March 28, 2024

Finding our groove

The Pressbox

Race car drivers talk a lot of finding the right groove on a certain track. They are looking for the optima line for their cars to go fast.

All of us strive for the optima line in our lives. I’m starting to get my groove here in Iowa. There’s no question, I’m a Kansas girl and always will be — wishing I was closer to family in my home state. With that said, I’m comfortable with the decision I was forced to make two years ago — to find a new job.

Things are different, but they stay much the same for sports writers. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

In a week chocked full of activity for the Newton Daily News sports staff, I’ve been under the weather a bit and didn’t get to a couple of playoff games. Sorry on that account, but the games were reported in our sports pages.

We’ve been juggling high school softball and baseball and previews for the third of four great race weekends at Iowa Speedway.

Hitting their groove and finding a strong line back to the Iowa Class 1A State Softball Tournament were the Lynnville-Sully Hawks. The Hawks go fast on the base paths. If an opposing player doesn’t pay attention, the Hawks are off and running to the next base. More often than not, the Hawk runner is safe.

The Hawks begin their third straight state tournament Tuesday. Their sights — as are those of the other seven teams — are on the 2015 state championship.

I have to make a shout out to the Kansas City Royals, specifically the players voted to the 2015 MLB All-Star Game. Those guys found their grooves and helped the AL win the game.

There was such an uproar about how dare Royals fans destroy the American League’s chance to have homefield advantage in the World Series by voting so many of the Kansas City players as starters. The Royals dominated the All-Star fan vote and there was no Royal letdown in Tuesday’s game.

Royals players had three of the AL’s seven hits including Lorenzo Cain’s big RBI double. Hey world, you don’t think the Kansas City team and fans understand the importance of homefield advantage in the World Series? The Royals were the American League champions last year. They know.

I’ve done telephone interviews with former winners at Iowa Speedway in the Verizon IndyCar Series including Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay, both of Andretti Autosport. Andretti Autosport drivers seem to have found the right grooves on the Newton race track, winning five straight IndyCar races and six of the eight races at the track.

Hunter-Reay has two IndyCar victories at Iowa Speedway, including last year. He said Andretti drivers have found a good setup for the cars over the years, which have been good. But, that all changes in 2015, he said, with the new aero kits for the cars.

“It will be a challenge this year,” Hunter-Reay said. “I’ve won twice there, but it will be difficult to keep that streak going because of the new body on the cars. I’ve not had the year I wanted so far. It’s crunch time with only four races remaining. We’re hoping Iowa is key to helping us turn things in the right direction.”

Hunter-Reay and his team will come to Iowa Speedway Friday for practice runs to find the setup and the groove the No. 28 DHL Honda will run fast and at its optima.

“I love short track racing, and Iowa lends itself to some best racing on our series schedule,” Hunter-Reay said. “You do look for the right line on a track, and every track is different. A track changes throughout the weekend as cars log more laps and temperature changes.

“All that opens up lines on the track. There’s usually two grooves at Iowa. As a driver, you decide which line is best for you and the car is setup for that.”

So, whatever your passion is, go out and find your groove.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com