndyCar doubleheader at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Races are scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 13 and 11 a.m. on July 14.
All four turns at Iowa Speedway were partially repaved in May. Two lanes of the entrances and exits of turns two and four were repaved, leaving only a small section of the original track near the wall in each turn. The front stretch and back stretch have not been repaved.
The repaves left only a racing groove on the inside lane. Thankfully they repaved two lanes of the track, Newgarden said.
“The risk of repaves is that you lose a second lane,” Newgarden said. “I hope that doesn’t happen on our weekend where the bottom lane becomes the dominant layer. What made Iowa so fun is that you could run two solid lanes and sometimes even a third lane.”
But the new pavement starts about halfway into the corner, Newgarden said.
“So you’re going to be entering at low grip and then have high grip in the middle. So I think it’s also going to be challenging from that standpoint.”
Much of the IndyCar season has been overshadowed by the fallout from a decision that stripped Newgarden of his season-opening win at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix in Florida. During that race Newgarden and teammates Power and Scott McLaughlin had cars that contained an illegal line of code in the car’s software that gave them access to push-to-pass — a 50-horsepower boost that can be used to pass opponents during certain situations on road and street courses — at any time. Newgarden and McLaughlin “gained a competitive advantage by using push-to-pass on restarts,” in violation of the rules, IndyCar said in an April news release when penalties were announced.
Team Penske and Newgarden blamed the error on testing last year for the series’ hybrid system. Some fans and members of the paddock still have questions about the situation, but the sport has largely moved on after Newgarden won his second Indianapolis 500.
Newgarden crashed during qualifying for Saturday’s race at Road America in Wisconsin. The crash had the force of 95 gravitational equivalents, and Newgarden was subjected to 80 gravitational equivalents, according to NBC Sports.
“I’m OK. I’m OK surprisingly. It was a pretty big hit, but I’m good,” Newgarden said.
This weekend Iowa Speedway will host its first NASCAR Cup Series race, about two-years after Hy-Vee partnered with IndyCar to re-open the mostly dormant track. Hy-Vee will sponsor Saturday Xfinity Series race, one level below the top-level Cup Series, which races Sunday in Newton.
Iowa is an important track for IndyCar, which has few ovals on its schedule. NBC’s Kevin Lee warned in October on his Indianapolis radio show “Trackside” that when NASCAR moves a Cup Series date to an existing IndyCar track it often foreshadows bad things for the IndyCar race.
“Generally speaking when NASCAR has come in for a first race or a second race, it has not gone well for IndyCar, and in many cases it has spelled doom,” Lee said on his show. “There is a limited amount of budget that people have to come to the racetrack twice within a month.”
But when Hy-Vee revived the track in 2022, the goal was always to bring a Cup Series date there, Hy-Vee executive vice president Anna Stoermer said last month.
Hy-Vee expects IndyCar partnership during Indy 500 to fuel growth
“That’s been one of the cooler things about our IndyCar sponsorship, is that it’s opened the door for the Iowa Speedway to get a huge event there,” Stoermer said at the time.
Like Stoermer, Newgarden said he is encouraged by the ticket sales and attendance projections he’s seen so far for the IndyCar weekend. Several times during a 17-minute conversation Monday, Newgarden said that Hy-Vee elevated the IndyCar weekend and racing in general in Iowa.
“We’ve got a lot of great destinations in Iowa. I think Iowa firmly has its position. Knoxville is a great stake in the ground, but Iowa Speedway is too,” Newgarden said. “What Hy-Vee has done to bolster the sport, mostly IndyCar, but that includes NASCAR, I think is really positive. We like coming here. I like Des Moines a lot. Newton isn’t too far away. So it rallies everyone around it. So I think Iowa firmly has its place in motorsports.”
Philip Joens covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We have had an active Tuesday that started as early as before sunrise. Then, showers and storms rolled in through the afternoon hours.
We will continue to see some storms over the next day before we briefly return to pleasant weather.
Tuesday night: Additional activity may fire off and slowly move into central Indiana tonight. There does remain a lower risk for severe storms with damaging winds being the primary concerns.
Due to slower moving rain and storms from Tuesday morning-afternoon, we will also have to monitor the potential for some flooding.
Lows will only fall into the low 70s.
Wednesday: Expect on and off showers and storms for Wednesday. There will be concerns for some flooding along with a low threat for severe storms.
This severe risk is south of Indy, and the primary hazards will be wind and some hail.
Highs look to be a little cooler with numbers in the low 80s. It will be a bit humid as well.
Thursday: Pleasant conditions are set to return Thursday with lots of sunshine and less humid air. Highs will be near normal in the low to mid 80s.
8-Day Forecast: It won’t take long for the heat to return going into the final weekend of June. Friday will see highs push into the mid 80s with the muggy meter turning back up. Saturday looks to be a hot and muggy day with highs nearing 90. A few showers and storms will be possible late Friday with better storm chances Saturday. It is too soon to tell if we’ll have a severe threat Saturday. Temperatures turn back closer to normal going into the start of July next Monday.
The family of the late Indiana broadcaster and community activist Amos C. Brown, III is proud to announce the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards. This prestigious event will honor six outstanding individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the media landscape and the community fabric of Indianapolis.
The honorees for the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards are:
CHANGE MAKER: Tina Cosby, Host of Community Connection and Community Public Affairs Director, Radio One Indianapolis
VISIONARY: DuJuan McCoy, Founder/Owner, Circle City Broadcasting
INNOVATOR: Shannon Williams, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, The Mind Trust
TRAILBLAZER: Rafael Sanchez, Multimedia Journalist and Voice of the Indianapolis Airport
LEGEND: Derrik Thomas, Broadcaster and Member, Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame
ICON: Barbara Boyd, Journalist, Member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Philanthropist, Socialite, and Community Advocate
These remarkable individuals will be honored during a special presentation on Wednesday, June 26th, at the Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser. The event will take place at the Hirons Agency, located at 422 E. New York Street, Indianapolis, Indiana from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Esteemed Radio One Indianapolis personalities Tony Lamont and Karen Vaughn will serve as the masters of ceremonies for the evening.
“We are thrilled to recognize these incredible individuals whose dedication and contributions have left a lasting imprint on our community,” said a family spokesperson. “Their achievements not only honor the legacy of our beloved Amos but also inspire future generations to continue making impactful contributions to our society.”
The Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser and Legacy Awards aim to celebrate and perpetuate the spirit of community service and excellence in media championed by Amos C. Brown, III.
For more information about the inaugural honorees and event details, please visit Amos C. Brown Legacy Awards.
Indianapolis, IN
Looking to watch the fireworks this Fourth of July? Here’s where you should go in Indy
More than 10 sites around Indianapolis will set off fireworks to celebrate this Fourth of July and many of them are accompanied by festivals. The holiday falls on a Thursday, so some events span several days into the weekend. Here’s what you need to know:
Indianapolis Fourth of July fireworks and festivals
July 4, Downtown Indy: Indy’s Downtown Freedom Fest will have a 20-minute fireworks show that can best be viewed from the Indiana War Memorial grounds and the American Legion Mall. The street festival will have live performances and food trucks and starts at 6 p.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. The festival takes place on North Street between Meridian Street and Pennsylvania Street.
July 3, Broad Ripple: The White River Yacht Club will perform the Meredith Smith Memorial Fireworks Show over the White River. While the club hasn’t announced this year’s launch times, in 2023, the fireworks show started at 9 p.m..
Fireworks and festivals in Hamilton and Boone Counties
July 3 – 4, Carmel: CarmelFest ends with a 30-minute fireworks culminating in a fireworks display launched from the Carmel Ice Skadium at 9:45 p.m. on July 4. The festival is two days long, starting July 3. On the 3rd, the hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on the 4th noon to 10 p.m.. The festival will have a beer garden, a talent show, live performances, caricature artists and food trucks.
July 4, Fishers: Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. from Cyntheanne Park and the Geist Reservoir. They can be seen from Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate & Jr. High School and on the water.
July 4, Noblesville: Fireworks start at 10 p.m. and can be viewed from Federal Hill Commons or Forest Park. A Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks Festival will kickoff with a parade at 4 p.m. followed by the festival in Forest Park from 6 to 10 p.m. The 2023 festival had inflatable bounce houses, bungee jumping, a rock wall, ax throwing and a beer garden.
July 4, Westfield: Fireworks will start at 10 p.m., following a festival at Grand Park Sports Campus. The festival will have live music and games and goes from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
July 4, Zionsville: A Fourth of July celebration will be held at Lions Park starting at 5 p.m. and fireworks will begin at 10 p.m.. There will be children’s bounce houses, games and festival food for sale. Miss Indiana and Miss Teen Indiana will sing the national anthem at 7 p.m..
Fireworks and festivals in Hendricks County
July 3, Avon: The town of Avon’s Night at the Park starts with food trucks, a petting zoo, a concert and pony rides, and ends with a fireworks display. The free event goes from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Avon Town Hall Park.
July 4, Brownsburg: Brownsburg’s July Fourth 2024 Extravaganza will begin at 7:30 at the Town Hall Green. There will be a performance from the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra. A parade through town will begin at 10 a.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m..
June 29 to July 4: Poor Jack’s Carnival will be at Arbuckle Acres Park from 6 to 11 p.m. each night. Carnival wristbands are $25, but the rest of the festival, which includes yard games and food trucks, is free.
Family friendly entertainment
June 30-July 3, Conner Prairie, Fishers: The focus of the Star-Spangled Symphony at Conner Prairie is the music, but the finale will be accompanied by fireworks for these four. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts. Gates open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at indianapolissymphony.org.
July 4, Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Independence Day Social: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the home of America’s Hoosier President will have free first-floor tours and patriotic activities. There will be live jazz music, balloon artists, crafts and visiting animals from Indianapolis Care Services. Hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn will be available. The event is free but registration at bhpsite.org is required.
July 4, Indianapolis Indians vs. Louisville Bats: Tickets are available for the 6:35 p.m. baseball game at ticketsonsale.com. The Indians will play at Victory Field and fireworks will follow the game.
Out to the bars
July 4, Metazoa Brewing Company 4th of July Party: Metazoa Brewing, 140 S. College Ave., will unveil their new beer at their free block party. The event goes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will have live music. The brewery is dog-friendly and the Downtown Indianapolis fireworks will be visible.
July 6, Red, White and Brew Bar Crawl: For $25, crawlers can dress up in red, white and blue and explore multiple Indy bars. The event goes from 4 to 6 p.m. and starts at the Saint Shack, 250 S. Meridian St. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com.
July 5, Red White and Brew Party: Hosted by Howl at the Moon, 20 E. Georgia St., there will be dancing and deals on drinks all night to celebrate the Fourth. Howl at the Moon is open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.Alex Haddon is a Pulliam Fellow. You can email her at AHaddon@gannett.com.
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