March 28, 2024

Sukup Manufacturing sponsoring Pole Day

World’s fastest growing bin company to sponsor ‘Fast Friday’ at Iowa Speedway

NEWTON — With the exciting new NASCAR knockout style pole position format and flat-out qualifying for the IndyCar Series, Sukup Manufacturing Co. has been named as the Iowa Speedway official pole-day sponsor this weekend.

Speedway officials announced last week that Sukup Pole Day will be designated for Friday when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Verizon IndyCar Series drivers qualify for each of their respective races.

“Sukup Pole Day is going to feature two amazing qualifying sessions,” said Iowa Speedway President Jimmy Small. “The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers are likely to make moves that would normally be reserved for the race because track position will play such a significant role.

“That will hold true for the IndyCar Series as well. With speeds that Helio Castroneves put up last year of 185 miles per hour, we’re the fastest short track, shorter than a mile, on the planet. This is something we’re incredibly proud of here at Iowa Speedway, and we are excited to celebrate it with Sukup Manufacturing Company.”

There is plenty of on-track action scheduled for Sukup Pole Day on Friday, July 11, including Verizon IndyCar Series practice and qualifying; two rounds of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying beginning at 4:40 p.m.; and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol 200 presented by Enogen at 7:30 p.m.

“All of us at Sukup Manufacturing Company are excited to once again be partnering with the Iowa Speedway and their race sponsors as we present the Sukup Pole Award. Both of these races, the American Ethanol 200 presented by Enogen and the Iowa Corn 300 presented by DEKALB, put the spotlight on ethanol, which is so important to Iowa’s farmers and economy and to American oil independence, “ said Sukup Manufacturing President Charles Sukup.

“It will be exciting to see the speeds put up this year in the races for the pole. And, what better way to demonstrate the performance benefits of ethanol than to see it powering an IndyCar Series race car 185 mph around the Fastest Short Track on the Planet?”

Sukup Pole Day for the Verizon IndyCar Series will begin at 2 p.m. The qualifying order for the IndyCar Series will be determined by a blind draw. Each car is permitted two warm-up laps prior to the timed qualification laps. A qualification attempt consists of two consecutively timed laps. The aggregate time is recorded as the official qualifying time for the car.

Sukup Pole Day for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will begin at 4:40 p.m. and will consist of two knockout rounds. The process, which has drivers and fans alike excited about the 2014 change, is as follows:

Essentially, tracks that are less than 1.25 miles, such as Iowa Speedway, will see two qualifying rounds. The first will last 30 minutes, with all trucks expected to be on the track.

The fastest 12 drivers in the first round will then move to a 10-minute second round, which will determine the pole sitter. The other trucks will be placed on the starting grid based upon their best single qualifying lap during either the first or second sessions.