Here are a few stories to keep an eye on during today’s Iowa Corn Indy 250 (1:30 p.m. ET, Versus):
1. Totaled car count. Every time the IndyCars come to Iowa, there’s always more than a couple of machines that wind up getting hauled back to Indy in pieces. The track’s bumpy characteristics (especially in Turns 1 and 2) can create real trouble for drivers — especially when you take into account the level of speed that this 7/8-mile oval is able to achieve.
2. Andretti Autosport’s race pace. The team has been able to lately overcome tough qualifying performances with some great ones in the race. Today, Marco Andretti is starting third and looks to be the best bet since he’s riding a wave of back-to-back third place efforts. Danica Patrick (ninth), Ryan Hunter-Reay (12th), and Tony Kanaan (15th) are farther back on the grid but Iowa is a track with a good level of overtaking, so expect them to rise up the pylon if they have solid set-ups.
3. Can Power get his points lead back? Will Power once held a good edge in the championship, but now he’s three markers off of Dario Franchitti, who’s the defending champ at Iowa. Power starts on pole this afternoon and a victory would vault him back into the top spot — just in time for a stretch of five straight road and street courses starting on July 4 at Watkins Glen.
4. Weather watch. There’s a pretty high chance of thunderstorms in today’s forecast out at Iowa Speedway, so we’ll have to see if the IndyCars can manage to squeeze in their race or if it may end up rain-shortened instead. It could make for more desperate racing as well.
